Hi, how do I human this: Neurodiversity-Affirming Design for Autistic Adults' Formation of Identity

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) has been critiqued for grounding technologies for disabled people in ableist paradigms, where the emphasis is placed on ‘fixing’ autism rather than supporting autistic people. In contrast, the neurodiversity paradigm has helped many autistic people to develop an autistic identity, foster greater self-esteem, and build a sense of belonging within the broader neurodiversity community. Yet, little is known about how digital technologies might support information-seeking and self-reflection practices that contribute to autistic identity formation. Most HCI literature has largely focused on children, and has overlooked the experiences of autistic adults with intersecting gender and ethnic identities. This study addresses that gap by reporting findings from a survey (N=21) and participatory design workshops (n=8), where autistic cis and transgender women, as well as non-binary adults, reflected on their journeys towards identifying as autistic following a late autism diagnosis, and evaluated a prototype conversational agent designed to support this process. Our findings highlight the value of compassionate participatory design practices and contribute guidelines for designing agents that can support autistic adults and their identity formation.