Journey Mapping as an Inclusive Qualitative Method for Neurodivergent Individuals

Journey mapping is a novel qualitative method designed to enhance communication by allowing neurodivergent participants to express their lived experiences through creative, visual and narrative modalities. Traditional qualitative methods often rely on verbal or written responses, which may not fully capture the complexity of neurodivergent experiences. By enabling participants to create individualised visual maps, journey mapping offers a flexible, participant-led approach that produces rich, meaningful and dynamic data. This study used journey mapping to explore the experience of being diagnosed with dyslexia in adulthood. Four participants (two male, two female; diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 48) constructed journey maps using drawings, annotations and structured reflections, facilitating a deeper exploration of their personal experiences of life before and after diagnosis. They were given two weeks to create their journey maps in their time, after which they took part in a semi-structured interview to discuss what they had created. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was conducted to analyse both the journey maps and the interview. Three themes were developed: 1). self-reliance and personal growth; 2). disconnect between ability and the expectations; 3). understanding themselves. The findings suggest that journey mapping enables neurodivergent individuals to externalise complex emotions, reflect on shifting identities and communicate experiences that traditional methods may overlook. As a tailored, inclusive methodology, journey mapping enhances participant engagement and ensures that diverse communication styles are valued in qualitative research. Future studies should continue refining analytic strategies to accommodate the unique data produced through these creative and visual techniques.