ND‑OS™
ND‑OS™ is a neurodivergent‑led framework for understanding what’s happening inside a person in real time - their load, behaviour, communication and capacity.
It removes guesswork and interpretation and replaces them with clear, lived‑experience logic. ND‑OS™ is built to be predictable, practical and safe to use.
This system comes directly from how neurodivergent people actually experience the world: how we sense things, think, feel and relate. ND‑OS™ turns those internal experiences into a simple structure you can use moment‑by‑moment, in real situations, with real limits.
ND‑OS™ isn’t a personality test, a coaching style or a set of tips. It’s a structural method for understanding what’s going on and what someone needs.
The Neurodivergent Operating System™
(pronounced en-doss)
Why ND‑OS™ Exists
Most support for Neurodivergent people is built on neurotypical assumptions: “Try harder.” “Be more consistent.” “Just get organised.” “Use this planner.”
None of that works when your brain runs on a completely different operating system.
ND‑OS™ exists to replace those assumptions with:
emotional intelligence
sensory and executive function understanding
pattern‑mapping
non‑punitive, non‑coercive support
tiny, sustainable systems
lived‑experience insight
It’s a framework designed to make your life make sense, without shame, judgement, or pressure to perform.
The ND‑OS™ system has four parts:
Domains, Drivers, States and Interventions
Domains: What’s Being Affected
ND‑OS™ starts with the four areas inside a person that can get overloaded:
Sensory - what the body is taking in.
Cognitive - how the brain is processing information.
Emotional - how the person is feeling and regulating.
Relational - the social and communication load.
These domains show where strain is happening.
Drivers: What’s Changing the Load
Drivers are the things that make life easier or harder in each domain.
Examples:
loud sounds
too many steps to follow
stress or uncertainty
social pressure or misunderstanding
Drivers explain why someone’s capacity changes.
States: How the Person Is Coping Right Now
States show the person’s current level of capacity. They make it clear what is possible in the moment.
Below is a simplified version of the ND‑OS™ state model:
OK - things feel manageable.
Struggling - things feel harder; capacity is dropping.
Overloaded - the person can’t keep up; behaviour may change.
Shutting Down - the system is protecting itself; capacity is gone.
States show what the person can realistically handle.
Interventions: What to Do Next
Interventions are the practical steps that reduce load.
Examples:
making things quieter
slowing down
giving space
simplifying instructions
lowering expectations
offering predictability
Interventions show how to make the situation safer and easier.
The ND‑OS™ System in One Sentence:
Domains show what’s affected, drivers show why, states show how the person is coping, interventions show what helps.
The ND‑OS™ Institute is the organisation that creates, develops and teaches the ND‑OS™ system. It is led by neurodivergent people and built from real lived experience. Their aim is to make understanding neurodivergent needs simple, clear and safe for everyone.
What They Do:
Community
They bring neurodivergent people together to share experiences and shape the system.
ND‑OS™ grows directly from the people who use it.
Education
They teach ND‑OS™ in clear, practical ways.
Their training and resources are designed so anyone can understand the system and use it in real life.
Practice
They help people apply ND‑OS™ in everyday situations - at home, at work and in other services.
The focus is always on what helps in the moment.
What They Stand For:
The ND‑OS™ Institute is built on three simple principles:
Clarity instead of guesswork
Lived experience instead of assumptions
Safety instead of pressure
They believe neurodivergent people should be understood without having to explain or mask.
ND‑OS™ gives everyone a clear way to do that.
The ND‑OS™ Institute
The Lived‑Experience Basis:
The Four Pillars of Neurodivergent Functioning
ND‑OS™ is built on the internal realities of neurodivergent people.
These four domains describe how neurodivergent people actually function.
Pillar 1: Sensory Foundation
The base layer.
If this collapses, nothing above it can function.
Pillar 2: Predictable Pressure Points
The environmental variables that increase or decrease access.
These sit directly on top of sensory stability.
Pillar 3: Operating System
ND-OS™: Your internal logic; how you process the world when access is available.
This layer only comes online when sensory & pressure points allow it.
Pillar 4: Structural Strengths
The highest expression of your functioning.
These emerge when your OS is fully accessible.
How ND‑OS™ Works in Practice:
ND‑OS™ is made to be used in real time. It gives people clear, practical tools they can use in the moment.
It includes:
Simple scripts that make conversations easier and remove pressure.
Step‑by‑step help for moments of overwhelm, shutdown or slow processing.
Changes to the environment that make things quieter, calmer and easier to think in.
Clear boundary phrases that are honest, direct and safe for everyone involved.
Ways to map out a situation so you can see what’s causing stress or conflict.
Predictable routines that help keep capacity steady.
ND‑OS™ can be taught, learned and used by anyone. It works as a personal system for everyday life and as a professional framework for coaches, practitioners and organisations.
Who ND‑OS™ Is For:
ND‑OS™ is designed for:
neurodivergent individuals seeking clarity, predictability and self‑understanding
coaches and practitioners who want neurodivergent‑safe, operational tools
workplaces aiming to reduce harm and increase accessibility
educators and facilitators who need clear, non‑pathologising frameworks
anyone supporting neurodivergent people in high‑load environments
ND‑OS™ scales across personal, relational and organisational contexts.
What Makes ND‑OS™ Different:
ND‑OS™ is:
founded by a neurodivergent creator
operational, not conceptual
load‑based, not behaviour‑based
predictable, not interpretive
emotionally honest, not performative
systems‑level, not individual‑blaming
ND‑OS™ sets a new standard for neurodivergent‑safe practice.
Where ND‑OS™ Shows Up in My Work
ND‑OS™ shapes every part of my practice:
1:1 Support
We map your patterns, understand your load and build tiny systems that work with your real brain.
Workshops & Courses
Lived‑experience‑led sessions that give you language, clarity and neurodivergent‑safe tools.
Organisational Consultancy
Systems‑level change that reduces burnout, improves retention and creates environments where neurodivergent staff can thrive without masking.
ND‑OS™ is the thread that ties everything together.
Why ND‑OS™ Matters
Because neurodivergent people deserve support that:
doesn’t shame them
doesn’t overwhelm them
doesn’t ask them to be someone they’re not
doesn’t punish them for struggling
doesn’t rely on neurotypical norms
ND‑OS™ gives you a way to understand yourself that is grounded, compassionate and emotionally intelligent.
A way to build a life that finally feels like yours.