Designed to Disrupt

ADHD and the Art + Design Student

By Scott Cressman

A field guide for creatives with ADHD like me

Designed to Disrupt is the first book of its kind—a powerful, practical, and empowering resource for students with ADHD in fine art, design, illustration, and animation programs. Written by educator, designer, and creative strategist Scott Cressman, this book speaks directly to the misunderstood minds that fuel the future of the creative industries.

Whether you’ve just been diagnosed, have long suspected you’re wired differently, or work with students who are, this book invites you to reframe ADHD as a creative advantage—not a deficit.

What’s inside

This isn’t another book about how to “manage” ADHD. It’s about how to thrive with it—in studio courses, critique culture, collaboration, and the messy, magical process of making art. Inside, you’ll find:

  • The science behind ADHD and divergent thinking

  • How ADHD brains generate original ideas—and how to protect that spark

  • Studio strategies and tools built for nonlinear minds

  • Real talk on perfectionism, procrastination, and creative burnout

  • How to advocate for yourself in postsecondary education and beyond

  • Planning templates, checklists, and inclusive classroom practices

  • Insights and stories from neurodivergent students and professionals

Who this book is for

  • Students in art, design, illustration, animation, and other visual disciplines

  • Creatives who struggle with focus, deadlines, or traditional learning formats

  • Faculty and administrators working toward inclusive education

  • Anyone ready to challenge the myth that ADHD and success are incompatible

Why this book matters

ADHD minds are idea-rich, emotionally tuned, visually fluent, and wildly imaginative. But too often, education tries to “fix” these students rather than harness their power.

Designed to Disrupt turns that model upside down. It validates the lived experience of neurodivergent creatives and equips them with the tools to design not just better work—but better lives.

About the author

Scott Cressman is a designer, educator, and Assistant Professor in the Bachelor of Design program at Alberta University of the Arts in Calgary. With over 35 years of experience in industry, academia, visual communication, creative strategy, and branding, Scott has led award-winning projects across the public and private sectors. Learning that he had ADHD later in life, he now champions neurodivergent inclusion in creative education and believes that ADHD can be a powerful creative asset. His teaching and writing centre on empowering students to embrace their unique ways of thinking, making, and thriving.

Ready to rethink creative education?

This book will change the way you think about attention, learning, and the creative mind. Whether you’re a student, a parent, a professor, or a curious reader, Designed to Disrupt invites you to stop masking, start creating, and see your differences as the very source of your creative power.

Coming April 2026