A Federation of Master Builders (FMB) member is launching a ground-breaking construction management platform during Neurodiversity Celebration Week (16–22 March), purpose-built for the hundreds of thousands of neurodiverse professionals working in the UK building industry and FMB members could be the first to use it.
TRADEWAYS Technologies Limited, founded by Louise Tingley, an award-winning, neurodiverse micro-business owner with a background in construction has developed what is believed to be the first all-in-one construction management platform. It has been designed around the needs of neurodiverse users, including those with ADHD and dyslexia.
The launch comes as industry data shows the scale of the issue with one in four construction workers identifying as having a neurodiverse condition, yet the tools available to run a building business have never been designed with them in mind. Research has found that 52% of UK tradespeople consider themselves neurodiverse and 59% of UK tradespeople who experience mental ill health are neurodivergent, suggesting that unsuitable working environments and systems are contributing to a wider wellbeing crisis in the sector.
Despite construction attracting a disproportionately high number of neurodiverse professionals with 34% of neurodiverse workers saying their condition actually heightened their desire to work in construction. Almost 40% of neurodiverse construction workers have not disclosed their condition to their employer, with a third of those citing fear of stigma, while many others are simply managing silently, using tools not built for how their brains work.
It is launching in beta during Neurodiversity Celebration Week (16-22 March), initially hoping to open to FMB members and industry professionals, before a full public release.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: "Construction has always attracted neurodiverse talent as the practical, problem-solving nature of the work suits a huge range of creative-thinking styles. For too long, the administrative side of running a building business has worked against neurodiverse people rather than for them, but Louise has identified something incredibly important. Her new system TRADEWAYS, designed for people in the building industry with neurodiversity is exactly the kind of innovation the industry needs - built from lived experience and designed with a genuine understanding for people with neuro-diverse needs."
Louise Tingley, founder of TRADEWAYS Technologies Limited, added: "I spent years fighting my own software. I was spending more time on administration than on the work I loved, getting overwhelmed by platforms that weren't built for the way my brain works and I knew I couldn't be alone. TRADEWAYS is what I needed and couldn't find. Everything in one place, designed to calm rather than overwhelm, with AI that supports you rather than replaces you. Neurodiversity Celebration Week felt like the right moment to launch because this platform is, at its heart, a celebration of the fact that different brains build brilliant things."
"The TRADEWAYS platform features a dyslexia-friendly font, colour-tinted dashboards calibrated to calm rather than overstimulate, and text-to-speech functionality throughout. AI integration assists with quoting, pricing gap analysis, and tax processes, reducing the administrative burden that many neurodiverse business owners find most overwhelming. The platform is UK-built and UK-specific."
Paul Temple, from Maidstone Digital based in Kent, added: "It’s been genuinely brilliant that myself and the Maidstone Digital team have been part of the TradeWays journey from the ground up. Building the platform here in the UK, and specifically in Kent, means it’s rooted in a real understanding of how neurodivergent tradespeople actually work day to day. What makes TradeWays different is that it’s not technology for technology’s sake - it’s being developed hand-in-hand with the industry, focusing on usability, clarity and removing friction rather than adding it. That collaborative, UK-led approach is exactly why the platform has the potential to make a real difference to the construction and trades sector!"
Iain Kirtley, Hub Director for FMB South, concluded:
"Across the South East there is a huge community of skilled, talented tradespeople and a significant number of them are neurodivergent. What Louise has done is fantastic; she's taken an issue that affects so many in our industry and has built a practical and accessible solution which will, I'm sure, benefit many people, especially our FMB members. It's also great that the technology was developed in Kent, further highlighting the innovation and talent that makes the region so special. The FMB is delighted to support the app's development. At the FMB we're also looking to other ways we can support our neurodivergent members and I encourage any of them to get in touch to share their experiences and help us shape our support."
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