Communication as a science experiment

I self-diagnosed with Asperger's in high school and was officially diagnosed shortly after, alongside additional neurodiversities. My family was given pessimistic predictions about my future. I decided the diagnosis was empowering, not limiting.

The experiment

At fourteen I turned communication into a science experiment. I studied the people around me by writing down their conversations, adding time, keeping track of facial expressions and assigning a value to each input. Social interaction became a dataset I could analyse.

Years later I discovered the system I had built mapped closely to Transactional Analysis, the model Eric Berne popularised in Games People Play in the 1960s. I had reverse-engineered an established framework from observation alone.

What it gave me

The analytical approach became invaluable once I started managing people. Understanding my own strengths and limitations meant I could quickly empathise with colleagues and clients without leaning on assumed social norms.

It is also the foundation of the advice I give the industry — ask, don't assume. I have told the full story in AdNews and for the Media Federation of Australia.