Have you ever entered a website and got overwhelmed by the flashy design?
Maybe the color contrasts were too loud, or the layout was too crowded. For you, this might just be another cluttered website. However, for many neurodivergent users out there, these are genuine inconveniences that hamper their accessibility. So much so that it can make a website unusable for them. And hence, creating a good UX for neurodiversity has become crucial. And in this blog, we will take a detailed look at this topic.
Neurodiversity is a concept that sees neurological differences as natural variations in the human brain. The concept is very similar to biodiversity in terms of nature!
Neurodiversity happens to be an umbrella term that includes conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, and Dyslexia. It also includes Dyspraxia and Tourette’s Syndrome. Neurodivergent people process information differently, as they have different sensory experiences. And this condition can significantly affect how they interact with the world.
A website user experience for such people is, therefore, very different from that of normal users. How so?
Well, A person with ADHD might struggle to focus when he/ she land on a website with a cluttered page.
On the other hand, a person suffering from Autism might find flashing animations or unnecessary ad pop-ups very much distracting. These serve as too much information for their brains, which might lead to sensory overload. Also, people suffering from photophobia (light sensitivity) can benefit from a dark mode design more than a white one!
Similarly, people suffering from dyslexia might get confused by dense text blocks. They can also get confused by certain font styles and designs. Therefore, the digital world, which was supposed to be a safe space, turns into an utter fiasco for these people! These issues show the importance of an all-inclusive UX design.
Here are two different case studies from the software giants in the market. These are real-life instances that showcase the importance of an all-inclusive UX design for neurodiversity –
Microsoft faced a challenge when it recognized that neurodivergent people use their software.. And to solve this issue, and make their software more easy-to-handle, they created features like Focus Assist as a part of their inclusive design initiative. This feature silenced notifications and other background activity, which helped minimize distractions.
Not just that, but Microsoft also came up with a Read Aloud feature in their Office Suite. This feature reads text aloud to reduce visual strain and is especially helpful for dyslexic users. These solutions directly addressed the needs of neurodivergent individuals, and the impact was significant as the tech giant enhanced the experience for a broader audience, demonstrating that inclusive design is simply good design for everyone.
Google’s ‘Project Understood’ was an initiative from the giant when their voice recognition systems failed to understand people with atypical speech patterns. To solve this, Google partnered with the Canadian Down Syndrome Society to train its AI using a diverse dataset of voices from individuals suffering from conditions like Down Syndrome. This initiative improved the system’s ability to recognize a broader range of speech. With this initiative, Google empowered more people to use voice-activated devices effectively, thereby bridging a key accessibility gap. This project is a powerful example of empathy-driven design.
It is absolutely not hard to create a truly inclusive design. It starts with empathy. Here are five tips that will help you create a better user experience for everyone-
When designing for neurodivergent users, cluttered pages are always a big no-no! Instead, use a clean and simple layout with plenty of white space. This helps reduce the overall cognitive load and keeps your design consistent. This, in turn, helps users navigate your website with ease. A simple design helps users focus on the content. This is key for people with ADHD or Dyslexia, and can help improve any website.
Your website must contain interactive elements, as they are great for aesthetics and functionality as well. However, when crafting an all-inclusive design, you should make sure that those interactive elements are easy to use. For instance, if you have integrated CTA buttons, make sure to leave enough space around them. This makes it easier for people with motor difficulties to click and interact on your website.
One of the best philosophies for website design, let alone neurodiverse website design, is leaving room for users to personalize their experience. Why?
Well, some users may prefer to tweak the contrast levels when reading your website content. Some may even like to change font sizes or background colors. This level of control makes a website more usable, especially for neurodivergent people. It helps meet their individual needs, and is a core principle for how to design for neurodiversity.
Flashing lights, autopayable videos, sudden pop-ups, etc., might seem very aesthetic. But these very elements can cause stress to the eyes and to the minds of neurodivergent people. So, the better way to approach this is to use simple animations, avoid any kind of flashy stuff, and give users the option to turn these animations on or off on the website according to their convenience.
Of all the pointers mentioned in this neurodiversity design guide, this is probably one of the most crucial. Explore feedback from the neurodivergent people about your website. This will help you get a lot of input, implementing which will help you come up with an all-inclusive UX design for your website.
The digital world is meant to be a safe space for all kinds of users across the world. Hence, creating inclusive designs is no longer an option, but a necessity. Designing for neurodiversity is about using empathy to guide your design choices. And it can significantly improve accessibility challenges in healthcare apps for these people. By following these tips, you can create a better, all-inclusive website user experience, which will be a win-win for both users and businesses.
Also, if you have expertise on such conditions, and want to share your own views on this topic, we would love to what from you! Just send us your writings under our write for us technology blogs category, and if we see you have the skills, you’ll be on board very soon!
‘Neurodivergent’ refers to those users whose brains process information differently from the average person. These are mainly people suffering from conditions like ADHD or Dyslexia.
Inclusive UX design is important as it ensures that the digital world remains accessible and usable to a broader audience. It helps reduce barriers that might otherwise prevent neurodivergent users from engaging with websites or applications.
Common UX challenges that neurodivergent users face are-
Here are the design principles that support neurodivergent users-
Navigation can be optimized for cognitive accessibility by using straightforward language and predictable pathways. Providing multiple ways to find content, such as search bars and clear sitemaps, also helps users who might struggle with complex navigation.
Mr. Robert Willson is one of the few geeks who never gets tired when it comes to technology. From the latest gadgets to AI and machine learning, Mr. Willson translates them into easy-to-digest insights. Where there is tech, there is him!
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