Neurodivergent users—including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences—experience interfaces in fundamentally different ways. Creating inclusive designs that work for these users improves experiences for everyone.
Key Neurodivergent Design Considerations
- Sensory sensitivity: Response to animation, color, and contrast
- Attention patterns: Focus, distraction, and hyperfocus tendencies
- Language processing: Text complexity and information architecture
- Memory functioning: Working memory demands and cues
- Executive function: Task initiation, switching, and completion
- Pattern recognition: Navigation consistency and exceptions
- Time perception: Process duration awareness and estimation
Implementation Strategies
- Customization options: User control over sensory aspects
- Clear structure: Predictable, consistent organization
- Plain language: Straightforward communication without idioms
- Focus management: Minimal distractions in task flows
- Error prevention: Guidance before mistakes happen
- Progress indication: Clear advancement through processes
- Multiple input methods: Alternative ways to interact
Design Patterns for Neurodiversity
- Reading mode customization: Font, spacing, and color control
- Notification management: Grouping and priority control
- Task breakdown: Explicit steps for complex processes
- Time orientation: Clear duration indicators
- Consistent navigation: Predictable patterns across the experience
- Alternative formats: Multiple ways to access the same information
- Recovery paths: Easy ways to correct mistakes
Inclusion Impact
Organizations implementing neurodiverse design report reaching 15-20% more users and improving satisfaction across all user groups.
Expert Perspective
As autistic designer Wendy Chisholm explains: "Designing for neurological differences isn't about accommodating a minority—it's about understanding the full spectrum of human cognition and creating experiences that work for everyone."