(If it’s good for them, it’s better for everyone.)
Prioritize Predictability
- Use consistent layouts across all pages.
- Minimize surprise actions like pop-ups or sudden animations.
- Explain interactions clearly before they happen.
Golden Rule: Never make the user guess what’s going to happen next.
Keep It Clear, Keep It Literal
- Write in plain language.
- Break content into short, labelled sections.
- Offer simplified or “easy read” versions when content gets complex.
Golden Rule: If you can’t explain it simply, it’s probably broken.
Respect Cognitive Load
- Chunk tasks into small, manageable steps.
- Show progress indicators like “Step 2 of 5.”
- Allow users to pause, save, and return later without penalty.
Golden Rule: Your platform should feel like an airport walkway, not a CrossFit obstacle course.
Design for Sensory Regulation
- Limit flashing visuals, loud sounds, and busy backgrounds.
- Provide settings to reduce motion, noise, brightness, and clutter.
- Support dark mode and high-contrast themes.
Golden Rule: Give control over sensory experience – don’t assume what’s “normal.”
Build Forgiveness Into Everything
- Make interactive targets large enough (minimum 24x24px).
- Allow easy error recovery (“Undo,” “Edit,” “Retry”).
- Avoid memory-reliant tasks like recalling hidden passwords or deciphering unclear instructions.
Golden Rule: If someone makes a mistake, the system should help them fix it, not punish them for it.
Design Mindsets That Actually Work
- Predictable beats trendy.
- Clear beats clever.
- Control beats assumption.
- Progress beats perfection.
Quick Note
These practices support not only Autism, ADHD, and Dyslexia but also Dyspraxia, OCD, Tourette’s, Dyscalculia, Auditory Processing Disorder, and more. Accessibility that feels “optional” today will feel “obvious” tomorrow. Start now. Stay ahead.
Final Thought
Design like your user is brilliant – and exhausted. (Because a lot of the time, they are.)
