Limited series exploring Neurodiversity Design, article 6/6
Sensory sensitivities
Noise, Light, and Touch - relates to UI design use of color, typography, haptics
Communication Style - relates to UI visual cues, icons, color theory
Social interaction - relates to UX & UI - language and tone: concise and precise, plain language
Executive function - relates to UX workflows, navigation, task flows, cognitive load
Emotional Intelligence
What is a neurotypical user feeling and experiencing?
What is a neurodiverse user feeling and experiencing?
Anxiety/Worry/ Relief - relates to UX and UI through consistency, visual hierarchy, navigational clues, color theory, imagery, persistence, interruptions, progress indicators, etc.
Psychological Safety
Community - utilize collaborative co-participatory workshops
Predictability - utilize wayfinding, visual hierarchy, and navigation models
Consistency - minimalist user interface, layout, and graphics
Error Prevention - guided transitions, notifications, and feedback
A key component of psychological safety is establishing trust with neurodiverse individuals, permitting them to challenge the status quo without experiencing negative repercussions. A system may have the desired functionality, but if the user doesn't feel safe exploring and using it, then the system lacks the capacity to assist users in achieving their goals.
Series Conclusion
The role of a UX Designer is to foster creativity and collaboration through understanding people, cultures, societies, and systems by letting everyone contribute and learning how people motivate themselves, cope with traumas, express ideas, and adapt to environmental and technological changes.
Through integrating Neurodiversity Design principles and methodologies, UX Designers can host safe spaces to explore ideas, iterate on various solutions, and then combine multiple fields like neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and design to form cohesive solutions addressing complex issues and user interactions.