Limited series exploring Neurodiversity Design, article 4/6
Deep Understanding with Futures Thinking
Research: Partner with neurodivergent individuals, advocacy groups, and experts in various fields (psychology, technology, sociology) to gain a nuanced understanding of current experiences, challenges, and preferences when interacting with digital products.
Futures Thinking: Explore potential technological advancements and societal changes' impact on user needs.
Focus on Diversity: Recognize the spectrum of neurodivergence and the variety of user needs. Include a range of perspectives throughout the research process.
Design for Predictability, Clarity, and Future Accessibility
Visual Hierarchy & Consistency: Employ clear visual hierarchy, consistent layout, and organization to guide the user's focus for current users and future interface adaptations.
Simple Language and Future Customization: Prioritize plain language with clear instructions. Allow for future customization of language and communication styles (e.g., text-to-speech, symbol support).
Limited Animation & User Control: Minimize unnecessary animations and flashing elements. As a future accessibility feature, allow users to control animations.
Logical Navigation & Future Standardization: Maintain consistent navigation patterns for current users while considering future standardization efforts for broader accessibility.
Accessibility and Customization with Long-Term Vision
Sensory Preferences: Offer options to adjust font size, color schemes, and background contrast. Integrate features addressing future sensory needs as technology allows (e.g., scent control, haptic feedback).
Keyboard Accessibility: Ensure full functionality and navigation using only the keyboard.
Customization for Current and Future Needs: Allow users to personalize their experience by adjusting settings related to visuals, sounds, and interaction methods, with room for future expansion based on user feedback.
Clear Communication and Feedback for Enhanced User Experience
Explicit Instructions: Provide clear and specific instructions for completing tasks. Use labels for all icons and buttons.
Predictable Outcomes: Ensure user actions lead to expected and consistent results. Provide clear error messages with solutions when mistakes are made.
Progress Indicators: Use progress bars or other visuals to indicate loading times or completion of tasks.
User Testing and Continuous Improvement: Include actual users throughout the design process, from initial concept stages to usability testing, focusing on iterative design and ongoing improvement based on user feedback.
Leverage Strengths and Reduce Anxiety
Focus on Neurodiversity Strengths: Design features that leverage strengths such as attention to detail, logical thinking, hyper-focus, divergent thinking, etc.
Reduce Anxiety & Promote User Well-being: Consider design features that minimize stress and anxiety associated with unfamiliar interfaces, promoting a sense of control and user well-being.
Sensemaking Collaboration for Inclusive and Sustainable Design
Collaboration Beyond User Research: Engage with communities, educators, and social service providers to better understand social barriers and opportunities.
Inclusive Design for Multiple Needs: Recognize that neurodivergent users may have co-occurring conditions. Design solutions should include a range of needs and future advancements.
Transdisciplinary Approach
A transdisciplinary approach emphasizes shared design principles and objectives, revealing how different specialties build conceptual solutions greater than the sum of their parts. Through professional collaboration and community participation, designers can define research objectives and identify disciplines to explore complex issues and develop deeper insights for iteration.
For instance, Futures Thinking can guide the long-term vision of a product and help develop design goals while aligning business needs with user advocacy through UX design and research. Inclusive Design and Trauma-Informed Design can establish inclusive language and branding guides that encourage psychologically safe environments affecting aesthetic considerations drawn from Graphic Design. Understanding Systems Thinking provides a lens for a holistic perspective of customer service, guiding direct, concise, plain language while accommodating different communication styles.
Objectives and Design Disciplines
User Advocacy - UX Design/ Cross-Cultural Design
Project Goals - Futures/ System Thinking
Language - Technical Writing / Inclusive Design
Aesthetic - Graphic Design/ Visual Communication
Consistency - User Interface Design/ Human-Centered Design
Personalization - Human-Computer Interaction / User Interface
Navigation/ Wayfinding - Information Architecture/ Urban Architecture
Environment - Inclusive Design / Universal Design/ Interior Design
System Support - Computer Science/ HCI
Psychological Safety - Accessibility/ Trauma-Informed Design
Next article: UX Factors for Neurodiversity Design