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Accessibility & Inclusivity

Neurodiversity or what UX should know to (even better) design

September 5, 2023 1:45 PM
Power Talk
🇵🇱 Polish
Bratysława 2

About

The topic I would like to cover is a short 20 mins on autism among women and, in relation to this, anxiety disorder and how this affects design today. This relates to the design of the digital world, which is inextricably linked to the real world. The topic of autism in women and neurodiversity is very niche and many people think they know what it's like - whereas I don't think, I know because I personally experience it - I have several neuroatypical traits and I'm keen to communicate to others what to look out for. When we design for neuroatypical people and/or people with anxiety disorders we are actually designing a very good information architecture, so we are designing for everyone. I will collect authentic examples of women and girls - how they perceive and cope in the (not only) digital world and show a collection of different examples related to anxiety disorder. That is, what UX should know to design (even better) inclusive design.

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Talk by

Photo of Małgorzata Łozińska, Product Designer
Małgorzata Łozińska
Product Designer at Independent

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From the recording

Talk in brief

In her WaysConf 2023 presentation, Product Designer Małgorzata Łozińska explains how digital product creators can better support neurodivergent individuals—a group comprising 15 to 20 percent of the global population, including people with autism, ADHD, high sensitivity, and dyslexia. She advocates moving beyond basic demographic personas to account for cognitive processing, reading challenges, and sensory needs. Łozińska details practical UI/UX solutions aligned with WCAG standards, such as eliminating abrupt countdown timers, maintaining layout predictability, avoiding figures of speech in favor of literal copy, and offering non-telephonic contact options. She also emphasizes visual ergonomics, recommending sans-serif fonts with distinct letterforms, structured heading hierarchies, soft visual overlays instead of harsh contrast schemes, decluttered screen layouts for ADHD users, and sensory awareness across physical and digital environments.

Key takeaways

  1. 01

    Redefining Personas for Neurodiversity

    Traditional user personas often focus strictly on age and tech literacy while ignoring sensory and cognitive processing needs. Product teams should explicitly include traits like reading difficulties, focus limits, and assistive tool usage in persona research.

    Watch from 6:35
  2. 02

    Designing Predictable Interfaces to Reduce Anxiety

    Sudden visual shifts or unexpected navigation redesigns cause severe stress and disorientation for neurodivergent individuals. Maintaining consistent layouts and predictable interactions helps users navigate digital products with confidence.

    Watch from 11:57
  3. 03

    Allowing User Control Over Time Limits

    Strict timeouts during critical user flows, such as purchasing tickets or logging into banking apps, trigger acute panic and transaction failures. Following WCAG time-adjustment standards allows users to extend or disable timers according to their processing speed.

    Watch from 10:52
  4. 04

    Using Direct Language and Literal Instructions

    Idioms, metaphors, and vague prompts like 'select the correct answer' create confusion for neurodivergent users who interpret statements literally. Design copy should state exact actions explicitly and avoid figurative expressions.

    Watch from 14:43
  5. 05

    Decluttering Interfaces to Aid Focus

    Excessive visual decorations, unexpected audio, and complex choices overload users with ADHD or sensory sensitivities. Applying 'less is more' principles, clear font distinctions, and distinct button states improves usability and readability.

    Watch from 22:31
Read edited transcript highlights

These concise notes were edited from automatic captions and checked against the talk structure. They are not a verbatim transcript.

Defining Neurodiversity Beyond Traditional Labels

Approximately 15 to 20 percent of the global population is neurodivergent, spanning individuals on the autism spectrum, people with ADHD, those experiencing depression, and highly sensitive persons. Rather than framing neurodivergence as a defect or disability, it should be recognized as a natural variation in cognitive processing, similar to biological biodiversity. When teams build digital systems, designing with neurodivergent perspectives in mind ultimately creates better, more flexible experiences for all users regardless of their neurotype.

Watch from 0:33

Rethinking User Research and Persona Frameworks

Standard product discovery processes generally focus on broad demographics like age groups, location, and general technological proficiency. However, UX research rarely investigates cognitive accessibility factors such as reading comprehension, attention span constraints, or sensory sensitivities. To build truly inclusive applications, designers need to update persona models to capture how different users process information, interact with assistive software, and handle environmental distractions.

Watch from 6:35

Mitigating User Stress Through Flexible Timeouts

Strict transaction timers, commonly seen on ticketing or banking platforms, induce unnecessary anxiety and panic for users who require extra time to complete authentication or enter data. When unexpected delays trigger immediate session cancellations, users often lose their selected options entirely. Adhering to accessibility guidelines by providing configurable time limits, extension prompts, or the ability to disable countdown timers significantly reduces user distress and friction.

Watch from 10:52

The Importance of Clear Communication and Literal Copy

Neurodivergent individuals frequently interpret written copy literally, which means figures of speech or ambiguous UI copy can lead to misinterpretation. Phrases meant as informal invitations or broad exam prompts like selecting a correct answer without step-by-step instructions create cognitive barriers. Effective microcopy must provide exact, unambiguous guidance on what action is required and offer direct, written alternative communication methods alongside standard phone channels.

Watch from 14:43

Visual Accessibility, Customization, and Contrast Controls

Readers with conditions like Irlen syndrome or reading difficulties benefit from customizable reading environments rather than rigid visual themes. Bright white backgrounds or harsh yellow-on-black high-contrast modes can cause visual fatigue or acute discomfort for neurodivergent users. Offering adaptable text masks, soft color overlays, clear sans-serif typography with distinct letter shapes, and proper structural heading tags enables users to comfortably navigate and comprehend digital content.

Watch from 20:53
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