Articles by Brandon Gregory
Designing for Cognitive DifferencesInclusive design should consider users with cognitive differences like inattention, anxiety, and depression, not just physical disabilities. • Inattention can be caused by conditions like ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. Motion and distractions on websites can make it difficult for these users to focus. • Unnecessary motion like GIFs and animations can distract users with inattention, even when they don't bother neurotypical users. • Forms can be difficult for users with inattention due to their length and complexity. Simplifying forms and adding options to save progress can help. • Anxiety causes users to fear they will do things wrong, so providing clear directions, reassurance, and wayfinding can reduce anxiety. • Forms for anxious users should have clear labels, submit buttons, and confirmation messages to reassure them. • Everything is harder for users with depression due to physical and mental effects. • Avoiding unnecessary user registrations, long forms, and large blocks of content can make things easier for depressed users. • Chat options can be lifesavers for users with depression or anxiety since they require less effort than phone calls or in-person interactions.