It’s often said that we don’t truly see the world as inaccessible until we experience it personally. Late last year, I developed an eye infection that would go on to severely alter my vision for life. With a residual corneal scar obscuring the vision in my right eye, I began to see the world in halves – with one half being clear and bright, and the other foggy and blurred. My overall vision level dropped, my long distance vision was reduced and even a small amount of bright light would cause severe irritation and disturbance to my sight.
Over the course of one week, I became visually impaired with a condition that would only get worse with age, yet with a career in digital marketing and a skill set entirely dedicated to the online world, I needed to make my screens work for me.
Why we create accessible spaces and digital sites
In 2024, accessibility became one of the most popular and important elements of any digital space online. Following a progressive demand for inclusivity and diversity in modern living, digital platforms began to develop new guidelines and requirements for accessible usage. Driven by the acknowledgement that websites and digital spaces need to work for everyone, designers and developers started to evolve the way they created their platforms – evaluating every element from colour contrasts and readable typography to responsive designs and alt text.
Users with visual impairments, colourblindness, and disabilities were recognised as an equal part of the digital audience, and new settings and alternative features were introduced as standard on many modern sites. With the understanding that accessibility is not only an ethical and moral move for a brand to make, but an economical one too, the steady regulation of accessible platforms began to take shape.
As the definition of ‘accessible design’ began to evolve, so did the parameters of accessibility, with new features being introduced to aid neurodiverse users, users with epilepsy, older users and users with learning disabilities. Sites such as the Web Accessibility Initiative, WUHCAG and WebAIM rose in popularity, hosting resources and links to detailed documentation on creating the more inclusive and accessible designs possible.
Even the most creative and bespoke websites found ways to make their platforms accessible, with simple button switches between Light Mode and Dark Mode and font size selectors for easy visibility.
But is that as far as accessibility can go?
When researching ways to make my own experience with digital interfaces easier, I came across a site dedicated to exploring accessible designs for neurodiverse and visually impaired users. With different sections specifically curated for those with ADHD, anxiety, sensitivity issues and differing levels of visual impairments, the site approached accessibility in a way I’d never seen before – actively working to make the web browsing experience really work for everyone.
The typical website developer will often be working to make a site that works – rather than one that is intentionally designed to work for the neurodiverse – yet there’s no blame placed on these designers. The world of accessibility is still relatively new and these new creative ideas are still being tried and tested with a wide range of abled and disabled users.
With different guidelines for displaying colours, numbers, typography, moving images and buttons, the Neurodiversity Design System is well-researched and generated with the input from neurodiverse users in mind. Elements such as progress bars, pausable animations, colour filters and 3D button outlines can make the overall browsing experience much more enjoyable and accessible for disabled users across the spectrum.
The design information you really need to know
For each different neurological condition, disability, impairment or interpretation, there are specific recommendations and principles shared by the NDS to help designers find creative ways of making their designs more accessible. Below, we’re sharing just a handful of tips for designing for neurodiverse and disabled users, taken from the Neurodivergent Design System site.
Dyslexia: Visual aids such as progress bars, time charts and page numbers can help to improve cognitive understanding for the user. Colour contrasts should be AAA and typography choices such as an accessible font and increased line heights are recommended.
Dyscalculia: Heavier weight styles or bold choices in typography can help to improve overall comprehension, alongside simplified characters and clear heading sizes.
Low Vision: Paying attention to colour contrasts, font spacing and vibrancy of designs can help to reduce vision disruption, as well as pausable gifs and animations, simplified interfaces and optional accessibility functions.
Anxiety: Overcrowded, complex and confusing user interfaces can negatively impact users with anxiety – ensuring that any processes are straightforward, direct and clearly defined is crucial for anxious users.
ADHD: Use animations sparingly to avoid overstimulation for users with ADHD, and avoid scroll jacking, flashing animations and overuse of drop downs to prevent confusion and anxiety.
Executive Function: Easily prioritised steps or lists are a useful design feature for users struggling with executive functions, alongside concise writing styles and instructions.
What works for me?
Through the NDS website, I was finally able to discover the colours, fonts and typography styles that actually felt comfortable for my eyes to read. From using earthy or yellow tones to replace harsh white screens to increasing the line height of my oversized text, these small adjustments gave me a new way to actually enjoy using screens and sites once again.
Accessibility isn’t just about making things functional for neurodiverse or disabled users – it’s about making it comfortable, fun, creative and enjoyable for them as well. We don’t want to struggle through your site, we want to take it in and utilise every single webpage and blog post, and now is the time to start making that happen.
At Studio Seventeen, we prioritise accessibility and accessible living through both our designs and our office spaces, and we value inclusivity through each website we design and build. If you’re looking to work with an accessibility-friendly agency for your next project, get in touch today. https://www.studioseventeen.co.uk/contact/
