A presentation at A11yChi Meetup in in Chicago, IL, USA by Carly Ho
Designing for Users on the Autism Spectrum
Hi, I’m Carly Ho Senior Engineer, Clique Studios @carlymho
What is an Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Challenge: Sensory Overload
Designing vs. Sensory Overload ‐ Keep user path obvious ‐ Try not to autoplay audio, have controls to pause sounds and distracting video or animation ‐ Break up blocks of text, space + size appropriately to make it easier to focus on your content
Challenge: Clear Communication
Design & Clear Communication ‐ Caption emotion conveyed in images and video ‐ Note in parentheticals if you’re joking or tongue-in-cheek ‐ Label your icons ‐ Provide multiple examples to establish a pattern
Challenge: Getting In Touch
Engaging Autistic Users ‐ Provide more than one channel ‐ Keep the number of steps required to initiate contact low ‐ Allow people to engage at own pace
Final Thoughts Be empathetic Design for a broad range of skillsets Have autistic folks test your stuff
Thanks! twitter.com/carlymho
Designing for the challenges that neuroatypical users face when interacting with the world is increasingly necessary in a fast-paced, overwhelming world. Creating a better experience for neuroatypical users creates a better experience for everyone.
for free. You
can too.