When it comes to cognitive accessibility, many common design patterns create friction. Below are common challenges that make digital experiences harder to use for this audience, and what you should keep in mind to build your best and most inclusive products.
“Sticking to standardized choices across websites and instructions is always a good move to make, because for people with cognitive disabilities in particular, you can have a predisposed understanding of what’s going to happen. It’s almost like you’re guessing what’s going to happen beforehand, and you’re using previous experiences to make it easier on yourself. If something that you’re doing is drastically outside of those expectations, it can be very difficult.”
– Fable Community member
When interfaces behave differently from one page to the next, or even within the same site, it’s impossible to build reliable mental models. This unpredictability forces users to constantly re-learn interaction patterns, which can be exhausting and disorienting.
Examples:
When a page is visually dense, it takes more effort to understand. Without clear spacing or places for the eye to rest, users can struggle to know where to focus, how the page is organized, or which elements belong together.
This often comes from:
Without clear cues, it becomes difficult to judge what’s important, where to go next, or how different sections relate to one another. When everything looks the same, nothing stands out, and users are left guessing.
Common culprits:
Too many competing visual cues can also overload attention and make it difficult to determine what matters. When everything is calling for attention at once, users may struggle to filter the essential from the irrelevant.
Examples include:
When users aren’t given enough context or clarity, everything becomes guesswork. This lack of guidance can turn even straightforward tasks into anxiety-provoking challenges.
What this could look like:
These challenges stem from the fact that people make sense of information in different ways. Some users can move forward with brief, high-level cues, while others need additional context or examples to feel confident. Good design supports both by providing clarity upfront and offering optional depth when users need it.
Often, the problem isn’t a single barrier, it’s the cumulative cost of many small frictions. Over time, this constant burden can make tasks feel overwhelming, even if no one element is a blocker.
This can look like:
At the end of the day, everyone benefits from designs that reduce cognitive friction. Whether it’s a true barrier or a small irritation, there’s still a real risk that customers will leave for an experience that feels smoother and more comfortable.
When building websites or apps, ask yourself:
By supporting cognitive ease, we create digital experiences that are more usable, and more enjoyable, for everyone.