Calm interfaces

The Academic Autism Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education, AASPIRE, published web accessibility guidelines for autistic users. Most of them translate directly to mobile interfaces.

The principles

• Keep it simple. Simple interfaces are easier for everyone to understand, including neurodivergent people.
• Pair text with images. Icons and pictures next to text make it easier to follow.
• Be concrete. Give a concrete example next to an abstract idea.
• Keep it short. Less scrolling and shorter content lower the effort of finding what matters.
• Make navigation predictable. Simple, consistent paths guide people through the app.

On mobile

Studies by Cristina, Groba, Kamaruzaman, Raymaker and others point to a few conclusions specific to mobile.

• Icons should match their context. Follow established conventions, so an icon means what people expect.
• Familiar icons build confidence. Common icons need no learning.
• Text and icon should say the same thing. If they disagree, people get confused.
• Short text. It lowers the effort of reading on a small screen.
• Few elements per screen. An uncluttered screen is easier to use.
• Consistency. The same patterns across screens reduce friction.

A few more

Beyond semantic elements and ARIA, these come up often.

• Keyboard navigation. Every interactive element should be reachable and usable with a keyboard.
• Focus indicators. Don't remove the default focus style. Customize it so it stays visible.
• Motion. Avoid excessive motion, and respect the system's reduce motion setting. People with vestibular disorders depend on it.
• Errors. Error messages should say what to do. Don't rely on color alone. Add an icon or text.
• Icons next to text. Put the icon on the left of its label, as in a "Remove connection" button with its icon first, not above, below or to the right.

An interface designed for the people who need it most usually works better for everyone.