Crafting Trail Websites for Every Mind: Neurodiversity in Design
Creating outdoor programming and trail websites that are accessible to people with neurodiversity isn’t just about ticking a box—it’s about making sure everyone, no matter how their brain works, can enjoy and explore nature. For those unfamiliar, NEURODIVERSITY is an umbrella term for people who experience the world differently. It includes a range of conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and sensory processing disorder. The movement toward this umbrella term is steeped in social justice with an acknowledgement that there is no “right” way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and that these differences should not be considered as deficits. Unfortunately, because of these differences, typical websites can be frustrating or even overwhelming. But with a few thoughtful design choices, we can build sites that are welcoming, user-friendly, and actually helpful.
Image source: MetaArXiv Preprints | Bridging Neurodiversity and Open Scholarship: How Shared Values Can Guide Best Practices for Research Integrity, Social Justice, and Principled Education; License: CC-By Attribution 4.0 International
What Does Neurodiversity Mean for Web Design?
People who are neurodivergent often interact with the world in ways that are a little different from what’s considered “typical”. For instance, someone with autism might find certain color combinations or patterns too intense, while someone with ADHD could struggle with a website that’s cluttered or hard to navigate. And for those with dyslexia, certain fonts or big blocks of text can be really challenging to read. This means that if we want to create websites that everyone can use, we need to consider these differences from the start.
Land Management and park websites, in particular, can be information-heavy, with trail maps, safety tips, and event details all packed in. If we’re not careful about how we present this info, we could unintentionally make it harder for neurodivergent users to find what they’re looking for and plan their outdoor adventures.
Key Tips for Making Your Website Accessible
Keep Navigation Simple: One of the best things you can do is create a navigation menu that’s clear and easy to follow. Use straightforward labels for menu items, organize content logically, and keep things consistent across the site. The easier it is for people to find what they need, the less stress they’ll feel while using your site. Avoid requiring people to memorize content and include it in a different page.
Use a Clean, Calm Design: A minimalist design with lots of white space and a simple layout can make a big difference. Avoid bright, clashing colors, busy backgrounds, or crowded content that might overwhelm some users. Instead, stick with calming colors and make sure there’s good contrast between text and the background to keep things readable. If possible, offer a low-sensory mode that tones down the visual stimulation.
Choose Readable Fonts and Format Text Well: Fonts matter—a lot. Sans-serif fonts like Arial or Verdana are generally easier for people with dyslexia to read. Also, avoid center-aligning text or using justified alignment, which can create uneven spacing. Break up large blocks of text with headings, bullet points, or numbered lists so it’s easier to scan and understand. In addition, use a reasonable reading level of grade 8 or below.
Be Mindful with Multimedia: Photos, videos, and interactive maps can really help versus a long amount of text, but they can also be a lot to handle for other neurodivergent users. Make sure all images have descriptive alt text, videos have transcripts, and give users control over any animations or auto-playing media. Keeping interactive elements simple and straightforward can also help.
Let Users Customize Their Experience: People’s needs vary, so why not let them tweak things to their liking? Offering options to change the color scheme, adjust font sizes, or switch to a simplified version of your site can make a world of difference for neurodivergent users. Giving them the power to personalize their experience shows that you’ve thought about their needs as every person with neurodiversity is different.
Testing, Testing, Testing
You’ll never know if your site is truly accessible until you test it with neurodivergent users. Their feedback can highlight problems and suggest improvements that you might not have considered. By involving the neurodiverse community in the design process, you can ensure your website is truly inclusive. The earlier in the process the better.
In a Nutshell
Designing trail websites with neurodiversity in mind isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a necessity if we want to make nature accessible to everyone. By focusing on clear navigation, clean design, readable text, mindful multimedia, and customization options, we can create websites that welcome all users, no matter how their brains are wired.