The Neurodiversity Design Standard
This is the full assessment framework for neurodiversity-inclusive digital design, with seven domains, 35 criteria and a maximum score of 140 points.
How the standard is scored
Each criterion is scored from 0, not met, to 4, exemplary. Every score is backed by specific evidence from the assessment, and the highest possible total is 140 points.
| Tier | What it takes | Valid for |
|---|---|---|
| Reviewed | Any score, with the full report provided | 12 months |
| Endorsed | 50% or more overall (70 points or more) and no domain below a 1.5 average | 18 months |
| Certified | 75% or more overall (105 points or more), no domain below a 2.5 average and sign-off by an independent panel of neurodivergent professionals | 12 months, renewed each year |
All seven domains and 35 criteria
Open a domain to read its five criteria.
D1Cognitive load and information architecture
How much mental effort the product demands and how well its information is organised.
Screens present an appropriate amount of information without overwhelming the user. Content is chunked, spaced and prioritised.
The navigation structure is logical, shallow and predictable. Users can find what they need without excessive decision-making.
The number of choices presented at any point is manageable. Options are clearly differentiated and the consequences of each are explained.
Complex information is revealed in stages rather than all at once. Users can reach detail when they need it without being made to process it upfront.
The interface keeps unnecessary visual noise, competing animations, auto-playing content and unsolicited interruptions to a minimum.
D2Reading and language accessibility
Whether content is legible and understandable for people with dyslexia, ADHD or processing differences.
Font choices, sizes, spacing and contrast support comfortable reading. Body text is at least 16px with adequate line height and paragraph spacing.
Content uses clear, direct language suited to the audience. Jargon is avoided or explained, and sentences are concise.
Content has clear headings, subheadings, summaries and signposting, so users can scan for what they need without reading everything.
Abbreviations and acronyms are expanded on first use and can be looked up throughout through tooltips, glossaries or inline definitions.
Key content is available in more than one format (text, audio, video or a visual summary) to suit different ways of processing information.
D3Sensory design
How the product handles visual, auditory and motion elements for sensory-sensitive people.
Colour is never the only way information is conveyed. Contrast ratios are tested against the WCAG AA thresholds with dedicated contrast tools, and palettes avoid combinations known to cause visual stress.
Motion has a purpose and isn't used as decoration. Users can pause, stop or reduce animation, and the product respects the reduced motion setting.
Audio doesn't play automatically, volume controls are easy to reach and audio content has captions or transcripts.
Interfaces avoid clutter, excessive decoration and competing focal points. The visual hierarchy is clear and consistent.
The product offers ways to reduce sensory input, such as quiet modes, simplified views and notification controls, and doesn't build up sensory fatigue over time.
D4Predictability and consistency
Whether the product behaves reliably and builds confidence through consistent patterns.
Interactive elements look and behave the same way throughout the product. Buttons, links and controls follow consistent patterns.
The navigation structure doesn't change unexpectedly between sections or states. Users always know where they are and how to get back.
The product gives clear, immediate feedback on every action, and success, error and loading states are stated explicitly.
The product tells users what will happen before they act. Destructive actions need confirming and consequences are stated in advance.
Errors are explained clearly with specific guidance on fixing them, and each message appears next to the field it refers to.
D5Executive function support
How well the product supports planning, sequencing and finishing tasks for people with executive function differences.
Complex processes are broken into clear, numbered steps with progress shown, so users can see where they are and how much is left.
Users can save their progress and come back later without losing work. Session timeouts are generous and clearly explained.
Timed elements can be paused, extended or removed. There's no artificial urgency or countdown pressure unless the task genuinely needs it.
Where users have several tasks to complete, the product helps them understand priority, order and deadlines.
Defaults are safe, accessible and sensible, so users don't have to configure the product at length before they can use it.
D6Emotional safety and trust
Whether the product respects wellbeing, avoids manipulation and earns trust.
The product uses no manipulative design patterns, including fake urgency, forced continuity, hidden costs, confirmshaming and misdirection.
Error messages and system communications are neutral, supportive and free of blame, and never make users feel stupid or at fault.
Notifications are controllable, proportionate and respectful. Users can adjust frequency, channels and types, and marketing notifications are opt-in.
Data collection is transparent and consent is clear and genuinely optional, so users understand what they're agreeing to.
New users are guided without being overwhelmed. Help is easy to find and never forced, and the product assumes competence while offering support.
D7Flexibility and personalisation
Whether people can adapt the product to their own needs and assistive technology.
Users can adjust text size, spacing, contrast and colour scheme, and the product respects system-level accessibility settings.
Content reflows correctly at different zoom levels and screen sizes, with no horizontal scrolling at up to 400% zoom.
The product supports several input methods (keyboard, mouse, touch and voice) without a worse experience for any of them.
The product works correctly with screen readers, magnifiers, switch devices and other assistive technology, and ARIA attributes are implemented correctly.
Customisations and preferences are saved and applied consistently across sessions and devices.
How we test
Every NDC assessment combines lived experience with technical testing to the standard of a formal accessibility audit. Our assessors are neurodivergent and they're also skilled practitioners who use the same tools and methods as any accessibility auditor.
Assistive technologies
Assessments include testing with NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver on iOS and macOS, TalkBack on Android and ZoomText, so we see how a product behaves with the assistive technology neurodivergent people actually rely on.
Evaluation tools
Automated checks run on axe DevTools, WAVE and Siteimprove, the Colour Contrast Analyser handles visual checks, and PDF documents are tested with PAC (the PDF Accessibility Checker) and Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Manual testing
Keyboard-only navigation is tested on every assessment to confirm everything works without a mouse. We also test at several zoom levels up to 400% and with the reduced motion setting switched on.
Mobile accessibility
Products with mobile apps or responsive interfaces are tested on iOS and Android with VoiceOver and TalkBack running, including touch target sizes, alternatives to gestures and mobile navigation patterns.
The WCAG criteria our testing covers
Our manual and automated testing covers these WCAG 2.2 AA success criteria as part of every assessment.
| Area | Success criteria |
|---|---|
| Keyboard | 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.4.3, 2.4.7, 3.2.1 |
| Zoom and reflow | 1.4.4, 1.4.10 |
| Colour and contrast | 1.4.3, 1.4.11 |
| Text alternatives | 1.1.1 |
| Audio and video | 1.2.1, 1.2.2, 1.2.5 |
| Motion | 2.2.2, 2.3.1 |
| Forms | 1.3.1, 3.3.1, 3.3.2 |
| Headings and structure | 1.3.1, 2.4.6 |
On top of WCAG, the standard tests for cognitive load, executive function support, sensory overload, emotional safety, dark patterns, how respectful notifications are and personalisation, which is the ground WCAG doesn't reach.
Co-existing conditions and digital design
Neurodivergent conditions rarely come alone. ADHD, autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia often occur together and alongside other conditions that affect how people process information, take in sensory input and use digital products. Our assessors are trained to understand this wider picture, and the standard is built to catch the design failures these conditions expose.
Irlen syndrome
A difference in how the brain processes visual information, particularly when reading. Bright white backgrounds, certain colour combinations and dense blocks of text can cause visual stress, distortion and fatigue.
Covered by D2 (typography, line spacing and reading flow), D3 (colour choices and visual stress) and D7 (control over display settings).
Alexithymia
Difficulty identifying or describing emotions, estimated to affect around half of autistic adults. Products that assume people can name how they feel put unnecessary barriers in the way.
Covered by D6 (error tone, feedback language and emotional assumptions) and D2 (plain, direct language).
Aphantasia
Being unable to picture things in the mind's eye, such as a scene or a face. Products that rely on visual metaphors without text alternatives create barriers.
Covered by D2 (alternative and multi-modal formats) and D1 (how information is presented and structured).
Auditory processing disorder (APD)
Hearing works but the brain struggles to filter and interpret sound, so audio-only content and voice interfaces without text alternatives cause problems.
Covered by D3 (audio management, captions and transcripts), D2 (alternative formats) and D7 (several ways to interact).
Prosopagnosia (face blindness)
Great difficulty recognising faces, even familiar ones. Face-based identification, photo-only profiles and video-first communication without name labels all create barriers.
Covered by D3 (identity never shown by image alone), D4 (clear labelling) and D1 (the mental effort of navigating).
Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD)
Very common with ADHD. An intense emotional response to perceived rejection or criticism, which blaming error messages, punitive form validation and social features that highlight exclusion can set off.
Covered by D6 (error tone, dark patterns, confirmshaming and supportive onboarding).
Synaesthesia
Two or more senses joined involuntarily, such as seeing colours when hearing sounds. Colour used inconsistently from section to section can cause confusion and sensory conflict.
Covered by D4 (consistent use of colour and pattern) and D3 (visual complexity and sensory overload).
Sensory processing disorder (SPD)
The brain struggles to integrate sensory information, which leads to strong reactions to sensory input. Bright screens, auto-playing media, notification sounds and cluttered interfaces can cause real distress.
Covered by D3 (all five criteria, including overload prevention, motion control and audio management) and D7 (display customisation and saved preferences).
Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD)
Affects how the central nervous system processes what is heard, which makes video calls, voice interfaces and audio-only tutorials particularly hard.
Covered by D3 (captions, transcripts and audio management), D2 (alternative formats) and D5 (more than one way to take part).
Developmental language disorder (DLD)
Affects language into adulthood, so people may find it hard to follow complex sentences, process written instructions or express themselves in writing.
Covered by D2 (plain language, reading flow and structure, and alternative formats) and D1 (information density and progressive disclosure).
Dysgraphia
Difficulty forming letters, spacing words and turning ideas into written language. Products that demand lots of typing with no voice input, or that penalise spelling mistakes, add needless friction.
Covered by D7 (input flexibility), D5 (save and resume, and task breakdown) and D4 (error recovery and tolerance).
Tourette syndrome
Involuntary movements and sounds (tics). Very small click targets, timed interactions and interfaces that need sustained fine motor precision can be particularly difficult.
Covered by D5 (time management and no artificial pressure), D7 (input and layout flexibility) and D3 (audio management and alternative interactions).
Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT)
Daydreaming, slow processing, trouble staying alert and difficulty recalling things. Products that need sustained concentration, or that present information quickly with no way to slow down, are hard going.
Covered by D1 (information density and progressive disclosure), D5 (time management, and save and resume) and D4 (navigation stability and clear feedback).
Pathological demand avoidance (PDA)
A profile within the autism spectrum marked by strong avoidance of everyday demands. Mandatory sequences, forced tutorials and wording that frames choices as obligations can provoke significant avoidance.
Covered by D6 (supportive onboarding and dark patterns), D5 (defaults and unnecessary forced steps) and D7 (control and choice).
Anxiety, depression, PTSD, autistic burnout and ADHD burnout are very common alongside neurodivergent conditions. The NDC doesn't assess mental health outcomes directly, but D6, emotional safety and trust, looks at whether a product adds to psychological distress or eases it. Manipulative design, artificial urgency and punishing people for mistakes can all make existing conditions worse, and our assessments are designed to catch them.
How the NDC standard relates to existing standards
The NDC standard works alongside the existing accessibility frameworks and covers something none of them do, which is structured, scored assessment of digital products for neurodivergent people.
WCAG 2.2 W3C Recommendation
What it covers. The global standard for web accessibility, mainly addressing visual, auditory and motor accessibility. It's referenced in law in the UK (the Equality Act), in the EU (the European Accessibility Act) and internationally (EN 301 549).
What it leaves out. Managing cognitive load, executive function support, preventing sensory overload, emotional safety, dark patterns and usability for neurodivergent people. WCAG has some cognitive criteria, such as headings, error identification and input assistance, but cognitive accessibility isn't its main focus.
How the NDC relates. Complementary. A product should meet WCAG 2.2 AA and the NDC standard, and we recommend both. WCAG compliance isn't a condition of an NDC assessment, though every report records the product's WCAG status.
W3C COGA guidance W3C Working Group Note
What it covers. 'Making Content Usable for People with Cognitive and Learning Disabilities' gives design guidance under eight objectives, including clear purpose, findability, understandable content, avoiding errors, supporting focus, reducing memory load, help and support, and personalisation.
What it leaves out. COGA is guidance rather than a testable standard, with no scoring, thresholds, certification or assessment method. It covers cognitive and learning disabilities broadly, including intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injury and age-related decline, rather than neurodiversity in particular.
How the NDC relates. The NDC standard draws on COGA's evidence base and lines up with several of its objectives, turning its patterns and recommendations into specific, scored criteria with evidence requirements and certification thresholds. COGA sets out what to think about, and an NDC assessment checks whether a product has done it.
EN 301 549 European standard
What it covers. The harmonised European standard for ICT accessibility. It references WCAG 2.1 for web content, adds requirements for software, hardware, documentation and support services, and is how organisations show compliance with the European Accessibility Act.
How the NDC relates. Complementary. EN 301 549 sets the regulatory baseline for European markets and an NDC assessment covers the neurodivergent dimensions it leaves out. Organisations selling digital products into the EU need both.
BS 8878 British Standard
What it covers. A process standard for building accessibility into how web products are designed and commissioned, focused on policy, procurement and testing rather than specific technical criteria.
How the NDC relates. Complementary. BS 8878 shapes the process and the NDC assesses what the process produces, so an organisation following BS 8878 can use an NDC assessment as the neurodiversity testing within its accessibility programme.
PAS 6463 BSI Publicly Available Specification
What it covers. Designing the built environment for neurodivergent people, including lighting, acoustics, wayfinding, signage and the sensory environment of buildings.
How the NDC relates. PAS 6463 covers physical spaces and the NDC covers digital products, so between them they span both. They don't overlap and their principles agree.
The NDC standard draws on established research and guidance, including WCAG 2.2, the W3C COGA guidance and participatory design, and turns that evidence into a scored framework for neurodivergent people that's built to sit in the gap between the existing standards.