Design for people with chronic pain

From a digital design perspective, Kirsten's story is an opportunity to raise awareness and recognise how digital accessibility plays a significant role in supporting people with chronic pain.

Any chronic pain, is often debilitating, and can impact various aspects of life, including mental focus and cognitive function. On top of that, some medication that is used to treat the pain can have a compounding impact.

For those managing chronic pain of any type, navigating the digital world can pose challenges. From transactional websites to everyday online tasks, the impact of pain and medication on mental clarity and focus can lead to frustrations, furthering fatigue and errors.

However, as website owners and designers, we can create more inclusive online experiences for individuals with chronic pain conditions. Here are a few considerations to integrate into your website design for enhanced accessibility for people who are experiencing chronic pain.

Reduce the effort to complete tasks

Chronic pain and fatigue often go hand in hand. This can make lengthy tasks exhausting and daunting. To reduce the effort required:

• Implement useful accelerators such as predictive search and autocomplete features, e.g. code email address fields to autocomplete email addresses
• Streamline processes to reduce the time required to complete tasks, e.g. only ask for the data you actually need

Reduce reliance on memory

Pain can cloud memory and make it harder to remember even simple details like passwords or PIN numbers. To reduce memory struggles:

• Provide clear prompts and examples throughout the user journey, e.g. provide the required format for dates (DD/MM/YYYY)
• Avoid requiring users to remember information from one screen to another, e.g. your unique id that was created on the first page
• Use autofill options for essential details, e.g. pre-populate fields with known information such as name

Chunk up tasks

Anyone with chronic pain might need to pace themselves through tasks when they feel bad, take a break and come back when they feel better. Offer flexibility by:

• Allowing users to pause or save progress during lengthy forms or transactions
• Designing interfaces that accommodate intermittent breaks without losing entered information

Reduce the chance of errors happening

Pain can be distracting and a lack of focus increases the chance of making errors. To increase accuracy and minimise frustration:

• Offer predefined choices rather than asking for text responses in forms, e.g. list of countries rather than asking people to type
• Optimise keyboard layouts to align with users' needs and preferences, e.g. provide a number pad for phone numbers

Clearly signpost steps

If someone is distracted by severe pain then it can be much harder to stay on track. Ensure smooth progression by:

• Providing clear instructions and labels for each stage of the user journey, e.g. step one of six
• Matching the order you ask for information the same as you might say the information, e.g. first name first, then last name.

Incorporating these simple considerations into website design isn't just about meeting accessibility standards; it's also about fostering empathy and understanding for users facing personal challenges. By creating digital experiences that accommodate individuals with chronic pain, we contribute to a more inclusive online environment where everyone can participate and engage fully.

Remember that for many people, small changes in design can make a significant difference in the lives of those managing chronic pain of any kind. Let's design with empathy and accessibility in mind, making the internet a more accommodating space for all.

If you would like help in improving your website or apps, then please get in touch with us at Access Advisors. We are happy to help.