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Anti-ADHD Design Practices: How Poor Design Can Hinder Productivity

  • Jul 17, 2024
  • 3 min read



For individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), certain design practices in products, apps, and websites can pose significant challenges. While these designs might be perfectly functional for the general population, they can create unnecessary obstacles for those with ADHD. This article explores common "anti-ADHD" design practices, shares personal experiences, and offers strategies to cope with these issues.


Hidden Menu Options

One particularly frustrating design practice is hiding unavailable menu options rather than greying them out. For someone with ADHD, this requires the additional cognitive load of remembering the entire user interface (UI) to understand what is and isn’t available. It disrupts the flow and increases the mental effort needed to navigate the app or product.

Strategy: Where possible, choose apps and tools with clear and consistent UI designs. If switching tools isn’t an option, consider creating a personal guide or cheat sheet to help remember key functions and options.


Long Pages of Text

Long pages of unbroken text can be overwhelming and difficult to process for individuals with ADHD. The constant scrolling can disrupt concentration and make it hard to retain information.

Strategy: Use the Page Up/Page Down keys to read in blocks, breaking the text into more manageable sections. Additionally, browser extensions or apps that reformat text into shorter paragraphs and add more white space can help improve readability.


Lack of Visual Hierarchy

Websites or apps that lack a clear visual hierarchy can be confusing. When everything on a page looks equally important, it’s hard to focus on what’s necessary.

Strategy: Use browser extensions that allow customization of web pages, such as changing fonts, colours, and sizes to create a more distinct visual hierarchy. Highlighting or underlining key sections can also help in quickly identifying important information.


Too Many Notifications

While notifications are meant to keep users informed, excessive notifications can be highly distracting for someone with ADHD. Constant interruptions can break focus and reduce productivity.

Strategy: Customize notification settings to limit distractions. Only allow essential notifications and schedule specific times to check non-urgent alerts. Tools like “Focus Mode” or “Do Not Disturb” can also help manage notifications more effectively.


Non-Intuitive Navigation

Apps and websites with complex or non-intuitive navigation can be particularly challenging. If the path to finding information isn’t straightforward, it’s easy to get lost or give up.

Strategy: Opt for products with simpler, more intuitive designs whenever possible. For necessary tools with poor navigation, take time to learn and practice using them, or seek out user guides and tutorials to build familiarity.


Overloaded Dashboards

Dashboards with too much information or too many widgets can be overwhelming. The excess data can distract from the primary tasks and goals.

Strategy: Customize dashboards to display only the most critical information. Many apps allow users to hide or rearrange widgets, helping to create a cleaner, more focused workspace.


Inconsistent Design Elements

Inconsistent design elements, such as buttons or menus that look different across various parts of an app, can confuse and disrupt the user experience.

Strategy: If an app or tool’s design is inconsistent, try to familiarize yourself with its quirks through regular use. Documenting the inconsistencies can also serve as a quick reference guide.


Conclusion:

For individuals with ADHD, certain design practices can significantly hinder productivity and increase frustration. Recognizing these challenges and implementing strategies to cope with them can improve the user experience and overall efficiency. By advocating for more ADHD-friendly design practices and utilizing tools to customize our digital environments, we can navigate these obstacles more effectively and create a more manageable and productive workflow.

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About Dr. Viveck Baluja and KneeTie Vascular Neurology

Dr. Viveck Baluja, MD, is a board-certified vascular neurologist (American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology — Vascular Neurology) practicing telemedicine across California, Michigan, and Colorado, with additional consultation services available to international families, particularly in India.

KneeTie offers three focused services: emergency stroke second opinions delivered within 24 hours, traumatic brain injury (TBI) consultations for survivors and caregivers, and same-day adult ADHD evaluations for residents of CA, MI, and CO.

Stroke Second Opinion

After a stroke, families often have minutes to make decisions. Dr. Baluja provides a second set of expert eyes from a board-certified vascular neurologist — reviewing imaging, hospital records, and current treatment — typically within 24 hours of request. Common questions include: Was tPA appropriate? Should we pursue thrombectomy? What is the recovery outlook? What rehabilitation makes sense?

TBI Consultation

Traumatic brain injury recovery is rarely linear. Dr. Baluja helps patients and families understand recovery timelines, treatment options, post-concussion syndrome, and red flags that warrant emergency evaluation. Consultations typically last 50 minutes and are scheduled within the same week.

Same-Day Adult ADHD Evaluation

A real evaluation by a board-certified neurologist — not a 7-minute screening. Dr. Baluja's ADHD evaluations include comprehensive history, sleep and lifestyle assessment, and behavioral strategy alongside any medication discussion. Available same-day for residents of California, Michigan, and Colorado.

Why a Vascular Neurologist?

Vascular neurology is a subspecialty focused on stroke, cerebrovascular disease, and brain blood flow — among the rarest neurology subspecialties in the U.S. Most online telehealth services use general practitioners or nurse practitioners. KneeTie is led by a board-certified vascular neurologist with full state licensure and HIPAA-compliant telehealth infrastructure.

Schedule a consultation: Use the booking calendar above to choose a service and reserve a time. For active stroke or post-tPA emergencies, email gorungo@kneetie.com directly with "URGENT" in the subject line.

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