Or: How to Design for Focus, Fatigue, and Forgetting Things
There’s a book that’s been around for decades, and if you’ve ever dipped a toe into web design, you’ve probably heard of it:
Don’t Make Me Think, by Steve Krug.
It’s not flashy. It’s not long. It’s just… right.
And the title? Still the best advice in the business.
When we talk about cognitive load in accessibility, we’re talking about what happens when your brain has to work harder than it should just to use something. To understand it. To finish the task. Or even to remember what you were doing in the first place.
This chapter is about how websites can either support that – or sabotage it.
While the term “cognitive load” might sound academic or abstract, the experience is incredibly real.
It looks like giving up.
It sounds like “I’ll come back to this later.”
And it feels like exhaustion.
The quiet weight of effort
Sometimes it’s obvious:
- Walls of text
- Overwhelming menus
- Forms that ask you the same question three different ways
Other times, it’s sneakier:
- An icon with no label
- A progress bar that never moves
- A sentence that leaves you wondering, “Wait… what do they want me to do?”
That’s cognitive load.
It adds up fast, especially for people who are:
- Tired
- Distracted
- Stressed
- Anxious
- Neurodivergent
- Recovering from illness or trauma
- Or just having a rough day
Designers often talk about “user journeys.” But we forget how often people arrive already exhausted.
Repetition is okay. Confusion isn’t.
Sometimes we avoid repeating instructions because we think it’s clutter.
But when you’re overwhelmed or forgetful, repetition can actually feel reassuring.
It’s a gentle reminder:
“You’re in the right place. You’re doing it right. You’ve seen this before.”
That kind of consistency builds confidence, especially when someone is doubting themselves.
And yes, this chapter will cover some things we’ve already touched on earlier in the book. Because that’s how people learn: with reinforcement, not just exposure.
We’re not just designing for clarity. We’re designing for capacity.
Where am I? What can I do here?
Cognitive overload often starts when people lose their sense of orientation.
- What page am I on?
- What step is this?
- What’s expected of me right now?
If those questions don’t have clear answers, anxiety creeps in, and mental focus starts to fall apart.
Support orientation with:
- Clear headings
- Consistent layouts
- Obvious progress bars or “Step 2 of 4” labels
- Reinforcing instructions or examples
People need to know where they are, what they can do, and what just happened.
And if they get interrupted – by a phone call, a doorbell, a kid, a medical episode – they need to be able to come back and find their place again.
Don’t hide the help
Helpful content isn’t helpful if it’s hidden behind:
- Tooltips you have to hover for
- Placeholder text that vanishes as soon as you type
- Error messages that show up halfway up the page
Support should be available, visible, and timed to when people need it most.
That means:
- Labeling fields clearly
- Providing examples or inline hints up front
- Keeping validation messages near the thing that needs fixing
- And never making someone feel punished for getting something wrong
Build for tired brains
You don’t have to be neurodivergent to have brain fog. You just have to be human.
So design like you expect people to be:
- Distracted
- Multitasking
- Dealing with sensory overload
- Trying to do something on their phone while holding a coffee and waiting for a bus
Break big tasks into smaller steps.
Give people second chances.
Auto-save progress.
Let them review before submitting.
Cognitive load doesn’t show up in your analytics, but it shows up in your bounce rate.
Make thinking easier
The goal isn’t to eliminate thinking altogether. The goal is to make thinking feel safe.
You can support memory and decision-making by:
- Using the same words for the same things
- Grouping related elements together
- Keeping buttons and links predictable in appearance and behavior
- And avoiding surprise layouts or interactions
When users have to re-learn your interface on every page, they’re not just navigating a website – they’re solving a puzzle they didn’t ask for.
Quick checklist: How’s your cognitive load?
- Is it clear what the user is supposed to do on this page?
- Are instructions and help easy to find and understand?
- Can users pause and return without losing their place?
- Are visual and structural patterns consistent across pages?
- Is there enough breathing room for users to focus?
Just make it easier to be a person
We’re all navigating something.
Design doesn’t have to add to that weight.
So don’t just chase clarity for the sake of compliance.
Design for people who are tired. Overwhelmed. Easily distracted.
Because at some point, that’s all of us.
Don’t make me think?
Heck yes! But really…
Don’t make me guess.
Don’t make me doubt.
Don’t make me give up.