A comprehensive skill for analyzing and optimizing user experience through cognitive psychology, ADHD-friendly design, and flow state engineering.
Decision Points
Use this decision matrix when conflicting ADHD principles and cognitive load types collide:
Cognitive Load vs ADHD Principle Conflicts
| Situation | If High Intrinsic Load | If High Extraneous Load | If High Germane Load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive Disclosure vs Information Need | Hide advanced features; show essentials only | Remove ALL decorative elements; show task steps linearly | Group related info; use expandable sections |
| Context Preservation vs Working Memory | Auto-save every keystroke; show current state banner | Clear all non-essential UI; focus on one input field | Save drafts; provide "where you left off" panels |
| Chunked Progress vs Task Flow | Break into micro-tasks (1-2 min each) | Show progress bar; hide future steps completely | Use card-based UI; each card = one concept |
| Predictable Navigation vs Personalization | Keep identical layout always; disable customization | Use breadcrumbs; limit to 3-level hierarchy max | Offer simple/advanced modes; user chooses complexity |
Primary Decision Tree
User arrives → What's their cognitive state?
├─ FOCUSED & ENERGETIC
│ ├─ Goal: Complete complex task
│ │ → Use power-user shortcuts + batch operations
│ └─ Goal: Explore/learn
│ → Show advanced features + guided tour
│
├─ DISTRACTED/MULTITASKING
│ ├─ On mobile
│ │ → Single-column layout + floating action button
│ └─ On desktop
│ → Minimize chrome + auto-save everything
│
├─ OVERWHELMED/ANXIOUS
│ ├─ First-time user
│ │ → Wizard flow + success celebrations
│ └─ Returning user hitting error
│ → Clear error recovery + undo options
│
└─ TIME-PRESSURED/URGENT
├─ Regular task
│ → Smart defaults + keyboard shortcuts
└─ Crisis situation
→ Emergency mode UI + direct contact options
Friction vs Feature Trade-offs
When feature requests conflict with friction reduction:
- If feature adds >2 seconds to primary flow: Defer to advanced mode
- If feature requires >4 mental chunks: Break into wizard steps
- If feature serves <20% of users: Hide behind "More options"
- If feature needs learning curve: Provide in-context help only
Failure Modes
1. Overwhelm Cascade
Detection Rule: If user abandons before completing first meaningful action
- Symptom: High bounce rate on landing page, users don't scroll
- Diagnosis: Too many choices presented simultaneously
- Fix: Progressive disclosure - show only 1-2 primary actions initially
2. Context Switch Death Spiral
Detection Rule: If user takes >23 minutes to complete familiar 5-minute task
- Symptom: Users losing place repeatedly, restarting workflows
- Diagnosis: Interface doesn't preserve context across interruptions
- Fix: Add "Continue where you left off" persistent banner
3. Invisible Progress Paralysis
Detection Rule: If users repeatedly ask "Is this working?" during long operations
- Symptom: Users refresh page during background processing
- Diagnosis: No feedback on system state or progress
- Fix: Real-time progress indicators + time estimates
4. Micro-Friction Accumulation
Detection Rule: If completion rates drop >15% despite no major UX changes
- Symptom: Users complete individual steps but abandon before final step
- Diagnosis: Small frictions compound into abandonment
- Fix: Remove one minor friction point per week systematically
5. Expert User Imprisonment
Detection Rule: If power users complain about "dumbed down" interface
- Symptom: Feature requests for keyboard shortcuts, batch operations
- Diagnosis: Optimized for beginners, frustrated experts
- Fix: Adaptive UI that reveals complexity based on user behavior
Worked Examples
Example 1: E-commerce Checkout for ADHD User
Scenario: User with ADHD purchasing laptop accessories, gets distracted mid-checkout
Current Flow Analysis:
0:00 User adds items to cart (3 items)
└─ Cart shows: Item list, recommendations, promo codes, shipping calculator
0:30 Clicks "Checkout" → Redirected to shipping form
└─ Form has 12 fields, required fields marked with *
1:45 Phone notification interrupts
└─ User checks notification, returns to checkout
2:30 User confused - form partially filled but unclear what's complete
└─ Starts over, re-enters shipping address
4:00 Gets to payment step → Credit card form asks for billing address
└─ User forgot if billing = shipping, sees no indication
6:15 Completes payment → "Processing..." with spinning wheel
└─ No time estimate, user worries something broke
7:30 Success page → Generic "Order complete" message
└─ User unsure what happens next, when items ship
Decision Points Hit:
- Distracted/Multitasking + Time-pressured → Should use auto-save + progress preservation
- High Extraneous Load (too many form fields) → Should chunk into steps
- Context Switch event → Need re-orientation support
Optimized Flow:
0:00 User adds items to cart
└─ Cart shows: Item list only, single "Secure Checkout" button (44px tall)
0:15 Checkout → Single step: "Where should we ship this?"
└─ Address form only, with "Use my saved address" option
└─ Auto-save on every keystroke
1:30 Phone interrupts → User leaves page
2:00 User returns → Banner: "Continue your checkout - we saved your progress"
└─ Address pre-filled, "Next: Payment" button ready
2:15 Payment step → "Same billing address?" with Yes (default) / No toggle
└─ Credit card form with visual validation (green checkmarks)
3:00 Submit → "Processing payment..." with progress bar
└─ "This usually takes 10-15 seconds"
3:15 Success → "Order #12345 confirmed! Ships Tuesday, arrives Friday"
└─ "Track your order" button + calendar reminder option
Key Changes:
- Reduced 12 form fields to 3 focused steps
- Added auto-save and progress restoration
- Provided time estimates for all wait states
- Used recognition over recall for billing address
Example 2: Software Dashboard Friction Audit
Scenario: SaaS analytics dashboard used by marketing teams
Journey Simulation:
User Intent: Create weekly report for executive team
Cognitive State: Time-pressured (due in 30 minutes)
Experience Level: Intermediate (uses tool monthly)
FRICTION AUDIT:
0:00 Lands on dashboard → 47 different widgets/charts visible
FRICTION: Overwhelm Cascade - too many data points
COGNITIVE LOAD: High extraneous
0:45 Looking for "Create Report" function → Finds it in hamburger menu
FRICTION: Hidden primary action
TIME LOSS: 45 seconds of hunting
1:30 Report builder opens → 23 chart type options in dropdown
FRICTION: Too many choices for time-pressured user
DECISION NEEDED: Past reports were always bar charts + line graphs
3:00 Selects data sources → Interface shows all 47 available sources
FRICTION: No smart filtering based on user's team/role
TIME LOSS: 90 seconds scrolling through irrelevant options
5:30 Starts building first chart → No template from last week's report
FRICTION: No learning from user patterns
CONTEXT SWITCH RISK: User might leave to find last week's report
8:00 Chart renders slowly (12 seconds) → No progress indication
FRICTION: Invisible Progress Paralysis
USER ANXIETY: "Is it broken? Should I refresh?"
15:00 Report preview → Executive template not applied automatically
FRICTION: Micro-friction accumulation
EXPERT USER ISSUE: No keyboard shortcuts for power users
Optimization Decisions:
- Overwhelmed + Time-pressured → Use smart defaults + recent templates
- High Extraneous Load → Filter options by user role/past behavior
- Expert User + Familiar task → Provide power-user shortcuts
Quality Gates
Before considering a UX friction audit complete, verify:
Quantitative Metrics:
- Task completion time reduced by ≥25% from baseline
- Error rate decreased to ≤5% for primary user flows
- Cognitive load score ≤6/10 (measured via NASA-TLX or user interviews)
- Time-to-first-value ≤60 seconds for new users
- Context switch recovery time ≤90 seconds
User Experience Validation:
- 3+ real users completed full journey without assistance
- Zero critical accessibility violations (WCAG AA compliance)
- Mobile touch targets ≥44px for all interactive elements
- Page load times ≤3 seconds for all critical path pages
Design System Compliance:
- All ADHD-friendly patterns implemented (auto-save, progress indicators, calm UI)
- Fitts' Law violations eliminated (button sizing, placement)
- Working memory limits respected (≤4 simultaneous UI elements requiring attention)
- Every user action has clear feedback within 0.1 seconds
- Error states include specific recovery instructions, not generic messages
NOT-FOR Boundaries
Do NOT use this skill for:
-
Visual design execution → Use [web-design-expert] instead
- Creating mockups, choosing colors, typography decisions
- Pixel-perfect layout implementation
-
A/B testing setup or statistical analysis → Use [frontend-developer] + [data-analyst] instead
- Test implementation, traffic splitting, conversion tracking
- Statistical significance calculations, test result interpretation
-
Accessibility compliance auditing → Use [accessibility-auditor] instead
- WCAG checklist verification, screen reader testing
- Legal compliance documentation, remediation prioritization
-
Technical performance optimization → Use [frontend-developer] instead
- Code optimization, bundle splitting, caching strategies
- Database query optimization, API response times
-
User research methodology → Use [user-researcher] instead
- Interview guide creation, survey design, usability testing protocols
- Qualitative data analysis, persona development from research
Boundary Decision Rule: If the task requires specialized domain expertise beyond UX psychology and cognitive principles, delegate to the appropriate specialist skill.