Question 1

Is neurodivergent testing scientifically valid?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Research consistently shows that neurodivergent users (including those with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and dyspraxia) encounter accessibility barriers at significantly higher rates than neurotypical users. Think of it as the "canary in the coal mine" principle: if your interface works for ND users, it works better for everyone. Our testers follow structured protocols and their findings are corroborated by session recordings, facial expression data, and voice transcripts.

Question 2

What do ND testers find that automated tools miss?

Accepted Answer

Automated tools catch roughly 30% of accessibility issues, the structured, rule-based ones like missing alt text or incorrect heading hierarchy. The remaining 70% requires human judgment: confusing microcopy, overwhelming cognitive load, unpredictable interactions, and anxiety-inducing flows. ND testers are uniquely sensitive to these issues and surface them in ways no automated scanner can replicate.

Question 3

What if our site already passes its WCAG conformance audit?

Accepted Answer

A WCAG conformance audit is a legal floor focused largely on assistive-tech-dependent criteria. Many sites that pass it still create significant barriers for neurodivergent users. The spec was written before modern SaaS UI patterns existed, and it cannot account for cognitive overload, confusing navigation, or poorly worded error messages. A conformance audit is a starting point; behavioural research with neurodivergent users surfaces the cognitive friction conformance audits do not test for. The Purple Pound (£249bn in annual UK spending power held by disabled people and their households) is the business case for going further.

Question 4

How does this differ from standard usability testing?

Accepted Answer

Standard usability testing typically recruits neurotypical participants and misses the 15–20% of users who are neurodivergent. Our testing is explicitly designed for ND profiles, pairing human testers with AI analysis of facial expressions and voice transcripts to surface emotional friction, not just task completion rates. This gives you richer signal and a direct view into which specific interactions cause confusion or anxiety.

Question 5

What about tester wellbeing and ethics?

Accepted Answer

Tester wellbeing is central to our model. All testers are paid at a fair rate (equivalent to £24/hr effective), sessions are capped at 15 minutes, and testers can exit at any point without penalty. We follow GDPR Article 9 for any sensitive data, obtain explicit informed consent, and never require testers to disclose their specific diagnosis. Our ethics framework is reviewed regularly and available in our public documentation.

Behavioural UX Research for Government Services

What's Broken in Government & Public Sector

Mandatory compliance requirements

Diverse citizen demographics

Complex form submissions

Multi-language support

The Business Case Is Clear

How OpenScouter Helps

Inclusivity Validation

Citizen Experience Tracking

WCAG Cognitive-Criteria Mapping

Measurable Impact

How It Works

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