Testing by different access needs

Cognitive

Part of
Tools and testing COLLECTION collection
Last reviewed
13 August 2026

Tools and techniques to help you identify potential barriers related to cognitive access needs.

Cognitive access needs

Cognitive access needs can affect how people understand, process, remember or respond to information. They can be associated with a range of disabilities, conditions and circumstances, and can affect people in different ways.

Examples include:

  • learning difficulties, including dyslexia and dyscalculia
  • memory difficulties, including difficulties associated with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or experiences of brain fog
  • mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression
  • brain injuries, including stroke and traumatic brain injury

These are examples rather than a complete list. People with the same condition may have different access needs, and some people may experience cognitive barriers without having a diagnosed condition.

Potential barriers

Cognitive access needs can affect people in different ways. When testing your service, consider whether people can:

  • process information
  • focus for long periods
  • remember information they need to complete a task
  • understand unfamiliar words or instructions
  • complete tasks without unnecessary help
  • recover from errors and understand what to do next

How to test for potential barriers

Start with automated checks

Automated accessibility tools can help you identify some potential barriers. They cannot identify every accessibility issue, so use them alongside manual checks and testing with people. Automated tools work best when used collectively, so you should use all 3 together.

You can use:

  • axe DevTools
  • WAVE Evaluation
  • ARC Toolkit

Carry out manual checks

Manual checks can identify issues that automated tools cannot.

You can use:

  • HeadingsMap - check that headings are clear and follow a logical structure
  • Lists - check that information presented as a list has an appropriate structure
  • Target size - check that interactive elements are large enough to use
  • Text spacing - check that content remains usable when text spacing is increased

###Run screen reader tests Screen readers can help you understand how people with cognitive access needs may navigate and understand your product or service. They can provide an alternative way to access written information, which may be helpful for people with dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), memory or attention difficulties, and some language or reading difficulties.

Use personas to explore potential barriers

Personas can help you consider how people with different access needs might use your service and identify potential barriers to explore during testing. You could use HMRC's accessibility personas as a starting point. Personas are useful for considering potential barriers, but they are not a substitute for testing with real people who use your service.

Simone – dyslexic user

Simone uses specialist dyslexia software that reads documents and web pages aloud and helps her read and spell.

She needs:

  • plain language
  • save and return functionality
  • clear, structured content

View Simone's profile and task

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