user-preference-respect
User Preference Respect
The operating system already knows what the user needs. Your job is to listen and respond. These preferences exist because people set them deliberately — ignoring them overrides the user's own accessibility decision.
The Preferences
prefers-reduced-motion
What it means: user experiences discomfort or harm from motion. What to do:
- Disable all decorative animation
- Replace slide/fade transitions with instant state changes
- Keep essential motion (loading spinners) but simplify
- Disable parallax, scroll-triggered animation, and auto-advance
- Never override this preference
How to detect: @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)
More from owl-listener/inclusive-design-skills
plain-language-design
Write and review content for plain language accessibility. Use when writing interface copy, error messages, instructions, onboarding text, help content, legal or medical information, forms, or any user-facing text. Triggers on: plain language, reading level, simplify text, jargon, hard to understand, nobody reads this, unclear copy, rewrite, too complicated, ESL, literacy, readability.
13situational-impairment-mapping
Map situational impairments that affect all users in specific contexts — not just people with permanent disabilities. Use when designing for mobile, outdoor, noisy, stressful, or multitasking contexts. Triggers on: situational, context of use, environment, one-handed, bright sunlight, noisy, driving, multitasking, gloves, temporary disability, context, edge case.
12multi-modal-input
Design interfaces that offer multiple input methods so users can choose what works for their abilities and context. Use when designing any interactive system where users provide input — forms, search, editors, creative tools, communication interfaces. Triggers on: multi-modal, input methods, alternative input, how people interact, mouse alternative, touch alternative, input flexibility, switch access, eye tracking, head pointer.
12keyboard-navigation
Design keyboard navigation and focus management for users who cannot or prefer not to use a mouse or touch screen. Use when designing any interactive interface — forms, menus, modals, tabs, carousels, drag-and-drop, data tables, or custom components. Triggers on: keyboard, focus, tab order, focus trap, skip link, arrow keys, keyboard shortcut, can't use mouse, motor disability, switch access, focus indicator, focus ring.
12voice-interaction
Design voice interactions and speech interfaces that work for people with diverse speech patterns, accents, and communication styles. Use when designing voice commands, voice search, dictation, voice assistants, or any interface that accepts speech input. Triggers on: voice, speech, dictation, voice command, voice search, speech recognition, accent, stutter, speech disability, non-verbal, AAC, voice assistant, talk to type.
12handoff
Generate an accessibility decision handoff for engineering. Chains: decision-documentation, compliance-mapping, accessibility-testing-strategy. Use when a design is ready for implementation and the engineering team needs clear accessibility specifications.
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