Digital design shapes every interaction we have online, from checking our email to managing our healthcare to connecting with friends and family. For many, these daily digital encounters can trigger stress, anxiety, and even re-traumatization.

The reality is that trauma is not rare or exceptional; it is a fundamental part of human history. Whether it's childhood adversity, systemic discrimination, or workplace bullying, trauma shapes how we navigate the world—including digital interactions. A seemingly minor design choice, such as a vague error message, an inability to easily exit a process, or an overly large set of options can echo past experiences of helplessness, which can overwhelm the nervous system's ability to cope.

As our lives become less and less analog, we face an urgent question: How can we create online spaces that recognize and respond to the profound impact of trauma on the user experience?

What is Trauma Informed Design?

Being trauma informed in digital design begins by recognizing that the experience of trauma is common to all people. It is not alone adverse childhood experiences (ACE), is also experiencing treason from a friend or loved one, discrimination within our medical system or humiliation at work, to name just a few. Unresolved trauma causes problems not just for entrepreneurs but for every human being trying to navigate everyday life.

Being trauma-informed means we can recognize and understand the impacts of trauma – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – as real challenges that can last for years for both individuals and communities. The apps, websites, and services you build must take this context into account. The best creators meet people where they are by keeping principles like safety, trust and empowerment in mind. Trauma-informed principles are created by experts and those with lived experience. They are applicable whenever and however you serve people because trauma is a human experience.

Related: Inclusion and Accessibility in the Digital Space

Why do businesses need them?

No business owner would knowingly turn potential customers away. When people ask for help or try to complete a daily task, the experience should be as welcoming and frictionless as possible. Without remembering the context of the trauma, our expectations of the people we hope to serve are often too high. People have shorter attention spans than ever before; if they have experienced trauma, they may be cognitively challenged, have fewer internal resources, and need more reassurance or help. “Little” things like a broken relationship can feel like a broken promise. Getting stuck in an interface without being able to easily leave or get help can feel like the helplessness that occurs during traumatic childhood events. These things drive customers away. Let's not turn people away AND recreate the dynamics of abuse.

When you use trauma-informed principles in digital design, people are more likely to engage with your organization and its app, site, products and services. Further, they can become long-term customers, allies or ambassadors of your company.

Related: How to overcome organizational trauma – 4 strategies for resilience and growth after a crisis

Why the tech industry needs this design change

No wonder technology is lagging behind in terms of inclusion. Being trauma informed is one way to be more inclusive and reach more clients. Designers in technology need to reach out to other industries where trauma-informed workplaces are the norm. Doctors, nurses, counselors, coaches, school teachers, law enforcement officers are looking at their behaviors, products, policies and systems. Now, technology professionals must consider how the context of trauma affects the people they serve. Trauma-informed design is an inclusive way to create products and services that meet the needs of more people.

For example, reliability and tRANSPARENCY are important to be trauma informed. A common form of online interaction is a form. You can make it clear why you are asking for information and avoid extra articles.

Last year, a music service asked me my gender when I signed up. I couldn't ignore the question. Why did it have to let me use their platform? You can also make it clear where the information placed on a form goes. Can I access the group behind the form? Can I get my information back? And at the end of each form, it should be clear what will happen next and when. These actions build trust with users before they ever interact or if they never interact with a person in your company.

AI and trauma-informed design

One of the biggest challenges of artificial intelligence is that it is a black box for many people – including its users. Without transparency, AI cannot be informed about trauma. It should be clear what training data is being used for the AI ​​model and what happens to the questions and data that users put into the system. Any AI tool must be safe to use and not just another digital data collection tool that tracks people without informed consent.

However, there are valuable ways AI can help IT and tech teams be more trauma-informed:

• Secure personalization adapting a website or application, for example, by recognizing language needs and preferences and adapting content or reading level;
• Create a good operation chatbots to provide immediate support rather than making people wait for live chat or a call center to open;
• Quickly gauge sentiment through user reviews, comments or feedback on an app or website, which can help address concerns and improve quickly;
• Analyze unusual behavior patterns on websites faster to identify security risks and consumer fraud.

As designers, developers and business leaders, we have an opportunity and an obligation to reshape the digital landscape. The future of digital design is one where we proactively consider the lived experiences of every individual who interacts with our products and services. It's a future where we approach technology development with deep empathy, transparency and a commitment to do no further harm. Most importantly, it is a future where digital spaces become places of healing, belonging and human flourishing.