Cognitive Scaffolding

External supports or structures that help a person complete cognitive tasks they might not be able to manage independently. In education, scaffolding refers to temporary supports removed as competence grows; in accessibility, it often means persistent supports embedded in systems and interfaces. Examples include step-by-step wizards, checklists, prompts, reminders, templates, and conversational AI that guides users through complex processes. Cognitive scaffolding is particularly valuable for people with executive dysfunction, as it compensates for difficulties with planning, sequencing, and task initiation without requiring users to generate these structures themselves.