Dynamic conditions are not fixed or predictable. They don’t follow a neat timetable.
We cannot guarantee how we will feel in advance.
What is a Dynamic Condition?
A dynamic condition means someone’s access needs can change – sometimes gradually, sometimes suddenly, often without warning.
A person may be able to do something one day, but not the next. They may also start an activity feeling well, and then find their capacity drops quickly partway through.
Dynamic conditions are not fixed or predictable. They don’t follow a neat timetable. This makes planning and attending events especially challenging, because someone cannot always guarantee how they will feel in advance.
How to Support Dynamic Conditions
Flexibility – Allow late arrival, early leaving, breaks, or remote participation
Choice – Offer multiple ways to engage (in person, digital, low-sensory, recorded)
Rest spaces – Provide quiet rooms or clean-air areas where people can pause
Transparency – Give clear information about schedules, noise, light, crowding, and duration so people can self-manage
No-penalty culture – Normalise changing plans. Someone cancelling or leaving early is not disrespect — it’s survival.
Check-in points – Let attendees signal if they need support without having to “explain” everything
Why it Matters for Accessibility
Accessibility often assumes that people’s needs are stable – ramps, captions, Auslan, quiet rooms. But for those with dynamic conditions, barriers show up differently:
Energy or concentration can suddenly run out
Symptoms may flare mid-event, forcing someone to leave early
Plans may need to change at the last minute without it being a matter of choice
Inconsistency is normal, not a lack of commitment
Recognising dynamic conditions means shifting from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to a flexible and compassionate one.
How to Recognise Dynamic Access Needs
It may look like:
Someone attending part of an event but not all
A person resting or stepping out for long periods
Cancellations or no-shows at short notice
Using access tools (mobility aids, masks, headphones) on one day, but not another
Changes in communication style (talkative one time, very quiet the next)
The key is not to judge or assume. Dynamic does not mean unreliable. It means people are navigating unpredictable limits while still wanting to take part.
Best Practice Guide: From Lived Experience
Believe people when they describe their limits – don’t ask for proof
Trust that self-management is expertise: the person knows best when they need to stop or adapt
Communicate early and openly: tell people if changes are happening at your event so they can plan
Provide access options that work in layers – – so if one path doesn’t work, another is available
Show kindness: flexibility is care, and it makes spaces more inclusive for everyone
Dynamic does not mean unreliable. It means people are navigating unpredictable limits while still wanting to take part. It’s about survival.