Designing for Accessibility
Someone recently asked a group of graphic designers what considerations they keep in mind when designing for accessibility. I thought this was an excellent question, since the point of graphic design is communicating an idea clearly in a visual way, and other marketing-related activities and projects communicate a company’s message through written, video, audio, or other means.
While there are many kinds of disability, the graphic design industry is very visual, so the first things that come to mind apply to those with difficulty seeing, or have other vision problems. As someone who volunteers for the Audio Reading Service at the Allen County Public Library, this is a topic I am fairly familiar with, and here are some of my considerations:
Keep Screen Readers In Mind
Screen readers are devices or software that scan digital content for text and “read” it out loud. Generally, this “reading” only works with actual text, not lettering that appears embedded in graphics or other images. So while a sighted person may be able to read text in a graphic, a screen reader won’t be able to read it for someone who is visually impaired.
Use Alt Text
Alt Text is text that a web designer types in, to describe an image in a website (and occasionally other places, like marketing emails). When a screen reader encounters an image without Alt Text, it skips over it because there is nothing to read. However, if there is Alt Text embedded in the code for the website, then the screen reader will read the description of the image to the user. This is very important if images contain text or information that is important and relevant to the text content (things like “SALE” or offer details). Alt Text is not intended to improve search functions, so it should not be packed with keywords or verbiage that would be confusing or distracting from your other content. Ideally, it should flow with the entire design when read aloud.
Keep It Simple
Too much clutter, colors, extra details, and effects can be difficult for low-vision users to pick out what is important and what the point of the graphic/message is. Make sure to use clear visual hierarchy, and limit the number of elements in visuals. Be aware of contrast when placing text on colored backgrounds, and avoid text over textures and patterns.
Put Your Message In Text Captions/Descriptions
Captions underneath images can be used to help sighted people understand the importance of the image, as well as helping communicate to non-sighted people. For Social media, there is not a way to add Alt Text to images, so put important information in the body of the text, not just the image.
Consider Color
When designing a brand color palette (or any color palette, really), consider the ability of colorblind folks to discern colors from each other. Some Adobe design software offer view settings for designers that simulate Protanopia-type or Deuteranopia-type color blindness. Go to View > Proof Setup and look for color blindness options. For web designers, there are browser extensions or plugins such as Colorblindly that offer preview options for simulating color blindness as well.
Other Considerations
While providing readable text and clear visuals are key for people with visual difficulties, other things to keep in mind are physical limitations, hearing problems including deafness, neurodivergent users, and people with difficulty with concentration and comprehension. Make buttons large and easy to tap or click. Make sure videos have correct subtitles. Keep your messaging clear and to the point. Avoid excessive animation and sounds that could be overstimulating, especially if viewed in busy environments.
Remember that we’re not just designing for people with disabilities, but all of these features make your message more accessible to everyone. Busy people sometimes use screen readers (or Alexa or Siri) to read them text content while they are doing other things. Keeping things simple and easy to understand makes your design better at communicating your ideas more quickly and effectively.