Making Digital Content Accessible to All (Part 2) | by Vanessa Mendao

Making digital content accessible ensures that it is usable by anyone regardless of abilities or disabilities. In addition, creating accessible online content benefits the users and creators by offering comprehensible content to anyone, reaching a wider audience and potentially increasing our user base. This also helps with complying with laws and regulations. We covered some of this topic in Part 1 of this series. This time we are focusing on the form and look rather than on the content. 

1) Use Accessible Colour Combinations

There are over 300 million colour-blind people worldwide, according to Colour Blind Awareness (1 in 5 people in the UK alone). There are also 4 different types of colour blindness (Protanopia or red weakness, Deuteranopia or green weakness, Tritanopia or blue/yellow weakness, and complete colour blindness) to bear in mind.

If you work with Data Visualisations, for example, this is crucial to make your visualisations intelligible for all. 

When it comes to colour combinations, you should choose colours that have a high contrast ratio. The contrast ratio is the relative difference in the light intensity between the text and background colours. 

There are free contrast ratio checkers available to help you with this but here’s the gist of it:

• Avoid using light colours on a light background
• Choose colours with a high contrast ratio, such as black text on a white background or white text on a dark background.
• Avoid using colour as the only means of conveying information: it's important to use other methods, such as text or icons, to convey important information.
• Be aware of colour social conventions (red = stop/bad ; green: go/good)

2) Limit The Use Of Capital Letters

Using all capital letters can make text harder to read because the shape of each letter is different in uppercase than in lowercase, and the letters are not as distinguishable from each other. When in doubt you can check this brief guide to capitalization rules and avoid using all capital letters for emphasis or make text stand out. Remember that in the digital world, all caps can be read as shouting and create misunderstandings.  Alternatively, use bold or italics. 

3) Use Adequate Font Size And Type

The adequate font size for accessible documents depends on the specific needs and preferences of the audience. However, there are some general guidelines you can follow to ensure that your text is easy to read:

• Use a font size of at least 12 points: this size is generally considered easy to read, especially for longer documents.
• Use a font size of 14 points or larger for large text such as headings and subheadings. 
• Use a sans-serif font such as Arial or Helvetica, which are generally easier to read on screens than serif fonts (Times New Roman).
• Consider the audience if you are creating a document for people with visual impairments or reading disabilities, you may need to use a larger font size or a font specifically designed for readability.

4) Cut Your Sentences Short

Long sentences are difficult to read and visually less appealing than a short passage. To make sure your sentences are not too long, wherever possible, break them into shorter clauses. Avoid starting sentences with subordinate clauses - because, also, although - and use active rather than passive voice. These tips will make your sentences more readable and easier to understand.

5) Present Your Text Left-Aligned And Non-Justified 

Left-aligned and non-justified text is easier to read because it creates a consistent "ragged" right edge, rather than a straight edge. This makes it easier for the reader's eyes to track from one line to the next, reducing strain and improving readability.

Justified text, on the other hand, has a straight right edge and is aligned with both the left and right margins. This can create large gaps between words, known as "rivers of white," which can be distracting and make the text harder to read. Justified text can also cause uneven word and letter spacing.

By following these guidelines you will contribute to developing an inclusive and user-friendly online environment. 

Best Practice Checklist:

1. Select colour-blind friendly palettes
2. Avoid problematic colour combinations
3. Use highly contrasted colour combinations. Use different textures and patterns to highlight important information – not just colour
4. Use symbols and icons to supplement colour-coded messages, warnings and alerts
5. Adopt a minimalistic design to help avoid unnecessary confusion.

Online Resources For Accessible Writing:

• WebAIM contrast checker: This is a website that allows you to enter Pantone and font data to get a pass/fail rating based on WCAG 2.1 compliance. 
• How to Use Color Blind Friendly Palettes to Make Your Charts Accessible
• Colour blindness simulator
• Home office: accessibility

This article was written by Vanessa Mendao, a Data Literacy/Data & Insights for Business Decisions coach at Multiverse.