Creating accessible design with color and type

Contrast and color use are essential prerequisites for accessibility in design. All users, including individuals with disabilities, must be able to perceive content, which encompasses typography and informational graphics. Universal Design aims to provide accessible solutions that offer the same means of use for all users: identical whenever possible, and equivalent when not (Cook & Hussey, 2002; The Center for Universal Design, University of North Carolina, 1997). The table below visually communicates good text contrast as defined by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. The WSU color branding text combinations shown in the table below ensure sufficient contrast between text and background, making it readable for individuals with moderately low vision. This contrast calculation ensures that even those with color vision deficits will have adequate differentiation between the text and the background. Avoid using color as the sole means of conveying information or displaying an error message. Instead, incorporate text or an icon as well. For further inquiries or additional information regarding accessibility in design, please contact us at medcom@med.wayne.edu or visit medcom.med.wayne.edu.

Download PDF to read more about WSU color and accessible design

Refer to the WSU color branding chart on the FAQ page for hex/rgb color values. In addition to ensuring the contrast is readable, the size of the font also affects its legibility.

• Reading text on hand-held pages should be a minimum of 8 point font.
• Any posters that are meant to be read at a minimum distance, the following sizes are suggested:
  • Title: 80 pt bolded
  • Authors and affiliations: 54 - 60 pt
  • Headings: 36 pt
  • Body text: 24 - 32 pt
  • Captions: 18 pt
• For readability, the following sizes are suggested for the body text:
  • To be legible at 6 feet use 30 point.
  • To be legible at 10 feet use 48 point.
  • To be legible at 12 feet use 60 point.
  • To be legible at 14 feet use 72 point.
• Text and figures should be readable from around 5-7 feet away
• Use a sans serif typeface (e.g., Lato, Arial, Open Sans, Helvetica, etc.). Our poster templates use the sans serif font Lato, which can be downloaded from the link provided on our FAQ page.
• To maximize readability, use a 1.4 or 1.5 line height (line height of 140%/150%, equal to 1.4/1.5 times the font size)