Take a look at the two squares in Figure 1. If your vision is normal, and you are from a Western culture, then I bet you can easily distinguish which square may be associated with “good” and which one is “bad.” However, not everyone shares your vision or cultural perspective. Relying on a single trait, such as color, to communicate a point may not always be as clear as you think it is. In this blog post, we’ll cover the topic of accessibility and how it can make or break the way your website communicates.
When discussing accessibility needs for design, most people often think of planning around visual impairments. The most notable visual impairment is color blindness, since it makes it difficult to distinguish the difference between hues. For example, those with red-green color blindness would not be able to easily distinguish the difference between the red and green squares above.
However, there’s more to consider around visual impairments than just the inability to see all colors.
According to a Visual Council Study, over 63% of Americans wear (or should be wearing) prescription glasses. That’s over 160 million people who have less than normal vision. This vision doesn’t just make things blurry when they’re too close or too far, but it can also make it more difficult to see things with low contrast.
Did you know that there are official and regulated accessibility guidelines known as WCAG? In particular, there are 3 levels of standards: A, AA, and AAA. All websites must meet at least Level A; however, that is just the minimum to keep a website safe from lawsuits. A website is not really considered accessible unless it meets Level AA. Within these standards includes regulated color contrast ratios. This evaluates the contrast ratio between two given colors and determines if they contrast enough for most people to be able to see text, icons, and other UI elements using the colors.
On the other hand, sometimes things can be too much contrast for someone to comfortably see. That’s why it’s really important to get to know your customer and understand how they interact with your designs. When I started working at my day job, I learned that we originally planned to make our software using a light mode. But after doing some user research, it was discovered that most of our customers use our software while in dark rooms. There were complaints that the lighter UI made the screen too bright for them to look at. So, we ultimately went with a dark mode since it would be of lower contrast in the settings where our customers worked.
Visual impairment is just half of the story when it comes to color accessibility. Even if you can guarantee all of your customers have 100% normal vision, there’s still another obstacle you can encounter when it comes to interpreting color - its cultural meaning. If your business ever intends to have an international audience, understanding the cultural meanings of colors can be crucial.
In many Western countries, such as the United States, we all have cultural agreements on certain colors. Almost everyone from a Western culture can agree that green means good and red means bad. This might make it easy to want to make a cancel button red or a save button green. However, without additional context, these meanings may not be clear in other cultures.
For example, in Eastern countries like China and Japan, the color red often means good fortune and happiness. This might make it confusing to see the color red representing things with a negative connotation. Likewise, it can also make it confusing for Westerners to encounter Eastern UI that uses red in a positive connotation.
My first experience with this misunderstanding of colors was while playing Pokemon games as a kid. Every Pokemon has its own stats, and many will have stats that are slightly higher than normal and another that’s slightly lower than normal. One of these stats was labeled as blue and the other was red. There was no other immediate context besides these colors. Growing up, I had always assumed that the red stat was the lower one. However, I was often confused why this stat was usually higher than the blue one. Turns out, red was actually used to represent the higher, more positive, stat. I was shocked why red was used until I learned that in Japanese culture, red often represents prosperity and blue often represents the common people. Quite different from blues often representing royalty in many Western cultures!
Understanding and addressing color accessibility go beyond accommodating visual impairments. While considerations for color blindness and low vision are essential, acknowledging the cultural context of colors is equally crucial, especially in a globalized world. Accessibility guidelines, such as WCAG standards, provide a structured framework for ensuring inclusive design, emphasizing the importance of color contrast ratios.
Recognizing that cultural differences influence color perceptions can significantly impact user experience. What may symbolize positivity in one culture could convey a different meaning elsewhere. Therefore, incorporating additional context into design decisions becomes imperative, ensuring that color choices resonate universally.
As we navigate the intricate interplay of visual design and cultural nuances, it's clear that a one-size-fits-all approach is inadequate. User research and understanding the diverse backgrounds of your audience are key components in achieving true accessibility. This nuanced approach extends beyond accommodating disabilities; it fosters an inclusive digital environment where users from various cultural backgrounds can engage seamlessly.
Ultimately, the goal is not just to meet the minimum accessibility standards but to exceed them, reaching Level AA and beyond. Striving for accessibility excellence not only enhances user satisfaction but also mitigates the risk of potential legal issues. By embracing a comprehensive approach to color accessibility, we contribute to a more user-friendly digital landscape for everyone.
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