Accessible Colour Contrast

Digital and website accessibility continues to be - unfortunately - considered a "nice to have" rather than "table stakes" by far too many companies.

Accessibility isn't just nice to have - it's amazing to have. Not just for those that need it most.

Why? Constraints are good. Constraints tend to make products and services more useful, and more accessible, for more people. As Dieter Rams once said "Good design is as little design as possible."

Accessible design is good design. Good digital and website design relies on good taste in colours.

I've become a big fan, and a frequent user, of this Accessible Colour Contrast tool published by the University of Sussex. I love it for a few reasons:

• It's simple - filtering colour combinations by accessibility level is a sinch.
• It's fast - no complicated chrome, no fuss. Other tools like it are overly complex.
• It reduces cognitive load - not just for users of products built with it, for builders, too.

Endlessly fussing about with (and building palettes of) hex codes can eat up more time than you realise. And, nine times out of ten, the results are unlikely to satisfy 100% of your users.

Simple tools like the Accessible Colour Contrast tool will make the web a better place for everyone. Including those that build digital experiences on the web. Give it a try.