by Jason Snell
‘Color-blind Accessibility Manifesto’
A few months ago, I volunteered to be interviewed by Italian student Federico Monaco for his thesis project about Web accessibility for the color-blind. (I am red-green color-blind.) The results of his work are now on display as the Colorblind Accessibility Manifesto, which points out that designers must consider that using only color to impart information in user interfaces can be inaccessible to some people.
As a part of his project, Monaco is seeking developers to help create a browser extension to aid in improving web usability for the colorblind.
I was just reminded of the importance of color accessibility earlier today, when I encountered a color-coded interface that didn’t present any alternative method of differentiating itself, such as offering different shaped interface elements—despite the fact that my iPad has the “Differentiate Without Color” setting turned on. (Apple offers a Color Filter feature that makes it easier for me to differentiate between colors—but it also makes all the colors on the device look horrendously unnatural.)
If you’re a web or app developer and you haven’t considered color when you’re considering accessibility, give Monaco’s website a look.