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Design Creating User Experiences Understanding Our Users The Importance of Designing for Users

Posted by Rachael Parekh
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Rachael Parekh
UX Design Techdegree Graduate 12,355 Points

Appropriate font size and contrast are defined by WCAG, and should always be used regardless of the age of your users?

Am I wrong? I thought we should always design for accessibility? https://www.w3.org/WAI/tips/designing/#provide-sufficient-contrast-between-foreground-and-background

Rhiana Heath
Rhiana Heath
2,659 Points
Rhiana Heath
Rhiana Heath
2,659 Points

Yes you should always have high colour contrast to the WCAG AA standards. I find this tool is really nice for checking colour combinations. https://contrastchecker.com/

Doesn't matter about age your current users are as this is also important for people with visual impairments and colour blindness which can occur at any age.

Users can also refer to people building or administering the software as well. So if it's software for students for example, the teacher will still need to be able to use it. As well as any developers and testers working on it.

1 Answer

Vipul V
Vipul V
1,138 Points
Vipul V
Vipul V
1,138 Points

Hey Rachael Portocarrero , Designing for accessibility is a broad topic in itself. And so much so, that the word accessibility is broad in it itself (contrast is just one of point to consider). And you've rightly said that it's not limited to old age people.

But Alena Holligan , has just touched upon it stating that while considering for old age, that's one of the important point (as the majority of old age will have problems with eye-sight or in reading, etc).In younger generation assuming that majority of them will have accessibility problem, might not be right. Although it's possible that few of them suffer from some disease or are differently-abled , but not the majority of them.

So your point remains right, that it should be considered while designing (irrespective of age group). But Alena had a different context while she was telling about accessibility.

So both are right , it's just the context that differs.

I hope this helps. Feel free to discuss more about this.