Inaccessible Brand Guidelines

So, here is a neat thing that happened this week.

My company is currently redesigning a website for a big client and I was asked to chime in on the accessibility of the new design. Nothing new. Upon reviewing the work, it was discovered that certain color combinations were going to create poor contrast situations. Not cool. It was later revealed that these contrast issues were at the core of the clients brand guidelines. Oh my. Inherent accessibility issues are bad news for any brand, but to the clients credit, they are now revisiting their global brand guidelines to be more web friendly and accessible. Win!

I really, really love when things like this happen because if you can effect positive change, for the good of accessibility, at the core of a product or brand guidelines, then it is almost certain to have a ripple effect. Not only will the clients other vendors benefit from this update, but more importantly, you and I will, too. Small change. Big impact.

So the lesson here, as always, is that accessibility is worth making a fuss about, so don't be afraid to speak up. You might just be surprised at what you can accomplish.