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Designers know accessibility matters, but knowing that and knowing what to actually do about it are two very different things. In this episode, accessibility experts Colleen Gratzer and Chad Chelius share how they found their way into accessibility and discuss how it has changed the way they approach design. They explain why accessibility doesn't have to limit creativity or be a separate step at the end of the design process. Instead, accessible design can be a natural extension of your craft that leads to more efficient and more creative ways of working.
Key Takeaways:
- Start with color contrast. Learning the contrast requirements for normal text, large text, and meaningful icons is a great first step for increasing accessibility without requiring you to learn the entire field at once.
- Map your styles to tags. When you create headings and other structured text, map your paragraph styles to the appropriate tags so the structure of your document is available to people using assistive technology.
- Build accessibility into your workflow. Many accessibility practices, like working with paragraph styles, are best practices. They're a simpler and more efficient way to design.
- Don't let accessibility limit your creativity. There's no such thing as a fundamentally inaccessible color or style. Look at how colors work together and find creative ways to create clarity and contrast.
- Offer conformance, not compliance. Designers should be careful about promising that a document or website is legally compliant. Instead, focus on the accessibility standards and level of conformance you're actually responsible for achieving.
- Expand your perception of accessibility. Accessibility benefits people using assistive technology, but also people who wear glasses, people who are color blind, and people experiencing design in non-ideal conditions, like the menu at a dimly lit restaurant.
Resources
- The Design + Accessibility Summit, October 20-23, 2026
- Free Webinar: Accessibility Essentials with Chad Chelius, September 29, 2026 at 10:00 am PT
- CreativePro Youtube Accessibility Tutorials Playlist
- Colleen Gratzer's Accessibility Training and Design Domination Podcast at Creative Boost
- Chad Chelius's Accessibility Training at Chax Training and Consulting
- Event Savings: Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST
- Membership Discount: Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST
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