Check Colour Contrast

As designers, we often obsess over the perfect palette. However, a beautiful interface is a failure if it isn't accessible. Ensuring proper colour contrast isn't just a "best practice"—it’s a fundamental requirement for inclusive design that allows users with different visual abilities to navigate our products effectively.

The Science of Seeing

Accessibility standards (WCAG) provide us with a grading system to ensure our text is readable against its background. Whether it is Regular Vision , Protanopia (red blindness), or Deuteranomaly , our job is to ensure that everyone can perceive the information we present.

Tools for the Modern Designer

To move beyond guesswork, I’ve curated a toolkit of resources that every professional should use:

• WhoCanUse : A deep-dive tool that shows how color combinations are perceived by people with various forms of color blindness.
• Contrast : A handy Figma plugin for real-time checks within your design workflow.
• Accessible Brand Colors : This tool generates a chart to show how your entire brand palette can be used together while remaining ADA compliant.
• ButtonBuddy : A specialized generator that focuses specifically on creating accessible button styles.
• ColourContrast.cc : A quick and reliable web-based checker for WCAG AA and AAA grading.

The Bottom Line: Don't design for yourself; design for the widest possible audience. Accessibility is what separates a "decorator" from a true "Product Designer".