Finally saw the light on colorblind-friendly palettes

I used warm tones for a client dashboard in Austin last year. Looked great to me. Client called me after 3 weeks saying their boss couldn't tell red from green status indicators. Changed it to add symbols and patterns. Took me 2 hours to redo. The boss sent a thank you email the next day. Anyone else had to redo work for colorblind users?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor_moore15d ago

Wish more tools had a "simulate colorblind" button built in.

the_gray15d ago

Push back a little here @taylor_moore. I get why people want that button, but i think it misses the bigger problem. Most colorblind simulators just show you what colors look like through one specific filter, but colorblindness is way more varied than that (like, there's a bunch of different types with different levels). Plus, designers who use those simulators sometimes think they can just pick colors that pass the test, instead of learning how to build clear visual cues that work for everyone. Relying on a magic button makes people lazy, no offense. Better to teach folks the real principles of good accessible design from the start.