Figma

How to create accessible designs in Figma?

Discover handy tips for making your Figma designs accessible. Guarantee your projects hit inclusivity benchmarks, giving everyone the best user experience possible.

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Overview

Designing with accessibility in mind using Figma is really about making sure everyone, no matter their abilities or disabilities, can use digital products. This means following accessibility guidelines, using Figma's tools, and sticking to best practices. To do this right, it's crucial to think about things like color contrast, adding text descriptions for images, making sure everything can be used with a keyboard, and properly using semantic elements.

Figma plugins can be incredibly helpful, and listening to user feedback makes a big difference too. Focusing on these aspects helps designers build interfaces that are inclusive and easy to use for everyone.

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How to create accessible designs in Figma?

Step 1: Choose Accessible Color Schemes

  • Use color contrast tools like Stark (Figma plugin) to check color contrast.
  • Make sure text stands out against the background (minimum ratio 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text).
  • Don't just rely on color to get your point across. Use text or icons too.

Step 2: Use Scalable Fonts

  • Pick fonts that are easy to read at different sizes.
  • Ensure text can be scaled up or down without losing clarity.
  • Use font sizes that are big enough to read easily (at least 16px for body text).

Step 3: Include Descriptive Text

  • Add alt text for images and icons in your design.
  • Make sure the alt text gives a clear, concise explanation of the image or icon.
  • Use the Figma Tidy plugin to keep your text neat and organized.

Step 4: Implement Keyboard Navigation

  • Design focus states for interactive elements like buttons and links.
  • Ensure all actionable elements can be accessed via keyboard (tab key).
  • Use Figma's "Prototype" feature to test the keyboard navigation flow.

Step 5: Create Clear and Consistent Layouts

  • Keep spacing, alignment, and layout grids consistent.
  • Use Figma templates and styles to make elements uniform.
  • Create a visual hierarchy with headings, subheadings, and body text.

Step 6: Provide Text Alternatives for Non-Text Elements

  • For videos, include subtitles and transcripts.
  • Use descriptive captions for charts, graphs, and complex visuals.
  • Create legend keys for graphical elements like infographics.

Step 7: Conduct User Testing and Iteration

  • Use Figma's prototype sharing to get feedback from a variety of users.
  • Incorporate accessibility tools like screen readers during testing.
  • Iterate on designs based on user feedback to improve accessibility.

Step 8: Use Accessible Components and Plugins

  • Use accessible components from Figma community libraries.
  • Leverage accessibility-focused plugins like Contrast, Sim Daltonism, and A11y - Focus Orderer.
  • Keep components reusable and customizable to meet accessibility standards.

Step 9: Follow Accessibility Guidelines

  • Stick to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) whenever possible.
  • Use Figma's built-in design system to enforce accessibility rules.
  • Clearly label form elements and provide necessary instructions or validation messages.

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