Legibility.info, or leserlich.info, is an online guide to inclusive communication design for people with or without visual impairments. Depending on their individual circumstances, people have different needs regarding usability and the design of typefaces, typography, and images in both print and digital media. During a two-year R&D project, we worked with people affected by the most common eye disorders, and with experts from the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV), to evaluate typefaces and layouts in terms of legibility and readability. We found that visually impaired people preferred Humanist Sans typefaces, like Sans Serifs, which are based on the Old Style, or Garalde, letterforms. The oldest design principles of printing types still allow easier recognition and differentiation between letterforms. Using the study results and extensive source research, we produced concrete and practical recommendations on typefaces, sizes, spacing, layout, contrasts, and surfaces. Animated graphics explain typography, and interactive calculators specify font sizes and colour values for specific projects. We also redesigned the DBSV’s website and its members’ magazine, Sichtweisen, in line with the findings and launched both in 2017. The project proves that inclusive design can be both attractive and cater to the needs of people with visual impairment.
Legibility.info: Developing Inclusive Communication Design
