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Colour and Contrast for Accessibility

Accessibility, Design Systems, Color Theory, UX

The bad news:

Colour and contrast issues are still THE most common accessibility mistakes, even on the top websites on the internet! And most courses on accessibility never tackle the topic by offering proper solutions, from the point of view of design. Also, there is so much more to contrast than just colour! Typography and layout are essential factors in achieving the right contrast. Yet, no training ever offers any significant insight, only providing obscure references to the guidelines, and incomprehensible algorithms.

The good news:

Colour and contrast issues are also the easiest – and most fun – accessibility issues to fix. This workshop makes sense of the requirements and shows you how to apply them in a clear, practical, and enjoyable way. You'll learn how to combine the delights of colour and type with accessibility, without sacrificing imagination or creativity. By tackling the number one issue on most websites today, you'll make your designs readable by everyone, compliant with legislation, and far more valuable to your clients or team – all while expanding your marketable skills.

What the attendees will learn

  • Why colour and contrast matter so much for accessibility and usability
  • How to create compliant, beautiful, and inclusive colour palettes
  • How typography and layout affect contrast beyond colour alone
  • Which tools and techniques will help you design with accessibility in mind
  • What APCA is and why it's relevant for the future of design
  • How to apply alternatives to colour when needed
  • Practical strategies for combining creativity with compliance

Workshop plan

  • The role of colour in culture and technology
  • Colour models, spaces and systems
  • A quick overview of colour psychology and theory (and why you can often ignore it)
  • Accessibility issues related to colour and contrast
  • Tools & techniques for beautiful and compliant colour palettes
  • APCA explained and why it matters
  • The most accessible colour system: OKLCH
  • Contrast beyond colour: type, layout, and other factors
  • Alternatives to colour and when to use them
  • Relevant WCAG criteria
  • Practical exercises and case studies

Who is this for?

This workshop is for designers, developers, content creators, and anyone who wants to make their work more inclusive without giving up creativity. Whether you work in an agency, in-house, or as a freelancer, you'll leave with practical skills to improve your projects immediately – and with insights that will make you more valuable to your clients, colleagues, and users.

Topics covered

  • Role of colour in culture and technology
  • Colour models, spaces and systems
  • A quick overview of colour psychology and theory (hint: you can often ignore it)
  • Accessibility issues related to colour & contrast
  • Tools & techniques for beautiful and compliant colour palettes
  • What is APCA and why it matters
  • The most accessible colour system: OKLCH
  • Contrast beyond colour
  • Alternatives to colour, and when to use them
  • Relevant WCAG criteria
  • Practical exercises & case studies
Picture of Piccia Neri

Piccia Neri

Accessible Design Trainer & Consultant

Piccia Neri is on a mission to prove that inclusive design doesn't kill creativity: it fuels it. As a UX and accessible design consultant, she leads global projects for companies of all sizes and trains designers, marketers and developers to put accessibility at the heart of their work. Piccia speaks at conferences worldwide, and her current main focus is on balancing creativity and accessibility, without sacrificing either.

Crema Workshop

€120