Accessible communication with Conviva – and why accessibility matters

When it comes to accessible design, many designers think first and foremost of limitations, rules, and design constraints. Yet the basic principles of accessible design are, in fact, straightforward and very rarely differ from what we’re already doing. For example, white text on a yellow background is, by its very nature, hard to read and, let’s face it, looks terrible. That’s just the way it is, and it’s hard to argue with. After all, design fundamentally has a task to fulfill, a function, and isn’t simply “beautiful”—otherwise, it would be art. Of course, the specific context and scope of use must always be taken into account when designing. Not every project requires accessibility. But fundamentally, design is there to convey messages and content clearly and unambiguously. And, in fact, accessibility doesn’t require anything different.

Actually, though, we’ve all had the experience of having to visually take in or read something under difficult conditions. After all, who hasn’t been to the eye doctor and had to identify shapes and symbols that get smaller and smaller? Once the symbols reach a certain size, they become increasingly blurry and start to blend together. Is it an 8, or maybe a B? Could it be an I, or perhaps a 1? If your eyes are diagnosed as healthy—or if you’re prescribed glasses—this experience is quickly forgotten, and you go through life with good vision.

But there are also people who aren’t so fortunate. People whose vision is impaired or deteriorating due to various factors—not to mention those with dyslexia, color vision deficiency, or color blindness. And to ensure that precisely these persons are not excluded, design plays a very important role. As designers, we have a responsibility to make information and messages accessible to as many people as possible.

This is why it was very important to me to develop a typeface specifically for this purpose—one that meets accessibility requirements. So that, within my own means, I can have a small positive impact on the world. After all, we all live together on this one planet, so we should look out for one another, support each other, and include one another. Conviva embodies this very philosophy; it is a coined word derived from the Spanish word “convivir”—to live together.