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Re: Reduce font size on all paragraphs and success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text.

for

From: Joan Preston
Date: Aug 6, 2019 10:33AM

Sorry for my delayed response, but I forgot to turn off Digest Mode and did not receive a the individual emails.



Patrick and Jill, Thank you for your responses!



I guess I was trying to read between the lines in hope this would fall under accessibility, so the recommendations would be followed.



I will suggest the compromises to design team and hope they will take them into consideration.



Thanks again,



Joan Preston


There is no normative requirement for any particular minimum text size
in WCAG. In theory, if browsers allowed it, you could have text sized to
just 1px height, and WCAG would not have anything to say about that
(though of course your users might).

And no, it's irrelevant if "many users have to resize the text or the
design is relying on resizing". 1.4.4 simply requires that users be able
to resize up to 200%.

Of course, there are real-world usability/readability considerations
that go beyond WCAG's normative requirements...

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke

www.splintered.co.uk<;http://www.splintered.co.uk>; | https://github.com/patrickhlauke
http://flickr.com/photos/redux/ | http://redux.deviantart.com
twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke


This might be a case where usability research and user testing can strengthen your (very good) argument that the sizing issue your design team is pushing it a bad idea. If you can reach a compromise, you might be able to suggest they increase the font weight to 400 and try adding a little bit more letter spacing in the css (.03em improved the readability at the .8em font size). Maybe suggest some AB user testing?

It's artistically beautiful, but it's a struggle to read without the font size decrease.

Good luck!
Jill


<http://www.ohio.edu/oit/web>;<http://www.ohio.edu/oit/web%3e>;;






On Mon, Aug 5, 2019 at 5:22 PM Joan Preston < <EMAIL REMOVED> <mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> >> wrote:

<mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> >

Hi all,

I'm trying to figure out if a reduced font size on a page is considered an accessibility issue when the font can be enlarged by the user. The design team wants style all the paragraphs on a page using smaller font or byline font of 0.8em compared to the our regular font size of 1.05em (see links below.) I suggested they add letter-spacing of .03em to make the byline font more readable, but they don't want to do that. They feel the small font size is a way to save space and users can just enlarge the font if they need too. I know WCAG criterion 1.4.4 Resize text, https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/resize-text.html, pertains to being able to resizing the text up to 200%, however, when many users have to resize the text or the design is relying on resizing, then criterion is not met.

Byline text: http://www.csulb.edu/brand-central/brand-central/nomenclature

Our standard font text: http://www.csulb.edu/brand-central


Thanks,

Joan Preston
Web Accessibility Coordinator
TS - California State University, Long Beach
562.985.1490 | Accessible Technology<http://www.csulb.edu/accessible-technology>;<http://www.csulb.edu/accessible-technology%3e>;;
Usability and Accessibility = Inclusive Design