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Thread: Reduce font size on all paragraphs and success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text.
Number of posts in this thread: 6 (In chronological order)
From: Joan Preston
Date: Mon, Aug 05 2019 5:22PM
Subject: Reduce font size on all paragraphs and success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text.
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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
ITS - California State University, Long Beach
562.985.1490 | Accessible Technology<http://www.csulb.edu/accessible-technology>;
Usability and Accessibility = Inclusive Design
From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Mon, Aug 05 2019 6:05PM
Subject: Re: Reduce font size on all paragraphs and success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text.
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On 06/08/2019 00:22, Joan Preston wrote:
> 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.
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 | https://github.com/patrickhlauke
http://flickr.com/photos/redux/ | http://redux.deviantart.com
twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke
From: Bateman, Jill
Date: Tue, Aug 06 2019 6:41AM
Subject: Re: Reduce font size on all paragraphs and success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text.
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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>;
From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > on behalf of Patrick H. Lauke < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Sent: Monday, August 5, 2019 8:05 PM
To: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Reduce font size on all paragraphs and success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text.
On 06/08/2019 00:22, Joan Preston wrote:
> 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://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2FWAI%2FWCAG21%2FUnderstanding%2Fresize-text.html&data=02%7C01%7Cbatemanj%40ohio.edu%7C8cc209e74e9c40fdfd5b08d71a01d8cc%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C637006467545943127&sdata=6RKwYoDvGLyEvSy4l%2F%2Bq6JObPcZwkP6b5e%2F4xwAI9ls%3D&reserved=0, 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.
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
https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.splintered.co.uk&data=02%7C01%7Cbatemanj%40ohio.edu%7C8cc209e74e9c40fdfd5b08d71a01d8cc%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C637006467545943127&sdata=rXnGJmmdX2D2oFPInmG49nTdbFpWCH0Hnpq0m2VMRyo%3D&reserved=0 | https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fpatrickhlauke&data=02%7C01%7Cbatemanj%40ohio.edu%7C8cc209e74e9c40fdfd5b08d71a01d8cc%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C637006467545943127&sdata=1XiI7FpFlnw51peqICNEfzLZUo7YYOkTf4CpEK6hCto%3D&reserved=0
https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fflickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fredux%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cbatemanj%40ohio.edu%7C8cc209e74e9c40fdfd5b08d71a01d8cc%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C637006467545943127&sdata=jq1mvtZMfFySnJ0FzuCEd7YVhGlYnn%2BfiL2hBviYIvg%3D&reserved=0 | https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fredux.deviantart.com&data=02%7C01%7Cbatemanj%40ohio.edu%7C8cc209e74e9c40fdfd5b08d71a01d8cc%7Cf3308007477c4a70888934611817c55a%7C0%7C0%7C637006467545953123&sdata=mARlKk3O8JRbzPkfAlcmMoKgNeKoYKVrgYT42bsF9vk%3D&reserved=0
twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke
From: Joan Preston
Date: Tue, Aug 06 2019 10:33AM
Subject: Re: Reduce font size on all paragraphs and success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text.
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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 ADDRESS REMOVED = <mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >> wrote:
<mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS 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
From: Abby Kingman
Date: Tue, Aug 06 2019 12:26PM
Subject: Re: Reduce font size on all paragraphs and success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text.
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I suspect your designers are young and have excellent vision. Someday they
will be old, or perhaps have bifocal contact lenses, which are not quite
like the real thing. :-)
--
Abby Kingman, CPACC
Last Call Media
From: Joan Preston
Date: Tue, Aug 06 2019 5:49PM
Subject: Re: Reduce font size on all paragraphs and success criterion 1.4.4 Resize text.
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Actually, they are older, wear computer glasses and have a big monitor, but most of our student population is young...
Joan Preston
Web Accessibility Coordinator
ITS - California State University, Long Beach