Universal design needs to be integrated by companies and institutions in their identity, because as it is said by RGD, the Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Canada, where professionals exchange their ideas, knowledge and experiences: “Accessibility is no longer an option — it’s a necessity”. Thus, accessibility has to be applied to the built environment and the information provided, including of course the graphic design.

Sometimes aesthetic and accessibility conflict, but there´s no reason why. Once accessibility is taken into account, and design is thought since the beginning to be accessible, is easy to find the ways in which accessibility and aesthetic converge.

To this purpose and to ease it, the RGD has published the second edition of “AccessAbility: A Practical Handbook on Accessible Graphic Design”, which considers either the digital and physical media, and provides the guidelines to design in an accessible way.

Check out their website, and you can download the handbook in the following link: https://www.rgd.ca/resources/accessibility/access