Stijnman Accessible Color Review
Purpose
Review a palette, design, screenshot, or interface implementation for readability and robust semantic color use. Treat automated checks as evidence to review, not as a substitute for visual or user testing.
Workflow
- Identify foreground-background pairs, interactive states, data visualizations, and color-only signals.
- Calculate or verify contrast for text and essential UI elements using the applicable accessibility target.
- Check whether color communicates meaning consistently and whether another cue supports status, errors, and links.
- Review color-vision risks, especially charts and success/error pairings.
- Propose the smallest changes that improve readability while preserving the visual system.
- Return findings with observed evidence, confidence, severity, and suggested replacements.
Quality boundaries
Do not claim compliance from a palette alone. Contrast depends on rendered size, weight, background, opacity, and state. Flag uncertainty when an image or code sample cannot establish those conditions.
Error handling
| Situation | Response |
|---|---|
| Screenshot is incomplete | Limit findings to visible evidence and request the missing state. |
| Pair cannot be measured | Explain the required colors and rendering context. |
| Brand color fails contrast | Offer accessible pairings or non-color cues instead of changing it without context. |
| Chart uses similar categories | Recommend labels, patterns, markers, or direct annotation. |