As an RA or student staff member, your job is not just to promote events but to do it in service of building community. This means that you need to ensure your advertising can be understood, accessed, and appreciated by everyone who lives in your space. This is called “inclusive design” or “universal design.” Designing for everyone is about making sure everyone has a fair opportunity to engage. The following are some of the strategies you can use to help you design advertising that works for a wide range of abilities and needs. Whether you are designing for someone with dyslexia, a visual impairment, or simply a busy schedule, these tools can help your message reach further and resonate deeper.
Designing for Neurodiversity
Neurodivergent individuals, including those with dyslexia, ADHD, or processing differences, often benefit from advertising that is clean, clearly organized, and easy to follow. These same design choices improve readability for everyone. (That’s why it’s called “universal design.”)
Font Choices That Support Readability
- Use sans serif fonts such as Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, or Verdana. These fonts are straightforward and easier to process visually.
- Avoid decorative fonts like Jokerman, Brush Script, or Curlz MT, especially in body text. They may look fun, but they make reading more difficult.
- Use bold text to create emphasis instead of italics or writing in all capital letters. Both italics and capital letters can reduce readability.
- Limit your design to one or two fonts. Too many styles can be overwhelming and confusing.
Layout Tips That Improve Clarity
- Left-align your text. Centered or justified text is more difficult to follow, particularly for those with reading challenges.
- Use clear section headers and a visible hierarchy. Larger, bolder fonts should be used for titles and important information.
- Break your content into short, manageable sections. Include white space between blocks of text to avoid visual clutter.
Quick tip: Read your poster aloud before you print it. If the information sounds confusing or overly complex, simplify it.
Designing for Visual Accessibility
Residents with visual impairments, including color blindness or low vision, rely on high-contrast and intentionally structured materials. These practices make your designs clearer for all viewers. You can also use a color contrast checker, such as the WebAIM Contrast Checker, to ensure your designs meet accessibility standards. Aim for WCAG AA or AAA ratings.
Use High-Contrast Color Pairings
- Pair black text with a white or light background, or white text with a dark background.
- Avoid color combinations that are difficult for colorblind individuals to distinguish, such as red and green or blue and purple.
- Do not rely solely on color to convey meaning. Use icons, shapes, or words to support color-coded information.
Example: Instead of only using red and green dots to indicate “yes” and “no,” add a check mark or an “X” to make the message clear.
Poster Placement and Visibility
Design is not only about what your poster looks like. It is also about where and how people interact with it. Consider adding a QR code to your poster that links to a digital version. This makes your content easier to access and share across devices.
Placement Tips That Increase Access
- Hang posters at an average eye level for all residents. This includes wheelchair users, so aim for a height of around 48 inches from the ground.
- Avoid placing posters in areas that are blocked or hard to see, such as behind doors or near cluttered bulletin boards.
- Use larger sizes like 11 by 17 inches for public spaces, and smaller formats for more intimate settings like bathroom mirrors or individual doors.
Accessibility Design Checklist
Before you finalize your poster or event ad, use this quick checklist:
| Category | What to Look For |
| Font choice | Sans serif fonts used, minimal font variation |
| Color contrast | High contrast with accessible color pairings |
| Layout | Organized with white space and readable formatting |
| Alt text or QR code | Digital versions available and screen reader friendly |
| Poster placement | Visible at wheelchair-accessible height and uncluttered areas |
| Text size | Minimum 12 pt for body text, 18 to 24 pt for headings |
| Non-color cues | Icons or labels included alongside color distinctions |
Final Thought…
Designing with accessibility in mind does not mean sacrificing creativity or style. It means creating materials that actually reach and resonate with more people. Every poster you create is a reflection of the values behind your leadership. Let inclusion be one of them.
This content was generated through a collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence.
It was modified and checked for accuracy and proper attributions and citations.
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