Accessibility Hub : Print Flyers and Documents

Designing documents or flyers for print mean considering many of the same things we want to keep in mind for documents that will be shared electronically, but some considerations differ. The list below is not meant to be exhaustive, but a place to start when designing documents for print. 

Organize your Content

Structure content logically, using labels that establish levels of hierarchy in your document. 

• In longer documents, this means establishing a using a consistent set of headers. 
• In flyers and similar advertisements, the most important information should be the largest.

Write Clearly

Write clearly and concisely.

• Aim for a reading level of 9 or below.
• Whenever possible, use the active voice.
• Avoid Jargon or specialized terms.
• When appropriate, supplement text with graphics or images that can help convey meaning.

Use Readable Fonts

• Use a standard, sans-serif font for body copy. 
• You can use serif, script or display fonts for titles and headers as long as they remain readable and when used at larger font sizes. Use sparingly, and never more than one font from any of these categories. 
• Avoid using narrow versions of fonts, as they can be harder to read than wider versions, especially at smaller sizes.
• Your smallest font should still be comfortable to read in the context you expect people to encounter your object. Some fonts have a large or small x-height, which can make them feel larger or smaller than other fonts at the same point size. Consider this when choosing a font size. 12pt is a good minimum size for body text for things people will hold in their hands to read. In other contexts, a minimum of 18, 24 or larger may be appropriate. 

Consider Spacing

• Consider the spaces between your letters, words, and lines of text. If the there is too much space, your text will feel disconnected. Too little and it will feel crowded. Either extreme is difficult to read.
• Use plenty of white space around text to support easy reading. 
• Most text should be left-aligned. Small amounts of text can be center-aligned. 
• Avoid line lengths (paragraph widths) that are too short, or too long (try not to go over 60 characters wide). 
• Avoid hyphenating words.
• Lines of text should always be straight and horizontal. 

Color

• Ensure there is a contrast ratio of 7:1 between text color and the color of the background behind the text. 
• Ensure that color is not the only way meaning is shared. It can be okay to color-code something, as long as that meaning is also shared another way, ideally text.

Images

• Photographs, illustrations, and icons should have high contrast. Avoid placing photos behind text, as this can make it more difficult to read the text. View images used in black and white, or using a color-blindness simulator to test if they are intelligible to people with different color vision. 
• When possible, use well known icons and avoid re-using icons that have established other meanings. 

Links, QR Codes, etc.

• Include QR codes and short URLs when needed. Do not link URL text in documents for print, as the associated styling will not make sense when printed. 

Printing

When you have options for printing, choose:

• a warm off-white color.
• heavier paper weights for double-sided documents (24lb).
• smooth texture without watermarks.
• Matte or uncoated paper. Avoid glossy. 

Sources Consulted