leserlich.info
Platform for Inclusive Communication Design
In April 2017, leserlich.info launched as a digital guide for designing texts accessible to both people with and without visual impairments. The site now features updated content, a refreshed design, and an English translation to increase its reach and impact.
Leserlich.info offers practical tools and advice on factors like fonts, font sizes, spacing, layout, and contrast—elements that improve text readability. The site benefits not only the one million visually impaired people in Germany, but also those facing stressful situations, poor visibility, reading difficulties, or age-related challenges. It shows that inclusive design can be both accessible to those with visual impairments and appealing to sighted individuals.
The relaunch aims to expand the site’s international audience. Since design professionals often work in English, leserlich.info has gained international interest. The updated version seeks to fill a gap, as no similar platform exists. Popular features like the Font Size Calculator and Contrast Calculator are now even more user-friendly, with interactive graphics and micro-animations.
The platform has been supported by MSD since its launch. MSD’s Patient Advocate, Xenia von Maltzan, states, “We were happy to support the relaunch to make leserlich.info available internationally and reach a broader audience.”
The guide was developed by designers from adlerschmidt, led by Prof. Florian Adler, in collaboration with experts from the German Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBSV). It is based on current research and recommendations from the DIN 1450 standard for text readability.
In its seven and a half years, leserlich.info has become an important resource. It offers tools like the Font Size and Contrast Calculators, which help designers choose the right settings for accessible text. The platform has been recognized by publications like PAGE magazine and the German government’s online style guide. In 2022, it received the Werkbund Label from the German Werkbund.
Leserlich.info proves that inclusive design benefits everyone, not just people with visual impairments. It improves readability for all users.
Further information here.
