Digital Signage: Accessibility Considerations

Coordinate with Facilities staff to ensure ADA compliance.

• Users should strive to keep static and interactive signs from protruding more than four inches from the wall.
• Wall-mounted signs which protrude more than 4 inches from the wall must be installed with their lower edge 27 inches or less when measured from the floor.

Text should be visible at a reasonable distance from the sign:

• Use text colors that have high contrast with the background color.
• Use sans-serif fonts.
• Keep your font sizes large, especially for your main messages. To test size, create a test screen with lines of different font sizes and have people view the screen at the farthest practical distance. Remember that people may view the screen as they pass by.
• Ensure adequate spacing (10 to 35% of stroke for letter spacing, 35-70% of letter height for line spacing) between each element and between letters.

Ensure that information, especially critical information is available via other channels such as the Michigan App, email, etc.

Use clear and unambiguous language, supplement with graphics where appropriate.

For interactive signs:

• Accessible elements (e.g., buttons) must be placed between 36 and 42 inches when measured from the floor.
• Consider accessibility when designing your wayfinding content (such as stairs and accessible entrances).

For more information, contact:

Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX
University of Michigan
2072 Administrative Services Bldg
1009 Greene St
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1432
734-763-0235 (main) 734-936-8894 (fax) 734-647-1388 (tty)
[email protected]