Redundant encoding (color + shape + label)
A short, practical UI accessibility note for games. No tracking.
Try the micro-demo: redundant-encoding-demo.html
It compares a color-only status indicator (BEFORE) with a color + icon/shape + label indicator (AFTER).
What “redundant encoding” means
Redundant encoding means communicating the same state in more than one way at the same time. In UI terms: don’t rely on only color to indicate meaning — add a second channel like shape, icon, or text.
Why color-only indicators fail
- Color-vision differences: red/green confusion is common, and there are other variants too.
- Low contrast / glare / dim screens: even fully-sighted players can miss subtle color changes.
- Compression + motion: in fast games (or screen recordings), small colored dots are easy to lose.
A safe pattern (minimal version)
For a binary status (OK vs CHECK), a compact pattern is:
- Color (optional),
- Icon/shape (e.g., checkmark vs exclamation),
- Short text label (e.g., “OK” / “CHECK”).
The goal isn’t to add clutter — it’s to make the meaning survive more viewing conditions.