Accessibility checker plugins in Figma - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the main purpose of accessibility checker plugins in Figma?

Accessibility checker plugins help designers find and fix issues that make designs hard to use for people with disabilities, ensuring inclusive and usable designs.

beginner

Name two common accessibility issues that Figma checker plugins detect.

They often detect poor color contrast and missing alternative text for images, which are key for users with visual impairments.

intermediate

How do accessibility checker plugins improve the design process?

They provide instant feedback inside Figma, allowing designers to fix problems early, saving time and making designs more user-friendly for everyone.

intermediate

What is a key benefit of using plugins like 'Able' or 'Stark' in Figma?

These plugins offer automated checks and suggestions for accessibility, helping designers meet standards like WCAG without leaving their design tool.

beginner

Why is color contrast important in accessible design?

Good color contrast ensures text and important elements are easy to see for people with low vision or color blindness, improving readability and usability.

What does an accessibility checker plugin in Figma primarily check for?

A Issues that affect users with disabilities

B Spelling mistakes in text

C File size optimization

D Animation smoothness

Accessibility checker plugins focus on identifying problems that make designs hard to use for people with disabilities.

Which of these is a common feature of accessibility checker plugins?

A Creating animations

B Adding new fonts automatically

C Exporting designs as PDFs

D Checking color contrast ratios

Color contrast checking helps ensure text and elements are visible to users with visual impairments.

Why should designers use accessibility plugins early in the design process?

A To fix issues before development starts

B To add more colors

C To speed up exporting files

D To create wireframes

Early checks save time by catching problems before coding begins.

Which plugin is known for accessibility checking in Figma?

A Figmotion

B Unsplash

C Stark

D Iconify

Stark is a popular accessibility plugin that helps check color contrast and other accessibility issues.

What does WCAG stand for in accessibility?

A Website Color Adjustment Guide

B Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

C Web Coding and Graphics

D Wide Content Access Group

WCAG provides standards to make web content accessible to all users.

Explain how accessibility checker plugins in Figma help create better designs.

Think about what problems these plugins find and how fixing them helps everyone.

List key accessibility features that a Figma plugin should check and why they matter.

Consider what makes a design usable for people with different disabilities.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of accessibility checker plugins in Figma?

easy

A. To find and help fix design issues that make content hard to use for everyone

B. To add animations and transitions to your design

C. To create new color palettes automatically

D. To export designs as code for developers

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of accessibility checkers

   Accessibility checker plugins scan designs to find problems that affect usability for people with disabilities.

2. Step 2: Compare options to the main purpose

   Only To find and help fix design issues that make content hard to use for everyone describes finding and fixing design issues for better accessibility, which matches the main purpose.

3. Final Answer:

   To find and help fix design issues that make content hard to use for everyone -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Accessibility checkers find usability problems = A [OK]

Hint: Accessibility plugins find usability problems in designs [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing accessibility checkers with design styling tools
• Thinking they create animations or export code
• Assuming they generate color palettes automatically

2. Which of the following is a common feature of accessibility checker plugins in Figma?

easy

A. Checking color contrast between text and background

B. Exporting SVG files

C. Adding interactive prototypes

D. Automatically generating user personas

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify typical accessibility checks

   Accessibility checkers often test color contrast to ensure text is readable for users with vision difficulties.

2. Step 2: Match features to options

   Checking color contrast between text and background matches this feature, while others relate to unrelated tasks like personas, prototypes, or exports.

3. Final Answer:

   Checking color contrast between text and background -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Color contrast check = D [OK]

Hint: Color contrast checking is key in accessibility tools [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing accessibility checks with user research tasks
• Thinking plugins add interactive features
• Assuming export functions are part of accessibility checks

3. After running an accessibility checker plugin in Figma, you see a warning about missing labels on buttons. What will happen if you fix this issue?

medium

A. The plugin will remove the buttons from the design

B. The buttons will automatically change color to improve contrast

C. The design file size will increase significantly

D. Screen readers will better describe the buttons to users with vision impairments

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of labels in accessibility

   Labels help screen readers describe buttons to users who cannot see the screen well.

2. Step 2: Analyze the effect of fixing missing labels

   Fixing missing labels improves screen reader descriptions, making the design more accessible.

3. Final Answer:

   Screen readers will better describe the buttons to users with vision impairments -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Fixing labels improves screen reader output = C [OK]

Hint: Labels help screen readers describe UI elements [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking fixing labels changes colors automatically
• Assuming plugins delete elements when fixing issues
• Believing file size grows much after fixing labels

4. You ran an accessibility checker plugin but it did not detect poor color contrast in your design. What is the most likely reason?

medium

A. The plugin was not given permission to access color styles

B. The text and background colors actually meet contrast standards

C. The plugin only checks for missing labels, not color contrast

D. Your design file is corrupted

Solution

1. Step 1: Consider plugin capabilities

   Most accessibility checkers test color contrast automatically unless limited by permissions or scope.

2. Step 2: Evaluate the design colors

   If no contrast issues are found, it likely means the colors meet accessibility standards.

3. Final Answer:

   The text and background colors actually meet contrast standards -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   No contrast warning means colors are compliant = B [OK]

Hint: No contrast warning usually means colors are good [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming plugins need special permissions for color checks
• Thinking plugins only check labels, not colors
• Blaming file corruption without evidence

5. You want to ensure your Figma design is accessible to users with color blindness and screen readers. Which combination of plugin checks should you run?

hard

A. Export format validation and prototype linking

B. Animation speed check and font size adjustment

C. Color contrast check and missing label detection

D. Grid layout alignment and shadow effects

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify accessibility needs for color blindness and screen readers

   Color blindness requires good contrast; screen readers need proper labels.

2. Step 2: Match plugin checks to these needs

   Color contrast check ensures visibility; missing label detection helps screen readers describe elements.

3. Final Answer:

   Color contrast check and missing label detection -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Contrast + labels cover color blindness and screen readers = A [OK]

Hint: Check contrast and labels for best accessibility [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing unrelated checks like animation or export
• Ignoring label importance for screen readers
• Focusing only on layout or visual effects