Perceivable → Distinguishable → 1.4.1
Use of Color
WCAG Requirement
Color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.
Experience Builder Notes
Common issue with map legends and chart widgets that use color alone. Ensure patterns, labels, or icons supplement color.
Map & GIS Considerations
Map symbology that relies solely on color is one of the most common GIS accessibility failures. Approximately 8% of men have some form of color vision deficiency. Use pattern fills (hatching, dots, crosshatch) in addition to color for polygon layers. For point layers, vary both shape and color. Esri provides pattern fill symbols in ArcGIS — use them alongside color ramps to ensure maps remain interpretable without color perception.
Sufficient Techniques
- ✓Add patterns or text labels alongside color coding
- ✓Ensure links are distinguishable by more than color
- ✓Use hatching, crosshatching, or dot patterns in map symbology
- ✓Add value labels directly on choropleth map areas
Common Failures in EB Apps
- ✗Map layers distinguishable only by color
- ✗Chart series with color-only differentiation
- ✗Links styled with color but no underline
- ✗Choropleth maps with no pattern or label differentiation
- ✗Red/green color scheme without secondary indicator
Full specification: WCAG 2.1 — 1.4.1 Use of Color
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