Implementation
Adding Accessible Code to products often requires new packaging. This process can be carried out simultaneously with the creation of your content, and it will ensure that users with visual impairments will be able to successfully locate and scan the code. If you’re a printing company, we’re happy to provide you with our know-how and experience so that you can support your manufacturer clients in implementing Accessible Code.
Print Specifications
Accessible Code needs to meet the following specifications:
- The QR code should be Ver.3 or lower (no more than 29 cells on one side of the code)
- The printing space should be a 16 mm (±1 mm) square that encloses the 10+ mm square code and the logo.
- The Accessible Code logo must be printed together with the QR code
- To prevent misreading, Accessible Code should not be printed on the same side as the product’s normal barcode.
- Do not use colored QR codes or backgrounds. Black and white have the highest color contrast and are the most recognizable colors for people with low vision.
The location of the code on the printed surface (the packaging) should be clearly indicated using one of the tactile markers described below:
- A raised dot with a diameter of approximately 1 mm should be placed in each of the four corners of the code. Specifications identical to the ISO standard for braille are preferable.
- A square area surrounding the code should be debossed so that it feels concave.
There are many ways to indicate the location of the code in a tactile way, such as using a sticker or making the entire space of the code convex. However, the two methods above are our best recommendations to avoid logistical issues and to make the code easier to distinguish from the tactile characteristics of existing package designs. Please see “Our Findings” for more details on our research.