MNprov: Accessible Game Instructions
MNprov is a nonprofit organization offering improv workshops for students, educators, and neurodivergent youth and adults. Their workshops are playful, research-driven, and designed to create inclusive, supportive spaces where everyone can take risks and grow.
When MNprov reached out, they asked me to make their improv game instruction slides more accessible for workshop participants. The original slides were designed for instructors and contained dense text, multiple game variations on single slides, and inconsistent formatting. My role was to rework these materials into participant-facing slides that are easier to read, visually supportive, and aligned with plain language and accessibility standards.
Project Details
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The original slides worked well for instructors but weren’t designed for participants.
Instructions were dense, text-heavy, and sometimes combined multiple roles and game variations on a single slide. Formatting and language varied across games, which made directions harder to follow during live workshops. These issues increased cognitive load and limited accessibility for neurodivergent players.
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I reviewed the slides using plain language and WCAG accessibility principles, focusing on readability, consistency, and reducing cognitive load.
Improved Readability: Increased text contrast (5.8:1 → 14:1), adjusted spacing, and simplified instructions into short, step-by-step bullets.
Clear Roles & Structure: Added role labels (Player 1, Group, Advice Panel) and split complex games into separate slides with clear titles.
Consistent Language: Standardized phrasing (e.g., “Stand closer / Stand farther away”) for quick comprehension.
Supportive Visuals: Introduced simple illustrations and dialogue bubbles to reinforce meaning without clutter.
Instructor-Friendly: Kept detailed notes for staff while streamlining participant-facing text.
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The updated slides are easier to scan, more consistent, and better aligned with accessibility standards. Participants can quickly understand how to play and stay focused on improv, while instructors benefit from a cleaner, more reliable tool that supports smoother workshops.
A Closer Look
Take a look at some of the improv game slides below to see how design and accessibility improvements “played out” - bad pun intended.
MNprov Logo
The original logo was difficult to read from a distance, or when projected on a screen. Low color contrast made the colors appeared muted and the text seem relatively small.
The Solutions
Enlarged logo for stronger visibility and recognition.
Ensuring the organization’s name is clear and readable at-a-glance.
Improved clarity and readability when displayed on large screens and shared virtually (via zoom).
Increased color contrast
Brightened colors
Increased vibrancy
Thicker line weights.
Game Slides [Before]
The Challenges
Directions hard to read and understand at-a-glance.
Long, text-heavy instructions.
Not enough space between letters & lines of text.
Multiple ideas per bullet-point.
Average Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 5.4
Lower color contrast (5.81:1) reduced readability.
Multiple versions of a game on the same slide.
Special challenges / Tiers / Variations
Inconsistent wording, phrasing and formatting increased cognitive load.
Decorative images created visual clutter and did not support instructions.
Extra notes added unnecessary complexity for players, did not support game instructions, and added clutter.
More info in speaker notes
From camp “Yes And” 2018, 2020
Group game / circle game
Special challenge variations
Game Slides [After]
The Solutions
Color contrast ratios now exceed WCAG standards.
High-contrast logo.
Lighter background.
Clear separation between game title and instructions.
Letter and line spacing now meet WCAG standards.
Plain language game instructions.
Average Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 3.92
Short, step-by-step directions.
Clear roles for each step.
Important text formatted with bold, underline, & color.
Visual cues to help players scan text while playing the game.
Color text with additional formatting for readers with impaired color vision.
Simple images that demonstrate the game.
Image captions mirror game instructions.
Serve as quick cues and reminders.
