✏ Issue #499: Writing Great Alt Text, Intercom Brand Refresh, Exciting New Tools for Designers, Playbook, and more…

Accessibility overlays are a highly contentious topic; some people argue that they disguise underlying issues without actually solving them. In this well-argued article, Gareth Ford Williams makes the positive case for accessibility overlays, presenting circumstances in which they can be beneficial, from low-budget sites to legacy content.

Cloud storage has revolutionized tech and freed us from endless plastic disks cluttering up our drawers. But cloud storage isn’t always easy to manage. Playbook is an amazingly helpful tool that organizes cloud storage visually, letting you search, sort, and collaborate using files. You can apply for early access now.

Your brand is the face you present to the world, the tone of your engagement, and a consistent voice. As your business evolves, your brand must evolve with it. In this enlightening post, Scott Smith, director of brand design for Intercom, discusses the thinking behind its brand refresh, including type, color, and illustration updates.

OpenAI’s Codex is the machine learning tool that powers GitHub’s Copilot. It uses natural language to generate code; you can use phrases like, “Add this image,” and the AI will generate the necessary code. It’s intended as a productivity tool for professional developers and a learning tool for newbies. You can apply to join the waitlist now.

When you’re designing a site inclusively, one of the most important things you can do is ensure that the alt text for images isn’t just present and correct but also meaningful. In this persuasive post, Jake Archibald (cheekily) asserts that emotion matters more than cold hard facts because emotion speaks of the image’s purpose.

Basedash is a handy tool that makes your database available to your team so they can edit and collaborate on data. It’s designed to replace internal tooling, allowing product teams to skip ahead to actual product development, it also enables non-technical users to access data, streamlining support and sales teams as well.

Every month we publish this roundup of the most exciting new tools and resources we’ve found on the web in the previous four weeks; some of them are great for productivity, some of them will help you grow as a designer, and some are just plain fun. In August’s edition, you’ll find everything from gradient tools to free fonts. Enjoy!

In this helpful post, The Designist has brought together 130 rich and practical color combinations. Prefaced with a breakdown of color theory and psychology, the collection is a wonderful jumping-off point for anyone looking for color inspiration. Each palette is accompanied by a simple explanation of what makes it work.