Importance of Making Charts and Graphs Accessible
Graphs, tables, and charts are extensively used in web pages, reports, presentations, etc., to represent data and make it easy and quick to comprehend. Graphs and charts are visual representations of data, and they must be created with accessibility in mind.
People with disabilities and learning disorders should be able to easily access and understand the information. Creating accessible content leads to a better outcome for everyone, improves reach, and ensures the content complies with accessibility laws.
Designing Accessible Charts and Graphs: Best Practices
Charts and graphs make complex information easy to understand with just a glance, helping viewers make better and quicker decisions. So, users using assistive technology or screen readers must be able to comprehend the chart and graphs, too.
Creating accessible charts and graphs to help people with visual impairment is a great way to make them feel included and reach a larger audience with your content. These are some of the ways to design accessible charts and graphs:
- Use of Color: All charts and graphs should follow the required color and contrast requirements, and color should not be the only way of passing information. Add suitable images or text supporting the colors so people with low vision or color blindness can understand better.
- Text Size and Typefaces: Some texts and typefaces are easier to read than others. Always choose font and text size so all readers can read it, regardless of their abilities and background. Readability is more important than aesthetics. Size, color, and contrast are the main factors that affect the accessibility of fonts and texts.
- Alt Text and Descriptions: Alt text describes images, graphics, charts, etc., to help people with visual impairment understand the visual content. Along with explaining the chart, the alt text should give all necessary information and data about the chart or graph and how it fits in the webpage.
- Accessible Labels and Legends: Texts need to label and describe the chart or graph’s significant information, like the title, what is represented on either axes, etc. Labels and legends should mark and distinguish the data points. The reader using a screen reader should be able to understand the data from the screen reader’s description of the labels.
- Keyboard Navigation: It is essential to ensure that the content can be navigated using a keyboard just as well as it can be by using a mouse. People who cannot use a mouse rely on keyboards to navigate a webpage or any document, so all charts, graphs, tables, etc., should be designed to be accessed via a keyboard.
How Continual Engine Help in Making Charts and Graphs Accessible?
Continual Engine provides unmatched accessibility solutions and services, and Invicta’s network-based processing can extract essential aspects from a diverse set of images. The alt text generated helps explain complex content better and easier, empowering learning for all, including people with disabilities.
Conclusion
Creating accessible content includes creating accessible graphs and charts, too. Charts and graphs represent complex data and give a lot of information to readers at just a glance. Everyone should have access to this information, regardless of background or ability.
Accessibility strategy that ensures that the graphs and charts are made, keeping in mind color contrast, font style and size, keyboard navigation, and usability on a screen reader, should be encouraged. Such content reaches the largest audience and is the most useful for everyone!
Create Inclusive Visual Content
Boost your content’s reach by making your charts and graphs accessible. Discover how Continual Engine’s solutions can transform your data presentation.
