Using Charts & Infographics

Making charts and infographics accessible in documents involves several considerations to ensure that people with visual impairments or other disabilities can understand the information being presented.

Design

Use chart types that are accessible and can be easily interpreted by people with visual impairments. Avoid using complex charts with intricate designs or patterns that may be difficult to understand. Consider using simple bar charts, line charts, or pie charts that can be easily described using alt text.

Choose high contrast colors for your charts and infographics to ensure that the data is easy to read. Avoid using color as the sole means of conveying information. Additionally, use large fonts for labels, titles, and legends to make them readable for people with visual impairments.

Include labels and legends in your charts and infographics to provide context and explanation for the data being presented. Use clear and concise labels that are easy to understand. For complex charts, use legends to explain the meaning of different colors or symbols.

Text

Provide descriptive alternative text (alt text) for each chart or infographic, which can be read by screen readers. Alt text should convey the main content and purpose of the chart or infographic. Avoid using generic phrases like "chart" or "graph" and instead provide specific details about the data or information being presented.

Include a text-based summary of the information presented in the chart or infographic. This summary should provide a concise and meaningful overview of the data or information being conveyed. Place the summary adjacent to the chart or infographic, so it can be easily found by people using screen readers.

Include a text-only version of the chart or infographic alongside the visual version. This can be done by providing a plain text description or by including a separate accessible version of the chart or infographic in the document. This ensures that people who cannot interpret visual content can still understand the information being presented.

Check Your Work

Test your charts and infographics using accessibility tools and screen readers to ensure that they can be easily understood by people with visual impairments or other disabilities. Make necessary adjustments based on the results of your testing.