Our expert tips – Creating Digitally Accessible Documents
In the transformation to digitally accessible documents, several elements in your document come into play. You'll need to make specific adjustments to ensure the modified document meets the guidelines for accessibility. Which document elements are known to require conversion for digital accessibility? We're here to share our insights and help you navigate this process!
Converting documents to digitally accessible documents requires time and effort. You can read our tips on how to take the first step as an organisation in our blog ‘Getting Started with Digitally Accessible Documents’. As a follow-up, our consultant Matthias (who has already made quite a few documents accessible during his career at SmartDocuments) shares his insights when it comes to converting documents to versions that are digitally accessible. Some document elements are known to often not be optimally formatted when it comes to accessibility, and Matthias knows just what to do with these!
1. Styles, Sections and Columns Create Structure and Order
Determine the reading order and provide structure by applying styles correctly. For example, the first heading of your document gets the style Heading 1 and the headings below it (sub-headings) get a Heading 2, Heading 3, et cetera. You can save a few blank lines (which reading software would otherwise read out) in the document by properly setting up line spacing and white space. Use sections, page breaks and columns to give your document proper formatting. Again, you can cleverly use line spacing to get the document in the layout you envision.
2. Readability of Text, Colors and Hyperlinks
Use a font size that is easy to read (e.g., 11 pt.) with appropriate line spacing (such as 1.5 times the font size). This will keep the text in your document readable. Each font is slightly different, so it remains a guideline. When choosing your font, make sure you use a sans serif font, which most people find easier to read on a screen. When using colors, make sure you have a high enough contrast with the background. There are several online tools that can check if the contrast is good, although it also depends on the size of the element; for example, for a large title, the contrast may be lower than for plain text. Make sure hyperlinks are clickable, have a clear description and are formatted in a distinctive color. It is common to underline hyperlinks, so it is our advice to avoid underlining all other types of text.
Do not put (new) information in headers or footers. This is because the header and footer of a PDF or HTML document are not read by reading software. However, you can use headers and footers for page numbering and repetitive elements such as a document title, date or sender. Tables are used for schematic representation of data. Use the header structure in the first row or column of the table. Furthermore, keep the table as simple as possible (e.g. do not use double rows of headings), so that someone using reading software can follow what the table displays.
4. Describing Images and other Graphic Elements
Give images a (short) descriptive alternative text and mark decorative images as decorative. This applies to all graphic elements in your documents, including graphs, tables and the company logo (which, by the way, should not be marked decorative when first used in a document). With graphs and tables, for example, such a description is a brief summary of what is being displayed. Then there are footnotes. These are, in our experience, almost never converted correctly into a digitally accessible PDF. The main issue here is the reading order of the document. Because you want to avoid duplicate work (checking documents afterwards or editing them manually), we recommend not using footnotes. Instead, if it is important, put the footnote text in brackets.
Visual Identity Guidelines
We can imagine that our recommendations have an impact on the organisational branding or visual identity. Therefore, involve the relevant departments (such as your colleagues in communications) and determine together what your digitally accessible visual identity will look like. Next, document these agreements clearly, and then you can get started.
Getting Started with SmartDocuments
If you are using SmartDocuments for document creation in your organisation, apply all these changes to the elements that are used to build templates in SmartDocuments. For example, think about building blocks and template styles. Also make use of the convenient rights structure that SmartDocuments offers: by working carefully and with defined rights, you will simplify the entire process.
At SmartDocuments we assist organisations in their transformation to digitally accessible documents. We do this with training, advice and helpful software. Wondering what that means? Contact us for more information!