Make your annual report digitally accessible with these 5 tips (+ bonus feature!)
Is your office accessible for wheelchair users? Are there disabled parking spaces? And is your annual report readable by the visually impaired? Accessible buildings are increasingly becoming the norm, but digital accessibility is still too often overlooked. For (semi-)government institutions and public law organisations, a digitally accessible annual report is mandatory. Yet not everyone knows how to go about this. So we give you five practical tips to make your report digitally accessible. And as a bonus, we introduce a new feature for users of iwink.report!
Tip 1: Avoid text in images
Many annual reports have images containing text, for example to visually present a sustainability plan, organisation chart or company strategy. Although this looks attractive, the text in the image is not readable by users of reading software.
Use images only to support your text, not as a replacement. This will keep your report accessible to everyone.
Tip 2: Make good use of alt texts
Reading software cannot ‘see’ images, but instead reads the alt text. Therefore, make sure you add clear and descriptive alt texts to your images that provides context. Examples:
Not: “Photo 1”
Better: “Photo of a new-build house”
Even better: “Photo of the first completed house of the renovation project in the Tuinwijk district in Groningen.”
With good alt-texts, you make your report more accessible én professional.
Tip 3: Check colour contrast
A nicely formatted annual report is important, but make sure the colour contrast between text and background is sufficient. This makes the report readable for people with visual impairments.
Use tools such as the WebAIM Contrast Checker to check the contrast ratio. Enter the colour codes of your text and background and make sure that the score is at least 4.5:1.
Tip 4: Use headings appropriately
A good heading structure ensures that pre-reading software can correctly interpret the content of your report. Use the following order:
- H1: The title of your report
- H2: Chapter headings
- H3-H5: Subheadings within the chapters
Don't create headings by making text bold, as reading software does not recognise this as a heading. A logical and consistent structure makes your report more accessible én clearer.
Tip 5: Add subtitles to your videos
Videos give your annual report extra impact, but without subtitles, deaf or hard-of-hearing users miss the message. So make sure subtitles are available. Many platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo automatically generate subtitles, but these almost always contain errors. Therefore, check and correct the subtitles before adding the video to your report.
Bonus: Activate accessibility buttons in iwink.report
Are you a user of iwink.report? Make sure you activate the new ‘Accessibility buttons’. These buttons, above the left-hand menu of your report, allow visitors to:
- Adjust text size
- Increase colour contrast
- Display graphs as a table
This feature can be found in the ‘Settings’ tab on your report's home page.
