Accessible PowerPoint (implementation guide)

4.8. Creating lists and enumerations

Only content that is actually a list/enumeration is output as a list/enumeration. These are created with list or enumeration formats.

What is meant by this?

List or enumeration formats in PowerPoint are special formatting options that can be used to create a list of items or points. There are two types of list formats in PowerPoint: unordered lists and ordered lists.

Unordered lists are lists in which the elements or items are marked with a symbol or a dot and the order plays a subordinate role. Ordered lists, on the other hand, are lists in which the elements or items are ordered numerically or alphabetically and the order is important.

In order to improve readability and comprehensibility, lists should be divided up sensibly. For example, advantages could be presented in one list and disadvantages in another. This structuring helps recipients to grasp and process the information more easily.

Overall, when using lists and enumerations, you should always ask yourself whether it is really necessary and sensible to use this formatting and whether it helps the recipient to grasp the content.

Why is it important?

The use of manually generated bullets can lead to the list not being recognised as a coherent list and therefore being inaccessible. If a list is not read out correctly by voice output and screen readers, recipients may have difficulty recognising the number of items in the list or may not understand it completely or in context. As a result, important information may not be correctly recognised. With the support of list and enumeration formats for lists, screen reader users can perceive them as a list and interpret them coherently.

Proper structuring of presentations is important for General approval. The use of lists or enumerations, if such a structure exists, facilitates navigation and improves the perception of the presentation. However, labelling text passages as lists or bulleted lists for visual distinction can lead to confusion and difficulties for screen reader and speech output users.

An example of a correct use of lists or enumerations would be a list of tasks that must be carried out in a certain order. An incorrect use of lists or enumerations, on the other hand, would be if a text passage is labelled as a list or enumeration for visual emphasis, although it is not a sequence or enumeration.

How can I implement/check it?

To create a list or enumeration in PowerPoint, you can use the following procedures with the various software:

For Mac:

1. Select the text you want to format.
2. Go to the "Start" tab in the menu bar at the top.
3. Locate the "Paragraph" group on the "Home" tab. In this group, you will find the "Bullets" button with a down arrow.
4. Click on the arrow next to the button. A drop-down menu is displayed.
5. Click on "Numbering and bullets". A new window opens with various formatting options.
6. In the "Bullets and numbering" window, you have the option of selecting different styles for your bulleted list.

For Windows:

1. Click on the "Start" tab in the menu bar at the top of the page.
2. In the "Paragraph" group, click on the "Bullets" or "Numbering" button to select the appropriate format.
3. Enter your text and press the Enter key after each line. PowerPoint automatically adds the next bullet or numbering element.

You can also select different bullets and numbering formats by clicking on the arrow next to the corresponding buttons in the "Paragraph" group.

To check, search for content in the presentation that is displayed as a list or enumeration. Check whether each of these areas actually represents a list or enumeration. Lists and enumerations should be used to present a group of similar or related items. If you think that the content is incorrectly displayed as a bulleted or numbered list, you can fix this by simply removing the bullets using the "Del" or "Backspace" key. Alternatively, it is also possible to click on the list function again.