Accessible Excel (implementation guide)

Content-heavy (complex) illustrations, diagrams and groupings of graphical elements are specifically described in the document (as a table, alternative text, other text or link to a website), with the data contained where applicable.

What is meant by this?

A detailed descriptive text alternative for a content-heavy (complex) illustration, a diagram or a grouping of graphic elements contains a detailed description of the content and its significance for the file or table. In contrast to an alternative text, which only contains a brief summary of the image content, a detailed descriptive text alternative should convey all the important details that are necessary for the comprehensibility of the illustration, for example. A full descriptive text alternative should use clear and concise language and include all the important information of the illustration, including colours, shapes, text, staff, people, places and actions depicted. However, the text should not be redundant or superfluous and should be limited to the relevant information contained in the illustration. Diagrams relating to data in particular should be described in detail in order to clarify the relationships shown.

If a text alternative is required for a visual representation, it should be provided either in the same file or in a separate document. The text alternative should be included in the same file as the illustration or diagram and located close to it. In this way, recipients who need an image description can find the text alternative more easily. If the text alternative is provided in a separate document, a link to the text alternative should be included in the document and made accessible.

Why is it important?

The use of fully descriptive text alternatives is an important aspect of the accessibility of digital content as they ensure that recipients with visual impairments can understand the content of complex illustrations and diagrams. A detailed descriptive text alternative can be particularly important if the illustration contains important information that cannot be presented in any other way in the text of the file. As complex illustrations are usually difficult to describe, it is particularly important that they are provided with a precise and detailed text alternative so that everyone can understand the content of the illustration or diagram.

An example of a detailed descriptive text alternative for a complex illustration could look like this: "The picture shows a group of people sitting at a round table and discussing. In the centre of the table is a cake with "Happy Birthday" written on it. The staff, people are walking around the table, smiling and raising their glasses to toast the birthday. The room is decorated with balloons and garlands and you can see a band playing music in the background." The more important the details are for understanding the content, the more detailed they need to be described.

How can I implement/check it?

A descriptive text alternative should contain a precise and accurate description of the visual element (e.g. image, diagram, graphic) and convey its meaning for the content of the file. Here are some steps that can help you create a good descriptive text alternative:

1. Identify the visual element: Think about which visual element is to be described and what information it contains.
2. Describe the visual element: Describe the visual element in as much detail as possible to ensure a clear picture of what is shown in the illustration or diagram.
3. Consider the context: Consider how the visual element fits into the context of the file and what information it conveys. Make sure that the text alternative helps the reader to understand the meaning of the visual element in the context of the Excel file.
4. Use clear language: Use clear, simple language and avoid technical terms or abbreviations that may be difficult to understand.
5. Avoid redundancy: Avoid repeating information that already exists in the text of the file.

There are a few steps you can take to check your text alternatives:

1. Check whether the text alternative contains all the important information of the visual element.
2. Make sure that the text alternative is understandable and easy to read.
3. Check whether the text alternative makes sense in the context of the file and has a clear connection to the text or other visual elements.
4. Ask someone who does not know the information in the visual element to read the text alternative and check that they can understand the meaning and purpose of the visual element.
5. Check that the text alternative is not redundant, i.e. that it does not repeat any information already in the text.