PPOL 646 - Data Visualization Updates with Illustrator

Creating accessible data visualizations means the widest possible net of users are able to enjoy your work! When it comes to data visualization, two of the biggest areas to pay attention to accessibility are color and alt-text. 

Choosing accessible colors for your data visualization is important for both printed visualization and those presented online. The two factors you want to keep in mind when choosing colors for your data visualization are color-blind-friendly color palettes and appropriate contrast between text color and background color. You can use the tools below to generate color palettes that meet both of these requirements. 

Adobe Color: Using the Accessibility Tools tab in Adobe Color, users can check the color contrast of their text and background and generate better color options if their original colors did not meet accessibility standards.

WebAIM: Enter a foreground and background color in RGB hexadecimal format or choose a color using the color picker. The Lightness slider can be used to adjust the selected color.

Alt-text is used by people who navigate the internet with a screen reader. When alt-text is added to an image, it's read aloud by the screen reader and users have a sense of the image and how it is functioning on the web page. While it may not be immediately obvious, data visualizations are also a type of picture and therefore also need alt-text.

If possible, you'll also want to Include a link to the data source somewhere outside the alt-text. This is often done in a caption below a data visualization or in the body of the text surrounding a data visualization. 

Writing Alt Text for Data Visualization: Learn more about writing alt-text for data visualization