One of the simplest ways to make information more accessible is to add alternative text (alt text for short). It’s brief descriptions of images for users who can’t see them. But what to write? This is a deep dive into writing alt text that is usable and useful. You’ll learn how the right words can make images speak clearly. Updated for AccessU and AccessU Summit 2017

1. Writing great alt text
Whitney Quesenbery
Center for Civic Design
@civicdesign | @whitneyq | @awebforeveryone
https://www.slideshare.net/whitneyq/writing-great-alt-text-61826426

2. The basics
Alt means alternative

3. Alt text is...
A principle of accessibility
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
Principle 1: Perceivable
Information and user interface components
must be presentable to users in ways they
can perceive.

4. Alt text is...
A requirement for accessibility
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
Guideline 1.1 Text Alternatives: Provide
text alternatives for any non-text content
so that it can be changed into other forms
people need, such as large print, braille,
speech, symbols or simpler language.

5. Alt text is...
Code.
Specifically, an attribute in the image element
<img src="tickets.jpg" alt="#A11YSUMMIT. Buy tickets">

6. Alt text is...
Part of appealing to all senses.
 Images – alternative text
 Video – captions and video descriptions action
 Audio - transcripts
An accessible UX principle:
Accessible Media: Appeal to all Senses
A Web for Everyone by Sarah Horton and Whitney Quesenbery
http://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/a-web-for-everyone/

7. Because technology needs it
Screen readers (and other assistive
technology) can't interpret the meaning
of the image without it.
<img src="fb.jpg">
<img src="twitter.jpg">
<img src="li-logo-square.jpg">
<img src="g.jpg>
<img src="btn1875412.jpg"

8. Because people need it
 People who use
screen readers
and other AT
 When images are
missing or turned
off
 For translations
Jacob Vishnu
MariaTrevor
Personas from A Web for Everyone by Sarah Horton and Whitney Quesenbery
http://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/a-web-for-everyone/resources/

9. The problem
Why are we (still) talking
about alt text?

10. Alt text is invisible content
 It's hard to tell if it's good or bad...or
even it it's there.
 Even bad alt text passes some
accessibility checkers.
Banner Ad
<img src="banner-ad-176987362334876292.jpg"
alt="banner-ad-176987362334876292.jpg">

11. The tools don't help
They ask for the information at the
wrong time, and in the wrong way.
Or they are tedious.
And repetitive.

12. Why isn't it an easy part of creating
content?
 See the alt text
in context.
 Have a sticky
window where
it's easy to edit
at any time
 More ideas?
Jacob is working at a computer, using a Braille note
keypad. He has earphones on listening to something,
and has dark glasses.
Trevor sits...

13. The usual rules
A simple way to decide how to
write alt text

14. The simplest guideline
Start with this question:
What information does this image
add?
 Does the page make sense without
it?
 What kind of information is it?

15. If the image contains
<img src="useless image" alt="">
 Text Repeat the words
 Visual information Explain it
 Sensory information Describe it
 Nothing new Ignore it

16. A simple decision tree
 What is the role of the image?
 Decorative? Use null alt text or CSS
 Sensory? Write a descriptive identificaation
 Informative?
 No new info? Use null alt text
 Simple or a link? Write short alt text
 Complex image? Create long text
 Section of the same page
 Linked page
 Longdesc
4 Syllables - http://www.4syllables.com.au/2010/12/text-alternatives-decision-tree/

17. Or, a detailed analysis
HTML5: Techniques for providing useful text alternatives (updated Sept 8, 2014)
http://rawgit.com/w3c/alt-techniques/master/index.html

18. On the HTML5 standards horizon:
<figure> and <figcaption>
 Keeps the image, alt text, and
caption together
<figure><img src="castle-painting.jpg" alt="The castle
now has two towers and two walls.">
<figcaption>Oil-based paint on canvas. Eloisa Faulkner,
1756.</figcaption></figure>
Example from: http://rawgit.com/w3c/alt-techniques/master/index.html#m6

19. A writer's approach
Start with a content strategy

20. Know your audience
 What knowledge or background do
they have?
 What terminology will they know?
<img alt="Molecular structure of
diethyl diazenedicarboxylate">

21. Context, not just rules
 What is the reader's goal?
 How does the image fit into the
page?
 What other information is around the
image?

22. What is noise? What is important?
1. Icons for categories
2. Bookmark
3. Hero image
4. Title
5. Description

23. Create a consistent 'voice'
Make the alt text part of the (stylistic)
voice of the site, in how images are
voiced (by assistive technology).
Functional?
Descriptive?
Emotional?

24. Consider the fox
What should the alt text for this image be?
Image Credit: J. and K. Hollingsworth/USFWS

25. What if we see it on this page?
The text on page shown in the image says
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Description
Red foxes are a rusty reddish color on the upper side of their body and tail. They have a white
underside, chin and throat. Their tail is very bushy with a characteristic white tip, and they have
prominent pointed ears. The backs of the ears, lower legs and feet are black. Other than the
common rusty red, red foxes have three different color variations: a black phase where they are
almost completely black, a silver phase in which they are black with silver-tipped hairs, and a
"cross" phase where individuals are reddish brown with a dark cross across their shoulders. Adults
typically stand 15 to 16 inches from the ground and are 35 to 41 inches in length. They can weigh
between 8 and 15 pounds.

26. Examples...examples..
.and more examples

27. Get the basics right
Repeat the text in the image.
Alt text: “Webcast. Applying 21st Century Toxicology to
Green Chemical and Material Design. September 20-21,
2011”

28. Don't create images of text
Bonus: makes it more responsive, too

29. Identify the target of a link
 Do these social media
images go to the
organizations' pages,
 Or are they share links?
Alt text:
“UXPA group on Facebook”
"@UXPA_Int on Twitter"
"UXPA's LinkedIN profile"

30. Don't create noise
When images are used like a bullet,
they can have empty alt text.
If they are clickable make them part of
the text link.

31. Don't hide meaningful images
Is a profile photo part of the content?
<img alt="Photo of Caroline">
or
<img alt="Caroline Jarrett">

32. Don't hide information in the alt text
Caption: Red fox, credit: John & Karen Hollingsworth
Alt text: Red Fox as Sachuest Point NWR. Credit J and K
Hollingsworth

33. Captions & alt text work together
The caption:
“Figure 1. Meetings of the
branch of UXPA China in
Qingdao (photo by the
author)”
The alt text:
“A small group of people
around a table.”

34. Don't just repeat the same text
Caption and alt text both say:
Gerald Chan is an alumnus of the public health school,
having earned master’s and doctorate degrees in the 1970s

35. Managing the punchline
How do you manage
content where the text
and visuals work
together to make a
point readers can
discover?

36. Managing the punchline
 Page title:
Rubes Cartoon: If you build it
 Image and alt text:
A cat teacher gives a presentation
 Caption/description:
“If you built it, they will come”
A cat teacher gives a presentation,
pointing to an illustration showing
how to construct a birdhouse

37. Consider the surrounding text
The caption:
“Figure 1: The ABC of research
methods”
The alt text:
“ABC diagram.”
or
"ABC diagram sketched on a
chalkboard.”
or
“A diagram sketched on a
chalkboard as a triangle. Top:
Attitude. Right: Behavior. Left:
Comprehension.

38. When the text is long...
Put the text on the
same page, and link
to it.
The alt text:
“Two personas"
The caption includes a link:
“Read the text in this image”
The text is in a box at the end
of the article.
The caption reads: Example snapshots of
personas demonstrate Spanish-speaking
users’ language needs and preferences, as
well as medical literacy, web skills, and
other relevant characteristics. Read the text
in this image."
The link points to a grey box below

39. When the information
is in a chart...
Combine the visual
chart with a data table.
The alt text:
"Bar chart of data in table below"
The title:
"More Education Means More
Money"
http://www.careerinfonet.org/finaidadviso
r/earnings.aspx?nodeid=21

40. Workflow
Alt text is part of writing

41. How long should alt text be?
 No more than a few words?
(WebAIM)
 5-15 words?
(Many sources)
 30-50 words (2-3 sentences)?
(W3C Draft)

42. Keep it concise
Focus on the important words
(no prizes for writing long prose).
Avoid noise words
 "Image of.. "
 "This is a..."

43. Be consistent
Each image, each page, each section
is all part of your site or app.
Use the same approach everywhere,
especially for functional elements:
 Providing additional text
 Locating explanatory text or data
 Identifying figures in the text

44.  Write the text, caption, alt text together
 Hiding the image in the manuscript makes it
easier to visualize the flow of the words.
This is the text in the image:
...mall, we realized that even everyday items such as clothing and shoes would
also be bought in installments (see Figure 1). A light bulb went off for us—not
only was it common to pay in installments, but it applied to items we did not
expect, too.
Alt text: Picture of shoes with installment pricing sign
Figure 1. In a mall in Sao Paulo, our research team spotted more items sold in
installments than we initially expected. Notice that the installment price is
more visually prominent than the total price!
Add alt text to the writing workflow

45. This is change!
 Admit it
 Embrace it
 Set a reasonable pace
Rome wasn't built in a day
(but if you don't start, you never get there)

46. Make the web
a better place.
Write some (great) alt text today!
Every time you do, an accessibility fairy
gets their wings.

47. Storytelling for User Experience
with Kevin Brooks
Global UX
with Daniel Szuc
A Web for Everyone
with Sarah Horton
http://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/a-web-for-everyone/

48. Get in touch!
Whitney Quesenbery
whitneyq@civicdesign.org
@whitneyq
http://civicdesign.org
@civicdesign

49. Thank you.