Infographics are a powerful way to present information visually, making complex data easier to understand. However, to ensure that everyone can benefit from your infographics, it’s essential to design them with accessibility in mind. Accessible infographics are not only inclusive but also enhance the overall user experience by being clear and easy to understand for everyone. In this article, we’ll discuss how to design accessible infographics and provide examples to inspire your creations.

How to Design Infographics That Are Easy to Understand for Everyone

1. Use Simple and Clear Layouts

   • Logical Flow: Organise information logically, guiding the reader through the content step-by-step. Use a clear hierarchy with headings and subheadings to structure the information.

   • Whitespace: Incorporate ample whitespace to avoid clutter and make the infographic more readable. Whitespace helps to separate different sections and elements, making the content easier to digest.

     
     

2. Choose Accessible Colour Schemes

   • High Contrast: Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colours. This helps users with low vision or colour blindness read the text more easily. Tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker can help you evaluate colour contrast.

   • Colour Blind-Friendly Palettes: Use colour palettes that are distinguishable for colour-blind users. Avoid relying solely on colour to convey information—use patterns, textures, or labels as additional cues.

     
     

3. Select Readable Fonts

   • Simple Fonts: Use clean, sans-serif fonts like Arial, Helvetica, or Verdana, which are easier to read, especially on screens. Avoid decorative or overly stylised fonts for the main content.

   • Consistent Font Sizes: Use a consistent font size hierarchy to distinguish between headings, subheadings, and body text. Ensure that text is large enough to be read easily on all devices.

     
     

4. Provide Text Alternatives

   • Alt Text: Include alt text for all infographic images. This ensures that screen readers can describe the content to visually impaired users. Be descriptive but concise, conveying the key information in the image.

   • Detailed Descriptions: Provide a text description of the entire infographic. This is especially useful for complex infographics with lots of data. Place the description directly below the infographic or on a separate accessible page.

     
     

5. Use Descriptive Labels and Captions

   • Clear Labels: Label all elements, including charts, graphs, and icons, to explain what they represent. Avoid relying on colour alone to differentiate between elements.

   • Captions and Annotations: Add captions and annotations to provide context and explain the data. This helps users understand the information at a glance.

     
     

6. Design for Keyboard and Screen Reader Accessibility

   • Interactive Elements: If your infographic includes interactive elements, ensure they can be navigated using a keyboard. Provide clear focus indicators and logical tab order.

   • Screen Reader Compatibility: Use semantic HTML elements and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) landmarks to make your infographic accessible to screen readers. Ensure that all interactive elements have appropriate labels.

Examples of Accessible Infographics

1. Health Information Infographic

   • Features: Uses high-contrast colours and clear, sans-serif fonts. Each section is labeled with descriptive headings, and icons are used alongside text for additional clarity. Alt text and a detailed text description are provided.

   • Accessibility: This infographic ensures that health information is easily accessible to everyone, including those with visual impairments.

2. Environmental Statistics Infographic

   • Features: Colour-blind friendly palette with distinct patterns to differentiate data points. Interactive elements are keyboard accessible, and screen reader-compatible labels are used.

   • Accessibility: By considering colour blindness and providing alternative text descriptions, this infographic makes environmental statistics comprehensible to a broader audience.

3. Educational Infographic on History

   • Features: Large, readable fonts and high-contrast colours. Includes captions for all images and charts, and a comprehensive text description is available.

   • Accessibility: This infographic ensures that educational content is accessible to students with various learning needs and visual impairments.

Conclusion

Creating accessible infographics is about more than just meeting technical standards; it’s about ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can understand and benefit from the information you’re presenting. By following best practices for design, colour schemes, text alternatives, and interactive elements, you can create infographics that are not only visually appealing but also inclusive. Use the examples provided as inspiration for your own accessible infographic designs, and remember that accessibility is an ongoing commitment to making information available to all.