WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Accessibility of data visualizations

for

From: Cliff Tyllick
Date: Feb 4, 2016 8:44AM

Mike, too often the person who is writing the report is not empowered to interpret the data—just present it. Although anyone else might conclude that the numbers say "Keep this as it is," the person or group commissioning the report might be making an argument for change—usually for the change that is to their own benefit.

Or vice versa. "Sea levels will rise 15 centimeters per decade due to climate change over the next 150 years" might be what the table or graph shows, but if the organization rejects the concept of climate change, that is not likely to be the alt text.

"Change in sea level predicted by climate modeling" would deprive people who get only the alt text of key information. That's a good reason to promote the principle of "more than one way." In other words, at least link to a data table showing the same information.

Cliff Tyllick
Accessibility Specialist
Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services


Sent from my iPhone
Although its spellcheck often saves me, all goofs in sent messages are its fault.

> On Feb 4, 2016, at 8:56 AM, Moore,Michael (Accessibility) (HHSC) < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
> Great point Angela,
>
> When graphs and charts get to the point where the complexity makes them difficult for anyone to understand I often ask the person who created the chart what information they are attempting to convey. All too frequently I am met with a blank stare. "My boss told me to present the data in a graph." I find the graphs to be much more understandable when they depict only one or two relationships at a time, beyond that my head hurts. Breaking things down into a series of simpler tables and graphs usually makes it easier to see and understand the relationships. Of course, sometimes you might just want to hide them :)
>
> Mike Moore
> Accessibility Coordinator
> Texas Health and Human Services Commission
> Civil Rights Office
> (512) 438-3431 (Office)
>
>