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From: Erick Wilder
Date: Jul 31, 2025 1:30AM
Subject: Directional cues for alt text and other textual content.
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I’d like to better understand whether the inclusion of directional cues
(e.g. top, right, left, bottom, etc) are important to be part of the image
descriptions. Also, if there’s textual content besides an image that
captures its contents (but not assigned to its alt attribute) could this
make any difference on the usage of directional cues?
Example: an image with empty alt text was used and there is text next to it
describing two people, using the wording “person on the left” and “person
on the right” - should this wording be avoided or is it advisable to
include them instead?
Could you t be that I may need 2 copies: one for the alt text and another
(similar) to be used as “caption” with different wording?
Looking for information online has mixed results and I thought of asking
this community. I appreciate your input.
From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Jul 31, 2025 3:37AM
Subject: Re: Directional cues for alt text and other textual content.
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My short take on this would be: you don't have to remove directional
cues, but you shouldn't rely on them for understanding.
Both for text alternatives for the images themselves (i.e. alt="..."
attributes), and for adjacent text/captions, there are various
audiences. Sighted, partially sighted, blind. While the last group may
perhaps not care so much about the directional cues, it could also still
help them build a mental image. And if not, they'll ignore it and focus
what they do care about.
P
--
Patrick H. Lauke
* https://www.splintered.co.uk/
* https://github.com/patrickhlauke
* https://flickr.com/photos/redux/
* https://mastodon.social/@patrick_h_lauke
From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Jul 31, 2025 3:56AM
Subject: Re: Directional cues for alt text and other textual content.
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Sorry, also to add: of course different people will have different
personal preferences. You may well come across, say, a screen reader
user who will vehemently tell you that they don't care or want to hear
anything about directional cues, colours, visual aspects, and want "just
the facts / what's actually important"; and on the other end of the
spectrum, you'll get those SR users who will insist that it's absolutely
essential that every minute visual detail of an image is conveyed,
verging on a long description.
So it'll always be about finding an appropriate balance between the two
(even if you can't please every user)
P
--
Patrick H. Lauke
* https://www.splintered.co.uk/
* https://github.com/patrickhlauke
* https://flickr.com/photos/redux/
* https://mastodon.social/@patrick_h_lauke
From: Steve Green
Date: Jul 31, 2025 4:38AM
Subject: Re: Directional cues for alt text and other textualcontent.
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The topic has come up every few months for many years on various forums, and opinion is pretty much split down the middle. It looks like we need a "prefers-less-flowery-waffle" CSS media feature so users can make their own choice.
Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd