When Alt Text Is Not Enough: Making Complex Digital Visuals Accessible

Complex visuals appear throughout digital content, from annotated screenshots and process diagrams to data visualizations, tables, and interactive tools. But when is alt text sufficient, and when does accessibility require a longer description, a redesigned visual, or a decision to mark an image as decorative?

Drawing on lessons learned while developing accessibility descriptions for more than 200 complex figures in an open educational resource, this session introduces a practical framework for making complex visual content more accessible. Participants will examine common challenges involving labels, spatial relationships, color, cognitive load, screenshots, and interactive content. They will then apply a three-path decision framework to determine when to describe, simplify, or mark a visual as decorative.

The session positions alt text development as more than a compliance task. Writing an effective description can function as a content audit, revealing unclear labels, ambiguous annotations, unnecessary complexity, and gaps between a visual’s intended purpose and what it actually communicates. Participants will leave with transferable strategies and a practical checklist for creating digital content that is clearer and more usable for everyone.

About this event:

Presenters:

• Christin Monroe, Educational Research Associate, CITL

Track:

Unlocking Achievements — Share accessibility practices and solutions that remove barriers and improve the experience for every crawler.

Experience Needed:

Intermediate

Learning Outcome:

Distinguish between visuals that can be addressed through concise alt text and those requiring additional accessibility strategies.

Apply a Describe, Simplify, or Mark Decorative framework to screenshots, diagrams, data visualizations, and other digital content.

Identify accessibility concerns related to labels, color, spatial relationships, and cognitive load.

Use the process of developing alt text as a content audit to improve clarity and usability.

Additional Keywords:

Accessibility; Alt Text; Digital Accessibility; Inclusive Design; Universal Design; Accessible Content