Make important illustrations understandable without the picture

What this means for your practice

Provide a useful text equivalent matched to the image's purpose and complexity. Decorative artwork and meaningful diagrams need different treatment.

A practical example

For example, a diagram showing three booking stages can be accompanied by the same stages in clear text. Ask someone to read the page without looking at the image: can they still understand what happens next? Also check that labels in the picture remain readable at the intended size. A good result lets the visual support comprehension without making it the only source of essential instructions. The explanation should stay connected when the image is reused elsewhere.

Keep the written explanation updated when the picture changes. If the diagram gains another step but the accompanying text does not, different readers receive different accounts. Treat the visual and its equivalent explanation as one piece of information during review and reuse.

Make the design useful in everyday work

Identify whether the image is decorative, conveys a simple fact or explains a more complex process. The written alternative should serve that purpose rather than mechanically describe every visible detail. Ask the supplier to show the page without the image and assess whether the essential information remains understandable. For a process diagram, that may require a clear accompanying explanation of the steps. Keep the visual and text under the same update routine so they do not give different accounts after an edit. Review reused copies as well, because moving a diagram without its explanation can remove the meaning some readers depend on.

How to check the result

Count informative visuals lacking an equivalent explanation.