Creating Accessible Word Documents

Best Practices for Creating Accessible Word Documents

Headings: Use built-in heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) to create a logical structure. These can be found in the Home tab under the Styles group.
Lists: Use Word's built-in numbered or bulleted list functions instead of manually formatting lists.
Tables: Avoid tables if possible. If required, use simple table structures. Include a clear header row by selecting "Repeat Header Row" under the Table Tools → Layout tab. Tables require proper tagging annotations.

Images, Graphics, and Shapes: Right-click the element, choose Edit Alt Text, and provide a brief description of its purpose or content. If the element is decorative, mark it as “decorative” or “artifact”. Screen readers cannot skip alt text so limiting non-substantive visual elements' alt text is more productive for users requiring screen readers.
Charts and Diagrams: Add Alt Text to describe the data or content visually presented. If the chart contains critical data, ensure the data is also provided in the document text or as a properly structured table.

Fonts: Use the city’s Branding Guidelines for the appropriate Heading (Montserrat) and body (Open Sans) sans-serif fonts. Use recommended font size.
Color Contrast: Use the city’s Branding Guidelines for selecting brand colors and backgrounds to ensure sufficient contrast.
Avoid Color Reliance: Do not rely solely on color to convey meaning, like in a legend. Add text labels or symbols as other indicators.
Backgrounds: Avoid textured backgrounds behind text. Use flat color with proper contrast when needed.

Use meaningful hyperlink text (e.g., "Visit the Accessibility Guide" instead of "Click Here").
Add a brief description of the link destination if necessary.

Use Word’s built-in Accessibility Checker: Review tab → Check Accessibility. Follow the suggestions to fix any issues.

Set descriptive document properties: Go to File → Info and fill out the title, author, subject, and keywords.

Text Boxes: Avoid using text boxes; they will not read correctly by screen readers. Use pre-built styles for layout instead.
Complex Tables: Avoid merged or split cells in tables, as these can disrupt screen reader navigation.
Unstructured Formatting: Avoid using bold or enlarged font sizes for headings. Use the built-in heading styles instead.
Blank Spaces for Layout: Don’t use multiple spaces, tabs, or empty paragraphs for alignment or spacing. Use paragraph spacing and alignment tools instead.
Use Templates: The design team has created several pre-built templates for employees to download and use as a starter for your document.

Skipping Accessibility Tags: Ensure the document is converted with accessibility tags. In Word, use File → Save As → PDF, then click Options and ensure "Document structure tags for accessibility" is checked.
Flattening Text: Avoid saving the PDF as an image-only file, as it renders text unreadable by assistive technologies. Any image cannot have flat text to be accessible. If you are uploading an image into your PDF, do not have text overlayed on your image. Add text to alt text descriptions, as a caption, or in the main body of your PDF.
Untested PDF: Don’t assume the PDF is accessible. Re-test your PDF using another PDF reader’s accessibility tools (e.g. Adobe Acrobat’s Accessibility Checker) to validate the file.

Use Descriptive Captions: For any referenced tables, charts, and images, include captions to provide context.
Avoid Overly Graphic-Heavy Layouts: Balance graphics and text to maintain readability and navigability.
Maintain Logical Reading Order: Ensure the content flows naturally from top to bottom, left to right.
Submit a Design Request: When in doubt, submit an ITD design request to ensure your public-facing Document meets branding and accessibility guidelines.