Design Accessible Charts

Data & Dashboards · charts, accessibility, data visualization

Updated 2026-07-28

Never let colour be the only difference between series. Add shape, pattern, position, or direct labels so the chart survives being printed, projected, or read by someone with colour vision deficiency.
Label lines and bars directly where you can. A legend forces the reader to move back and forth and match colours from memory.
Give every chart a text alternative that states the finding, not the file type. "Revenue rose steadily from March, with a dip in August" is what a sighted reader takes away.
Provide the underlying data. A table behind a toggle or a download makes the chart usable by screen readers, spreadsheets, and anyone who needs the exact figures.
Do not hide meaning in a tooltip. Values that only exist on hover are unreachable by touch and keyboard, so key numbers belong on the chart or in the table.
Make interactive charts keyboard operable, with a clear focus indicator on the selected point and an announcement of its value.
Keep contrast sufficient for thin elements. A one-pixel line in a pale tint fails against the background even when the palette technically passes.
Respect reduced motion. Animated transitions between datasets should be instant for users who have asked for less movement.
Say what the axes are, what the units are, and whether the scale starts at zero, because a truncated axis changes the story.

A chart that only communicates to one kind of reader is a decoration, and the data table underneath it is doing the real work.