Before you start

  • What is the information you want to communicate?
  • Who is your audience and what are their needs?
  • What are the best formats to reach your audience?

Order and structure

  • Start with a clear structure
  • Set out your table of contents with a proper heading structure (not more than 5 levels of headings)
  • Group information when possible
  • Repeat information if needed
  • Background information can be included but should sit in the “background”

Plain English

  • Write in plain English:
    • Use short paragraphs focused on a single idea
    • Use short sentences
    • Use clear and inclusive language

Design and format

  • Use an easy-to-read format
  • Use a plain background and ensure there is enough colour contrast
  • Graphs and tables can be difficult to understand. Make graphs and tables simple and explain them where necessary
  • Align text to the left of the page (avoid justifying text)
  • Don’t put too much text on a page
  • Leave space between paragraphs
  • Use the Styles feature in Microsoft Office products to define the text and structure

Images

  • Images can help people with low literacy to understand text
  • Insert images next to the text
  • Try to use the same style of text throughout your document
  • Add alternative (alt) text to images

Fonts

  • Tasmanian Government fonts have been chosen to be accessible
  • Fonts should be at least for 12pt for copy text
  • Avoid using upper case (capitals), lower case letters are easier to read
  • Do not underline text unless it is a hyperlink
  • Avoid using italics; use only for legislation and Latin names
  • Lower case letters are easier to read

Colour

  • Don't use colour alone to convey information
  • People who can't see colour won't find a "blue button" unless it's presented in another way
  • Some colour combinations are hard to see, such as for those with colour blindness, who are blind or have low vision
  • Ensure colour contrast is appropriate, minimum AA is required

Accessible PDFs

Making PDFs accessible means ensuring everyone can easily read and understand the content. Here's how you can do it:

  1. Add descriptions to images: Include descriptive text for images so people who use screen readers can understand them.
  2. Use proper headings and structure: Organise the document with clear headings and subheadings to make it easy to navigate.
  3. Include alternative text for links: Describe where the link is taking the user, so they know what to expect when they click on it.
  4. Ensure colour contrast: Make sure text and background colours have enough contrast so they are easy to read.
  5. Enable text copying: Allow users to copy text from the PDF for those who may need to use text-to-speech tools.
  6. Check reading order: Make sure the content flows logically when read out loud by a screen reader.
  7. Test accessibility: Use accessibility tools to check the PDF and make sure it's easy for everyone to use.

Further resources

Plain English

Accessibility

Other