Guideline 14. Ensure that documents are clear and simple
Source Article: http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/#gl-facilitate-comprehension
The most important thing about any website is its content. Even if it looks incredible, it still must be able to portray the content intended. For better readability, it is important that all of our documents are clear and simple.
There is a lot that can be said for making text comprehendable. Remember, if the content cannot easily be understood, the page is worthless. The content must be comprehendable by the smartest person and the least educated person. It must appeal to people of various different handicaps. This article suggested seven ways, which are:
- Strive for clear and accurate headings and link descriptions
- State the topic of te sentence or paragraph at the beginning
- Limit each paragraph to one main idea
- Avoid slang, jargon, and specialized meanings of familiar words, unless defined within the document
- Favor words that are commonly used
- Use active rather than passive verbs
- Avoid complex sentence structures
Many people are much more visual oriented. If they can see something that backs up the text, it keeps their attention and helps them to understand what it is trying to say. There are others who may not be able to read due to hearing or seeing disabilities. Here are a few suggestions of multi-media that can help clarify your page:
- A chart of complex data
- A translation of the text into sign language
- Pre-recorded audio of music, spoken language, or sound effects
Navigation is often a wall for web comprehension. People are easily lost due to inconsistent navigation. It is often difficult to locate or identify links, especially for those who have certain features disabled on their browsers or who are using screen readers. First, things such as navigation bars, advertising, and primary page content should look the same from page to page. This will help users know what is going on in the page and help them know where they are. If done right, this is simple to do and it actually decreases maintenance time as well. Simply use a minimal number of style sheets, keep them external rathen than embedded or inline and keep uses of classes consistent. Next, it's important to include link descriptions in your markup. Finally, having a good search engine for your page can save your users from painstaking goose chases.
In conclusion, I will strive to keep my content basic, simple, and solidified by additional content.
