When designing for accessibility, it’s important to remember that not all announcements improve the user experience. In fact, excessive or redundant announcements can create significant barriers for people who rely on these tools.
Here are some common pitfalls:
1. Repeated “Clickable”
Announcements
Screen readers already inform users when an item is interactive. Repeating “clickable” for every element adds noise without offering value, making navigation slower and more frustrating.
2. Redundant Announcements
Repeating information unnecessarily, such as reading out a button label identifying it as a button and then the object identifying as a button will slow the user down Strive for concise, meaningful output. Every word that announces should serve a purpose.
3. Empty Objects
Announcing empty containers or divs that serve no purpose confuses users and wastes time. If an object has no meaningful function, ensure it’s hidden from assistive technologies.
4. Decorative Elements
Not all visual elements need to be announced. Decorative images or icons without context should be marked as decorative or hidden using aria-hidden=”true”.
By reducing unnecessary announcements, we can speed up navigation and ensure that screen readers provide only the information users truly need. Accessibility is about enabling efficient, equitable experiences. Less clutter means more empowerment.
Alt: A woman named Oprah Winfrey in red gown addressing an audience pointing to different directions/ people with four written captions:
1. You get an announcement
2. and you get an announcement
3. and you get an announcement
4. and everybody gets all the announcements.