How do I make a flowchart accessible?

Step 1: Design your flowchart with accessibility in mind. 

  • Ensure that your flowchart has accessible color pairings. The Berkeley Brand site has a great color combination tool that will show you all accessible color pairings that also follow university brand colors. Colors - UC Berkeley Brand

  • Don’t use color alone to show meaning. If you are using color to indicate a change in status, a step in your process, or to label information, be sure that there is a text descriptor to accompany the color. 

  • Use standard shapes, clear paths, and avoid crossing logic lines. Consider breaking your flowchart into multiple charts if the content is too complex. 

  • Choose an easy-to-read font. Arial, Calibri, Verdana are all great choices. 

Step 2: Present your flowchart as a single image file. 

Avoid presenting your flowchart as a PDF. PDFs are notoriously difficult to make accessible, and can be even more challenging with complex graphics.

Step 3: Provide a long text description. 

  • Provide a long text description of all steps in your flowchart, along with their outcomes. Include all text available in your chart. 

  • Build structure in your text description. Lists and headings are a great way to organize steps and information in your long description.