Accessible Images When It Matters Most

Carie Fisher

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic - timing is everything. The information you consume today could quite literally save your life tomorrow. And with more than 65 percent of the population being visual learners - meaning they learn and remember best through visual communication - the job of creating and sharing accessible images has never been more critical. This is especially true for government-issued public service announcements (PSAs) aimed at providing critical and urgent information to the public.

While creating accessible images seems like a simple topic at first glance - you just need to add alt text to an image, right? - the topic is much more nuanced than people think. In this talk, we will review the different types of images, dive into some real-world examples, and discuss which elements matter most when our message needs to reach everyone.

In this live presentation, we will review:
The different types of images - decorative vs informative (plus actionable, emotional, simple, and complex)
Image elements we need to consider for making our images more inclusive to all
Accessibility of informational images created during the COVID-19 pandemic