Structure the page content and presentation to support scanning. Make the substance and purpose of the content and functionality readily apparent, and help people quickly find the information they are seeking. Pay close attention to the sequence of your content. People who use screen reader software will benefit from content that makes sense when read linearly.
Structure the page for scanning and logical sequence:
- Avoid extended blocks of unbroken text. Use headings and lists to break up content into chunks that are easy to scan. Headings and chunked content allow people to find what they are seeking without requiring them to read through content that is irrelevant.
- Write descriptive headings and labels. Clear headings and labels are essential in communicating the structure and relationships of page content and functionality.
- Pay attention to content sequence. Ensure that the order of the content follows a logical sequence.
Testing
- View pages with stylesheets turned off to review the content without layout and design (see Tools for example of tools to help you do this). Or listen to the page being read out by a screen reader. Is the content broken up with headings and lists? Does the content sequence make logical sense?