100 points to know about...
Inclusive project management

According to the universal design principles, you need to make your content accessible to people with a wide range of abilities, disabilities, and other characteristics. These rules apply to websites but also to tools such as emails and instant messaging for workplace and external communication. Of course, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines we have seen in the 100 points to know about digital accessibility also apply here. If you need a reminder, do not hesitate to refer to the lesson 8 of the previous module. However, here are some tips specific to email and text messages that may be useful.

Tips to write accessible emails

• Use simple, sans serif fonts: Arial, Calibri or the Accessible DfA font
• Use a font size of at least 10 points
• Align texts on the left (avoid justifying)
• Avoid italics
• Check the contrast between the font color and the background and limit the total number of colors used
• Use a neutral background: no decorative stationery or background images
• Fill in a replacement text for all images (Office suite: right click on the image > Image Format > Replacement Text > « Description » field)
• Use the « Title » and « Subtitle » styles from the « text format » menu if the email is long and has several sections
• Write explicit link labels : prefer « discover our offers » to « click here » or « learn more »
• Check that the size of the buttons and clickable areas is sufficient (1cm on each side)
• Attachments: Use the « Insert » function to add an attachment so that the screen reader indicates its presence, it will appear in the « Attached » field

Tips to write accessible emails and text messages

• Keep the accent of capital letters
• Translate emoticons, for example: [smiley wink] instead of the classic " ;)
• Avoid animations, GIFs and flashes
• Capitalize the beginning of each sentence but avoid capitalizing entire sentences

Tips to write in plain language

Plain language principles are important when it comes to people who do not know the language well or who have cognitive deficiencies: poor memory, concentration difficulties, language disorders...

To make reading easier, here are a few writing principles to adopt:

• Write short sentences. In most cases, the subject+verb+complement form is sufficient to convey the desired idea
• Keep paragraphs short and limit yourself to one idea per paragraph
• Use the active rather than the passive voice
• Sentences are written in a positive, not negative way
• Use simple bulleted or ordered lists whenever it makes sense
• Use simple terms. Avoid technical terms, abstract concepts or internal vocabulary...
• Insert illustrations to explain the content : diagrams or computer graphics (respecting the accessibility of images)
• Use examples to clarify what you are saying,
• Avoid using acronyms. If you use them, explain what the letters mean
• Explanations are systematically provided for complicated words, with a glossary
• The date is written in words: April 4, 2019. The month must appear clearly to avoid any ambiguity of language
• The long numbers are segmented: example of a GSM number: 621 111 222
• The time is written in digital form: 12:10 or 12h10
• Postal addresses are written in the same way as envelopes

Sources :

Langage clair – Renow.public.lu https://renow.public.lu/fr/guides-pratiques/accessibilite/langage-clair.html