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Use appropriate styles to format headings, subheadings, and text elements consistently. Avoid direct font formatting and rely on Word’s built-in styles for a uniform look. Create a clear hierarchy of headings using proper heading levels. For example, do not use Heading 4 directly after using Heading 2.
Choose simple, familiar, and easily parsed fonts for improved readability in your document. Avoid using fonts that are complex and extremely difficult to read. Use a simpler font to enhance legibility. Ensure adequate contrast between text and background; avoid using very small font sizes as they can create ambiguity for the screen reader.
Provide descriptive alt text for all images in the document. Avoid relying on automatic alt text generation; manually enter specific and meaningful descriptions. Consider the trade-offs between design aesthetics and accessibility for floating images with text wrapping.
Use descriptive text for hyperlinks instead of raw URLs to provide context for all users. Avoid using generic link titles like “Click here” or “More info” to ensure clarity. Ensure the hyperlink makes sense as standalone information. Consider providing the full URL in brackets right after the descriptive link.
Make sure information conveyed with color is also understandable without relying solely on color. When using color to identify keywords, use an additional method, such as bold text, for enhanced visibility. Use high color contrast, such as black text on a white background, to ensure readability.
When creating interactive forms in Word, display the “Developer” Section, create a form template, add content to the form, set properties for content controls, include instructional text, and add protection on the form.
Disable your mouse and solely use the keyboard to navigate and interact with the content. Verify that the focus order is intuitive and aligns with the visual order of the page. Confirm that all functionality is accessible and can be easily utilized using only the keyboard.
Here are some suggestions for structuring a Word document for easier conversion to PDF: Maintain a linear, single-column progression for your content in a Word document. Utilize the style formatting tool to provide structure to your document. Stick to standard text fonts like Times New Roman and Arial for better compatibility.