2.19 Offer suitable alternatives for every format used

User Experience Design

Integrate fallbacks so that if something cannot load or is not compatible, there is an accessible alternative to ensure equal access to the content.

Criteria

• Open formats: Machine-testable
  Provide open alternatives, such as HTML, to proprietary file formats, such as PDF.Related Resources
  • Are PDFs Hurting the Planet?
  • GPF – General Policy Framework (PDF) – 3.1 – Architecture (Impact Reduction)
  • GPF – General Policy Framework (PDF) – 4.6 – UX and UI (Informational Media)
  • GPF – General Policy Framework (PDF) – 4.7 – UX and UI (Media Choices)
  • GPF – General Policy Framework (PDF) – 4.12 – UX and UI (Impact Flags)
  • Making a positive change: PDF to HTML
  • PDFs vs. web pages: what’s better for users?
  • United Nations SDGS – Goal 1 – Poverty
  • Why you need to stop using PDFs
• Font stack fallbacks: Machine-testable
  Provide a suitable font stack as a fallback when custom typefaces are used.Related Resources
  • A New Way To Reduce Font Loading Impact: CSS Font Descriptors
  • Creating font subsets
  • Fast Load Times: Optimize WebFonts
  • How to subset a variable font
  • The performance cost of custom web fonts, and how to solve it
  • Web Font Performance – How Your Fonts Affect Page Speed
  • Web fonts: when you need them, when you don’t
• Alternative text: Machine-testable
  Provide meaningful alternative text for all descriptive images that are non-decorative and support the user’s understanding of the content.Related Resources
  • Alt Text: What to Write
  • Alternative Text
  • GR491 – 2-4012 – Image Alternatives
  • GR491 – 9-5064 – Image Text Replacement
  • OpQuast – 111 – Each decorative image has an appropriate text alternative.
  • Web Almanac: Sustainability
  • Write helpful alt text
• Transcripts and text: Machine-testable
  Include transcripts and/or text versions of media files as an alternative to playing the media.Related Resources
  • Audio accessibility
  • GR491 – 3-4034 – Audio Alternatives
  • Making Audio and Video Media Accessible
  • OpQuast – 116 – Each audio and video content is accompanied by a text transcription.
  • The Carbon Impact of Web Standards (PDF)
  • Transcripts
• Video alternatives: Machine-testable
  Include WebVTT closed captions and subtitles support for videos. Provide localization as expected by your audience, including subtitles and sign language that meet the same standard.Related Resources
  • GPF – General Policy Framework (PDF) – 5.5 – Content (Video Alternative)
  • GR491 – 3-4030 – Video Alternatives
  • Making Audio and Video Media Accessible
  • OpQuast – 116 – Each audio and video content is accompanied by a text transcription.
  • The Carbon Impact of Web Standards (PDF)
  • Tips for creating a transcript file
  • Video Captions
  • W3C Web Accessibility Initiative: Transcripts
  • Web Video Text Tracks Format (WebVTT)
  • WebVTT: The Web Video Text Tracks Format

Benefits

• Accessibility
  Providing content in multiple formats means users can choose the format that best supports their needs, helping to eliminate barriers.
• Conversion
  Creating text alternatives to media, such as transcripts, means your content can be more easily found and indexed by search engines.
• Economic
  Hosting and delivering text is less computationally expensive than media, so providing text-based content can reduce hosting and bandwidth costs.
• Environment
  Offering low-impact alternatives to media formats reduces rendering and processing effort, and the associated emissions.
• Performance
  Reducing interactivity can help users access what they need faster.
• Social Equity
  Providing text alternatives for those who are not able to watch a video or listen to audio, even situationally, improves access and user experience.

GRI

• Materials: Medium
• Energy: Medium
• Water: Medium
• Emissions: Medium

View the Guideline

Tags

AccessibilityCompatibilityPerformanceSocial EquityUIUsabilityContentAssetsHTML