1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics

Instructions that refer to content only by its sensory characteristics exclude people who cannot perceive those characteristics. Someone who is blind cannot see that a button is round or green. Someone who is colourblind cannot distinguish between a red error and a green success. Someone who is Deaf cannot hear a sound cue.

Instructions must include a text label or name that identifies the element regardless of its appearance or sound.

Instead of 'click the green button', write 'click the Submit button'.

Instead of 'see the diagram on the right', write 'see the diagram labelled Figure 1'.

Instead of 'when you hear the chime, proceed', write 'when the confirmation message appears and the chime sounds, proceed'.

Shape and colour can still be used as additional cues alongside text labels, as long as the text label alone is sufficient.

• Instructions that say 'click the round button' without naming the button
• Instructions that say 'items marked in red are required' without any other indicator
• Navigation that says 'use the menu on the left' when the menu position changes on different screen sizes