Flowcharts and Trees: How to Write a Long Description
Flowcharts and Trees are all about relationships. Don’t get weighted down on the visuals. Focus on the meaning of relationships and not their appearance. You want to describe the relationships and not the symbols themselves! For example, a line could be Yes or No, or it could be a mother or daughter. Describe what it means and not what it looks like.
The description of a flowchart needs to reference the following elements:
- The title of the flowchart.
- The structure of the chart and a summary of what it is saying (i.e. The Smiths Family Tree).
- Number of Tiers or Layers. Describe all the levels first, then start at the beginning and work your way through the flowchart
- When describing a family tree, first describe all the levels, then start at the top and go to the bottom, repeat for each branch. Do not describe any extra visuals.
- Describe pathways through the flowchart to guide the user
Numbering the squares can help organize a flowchart. With Family Trees you only have to state the name, date (if present), and relationships.
If there is jumping back and forth between different points in the flowchart, then you should mix headings with your list as opposed to nested lists. Headings are easier to navigate back and forth with than nested lists. See the Alt-text Samples for an example.
For examples, go to Samples of Alt-text: Graphs and Charts Long Descriptions and the Poet Centre has some great examples you can work through as well!
If you have any questions, post your question on the Alt-Text Q&A
Go to Writing Tip: Using Point Form Technique for a breakdown on how you can start the writing process
public/nnels/etext/images/complex_images/flowcharts_trees.txt · Last modified: 2024/02/20 12:25 by rachel.osolen
