To ensure that our internal and external email communications are accessible and as usable as possible for our recipients, follow these best practices. These guidelines have been gathered from government and private accessible/inclusive design leaders. This will help users/readers with temporary or permanent disabilities (mobility, low vision, blind, D/deaf), anyone using assistive tools (e.g., screen readers), and those with cognitive challenges (e.g. TBIs). These guidelines also support those with anxiety or similar, those on the autism spectrum, and those with dyslexia.

HTML

Start with good HTML formatting, but always check to see what the email looks like without that formatting. No important information should be lost if an email comes through as plain text.

Layout

Use a linear and consistent/logical layout, keep text left-justified, allow for plenty of white space between paragraphs, chunk with descriptive headings and bullets, avoid big blocks of text.

Fonts/formatting

Use 14pt or larger, avoid stylized fonts (e.g., Comic Sans) or condensed fonts, just like in MS Word docs use proper heading styles and formatting (list styles, etc), no underlining or all-caps, use formatting like bolding and italics minimally.

Content/language

All important information should be contained in the body text of the email, do not bury information in attachments or text-only images, generally avoid idioms or figures of speech, simple language is better for a broader audience.

Links

Use meaningful/descriptive language for the clickable text, avoid "here", "click here", "learn more" or other language that conveys no meaning when taken out of context.

Call to action buttons

Buttons should be fully descriptive

Colors

If using color use bright/high contrast and simple color only, avoid background colors unless the contrast between text and background color is high, don't use color as the only way to convey information/meaning.

Media

Just like in MS Word apply alternative text to images, use titles and descriptions, videos are captioned (or transcripts provided), avoid using media (audio or visual) as the only means to share information.

Credit: Robyn Belair, Learning Designer