A few years ago, I worked with a stakeholder who used a simple dashboard that relied heavily on traffic light colours. Red meant an issue. Amber meant attention was needed. Green meant everything was on track.
At first glance, it seemed like a straightforward way to communicate performance. The information was clear to me, and the colour coding appeared intuitive and universal.
Over time, however, it became clear that the experience was not the same for everyone. One of the main stakeholders was colour blind. He could access the report, but he simply could not see the insight because the colours looked the same. For six months he messaged me weekly, asking for updates. It was like there was no dashboard available. This experience changed the way I think about design.
A Power BI report is ultimately a communication tool. It takes complex data and transforms it into information that people use to understand situations, identify problems and make decisions. When barriers prevent people from accessing that information effectively, the value of the solution is reduced.
Digital accessibility helps us build better Power BI solutions by creating reports that meet accessibility expectations, support a wider range of users and provide a better experience for everyone.
Digital accessibility has become an increasingly important consideration for organisations around the world. Legislation, industry standards and procurement requirements are placing greater emphasis on ensuring digital products and services can be accessed by a broader range of people.
One example of this shift is the European Accessibility Act (EAA) , which establishes common accessibility requirements for a wide range of digital products and services across the European Union. A major milestone was reached in June 2025, when the Act became enforceable across EU member states, making accessibility a key consideration for organisations that develop, procure, or deliver digital solutions.
The impact of these changes is already being seen in practice. Following the EAA becoming enforceable, several major European retailers, including Carrefour and Auchan, faced legal action over the accessibility of their digital shopping experiences, highlighting the growing expectation that accessibility must be built into digital products and services from the outset. More about this can be found here .
This change reflects a wider transformation in technology. Accessibility is becoming part of the expected quality standards for digital solutions, alongside security, performance and usability.
For Power BI developers and report creators, this means accessibility needs to be considered throughout the development process.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide an internationally recognised framework for creating accessible digital experiences. Although developed primarily for web content, the principles provide valuable guidance when designing data visualisations and reporting solutions.
WCAG is built around four principles known as POUR:
Information needs to be presented in ways that people can recognise and understand.
In Power BI, this includes using appropriate colour contrast, providing meaningful alternative text for visuals and ensuring important information is not communicated through colour alone.
For example, a performance dashboard can use red, amber and green indicators, but the meaning should also be available through labels, icons, descriptions or values. This provides additional context for users who may not perceive colours in the same way.
Users should be able to interact with information using different methods.
For Power BI reports, this includes considering keyboard navigation, logical tab order and ensuring interactive elements such as drill-throughs, buttons and slicers are easy to locate and use.
Information should be clear and easy to interpret.
A report should communicate effectively with both experienced users and people who may be seeing the information for the first time. Clear titles, meaningful labels, consistent layouts and familiar terminology all help reduce the effort required to understand insights.
Digital solutions need to remain reliable as technology evolves.
Accessible reports should continue to work across different devices, browsers and assistive technologies, helping ensure information remains available as the way people interact with technology changes.
These principles provide a strong foundation for creating accessible reports, but their real value comes from applying them with the people who use our solutions in mind.
Access to information plays an important role in allowing people to participate fully in society and the workplace.
Today, many important activities depend on digital experiences: learning, communicating, accessing services and making decisions. When those experiences create barriers, some people are placed at a disadvantage.
For people with disabilities, accessible technology can be essential for independence. Screen readers, keyboard navigation, magnification tools and other assistive technologies allow people to interact with information in ways that work for them.
The same principle applies when we build Power BI solutions.
A report may be used by someone with a visual impairment who relies on assistive technology. It may be reviewed by someone with changing eyesight who benefits from clearer typography and stronger contrast. It may be opened by a new employee who does not yet understand the terminology used by the team that created it.
Every user brings a different background, experience and way of interacting with information.
Accessible design helps remove unnecessary barriers so that more people can access information, contribute to discussions and make decisions with confidence.
For organisations, this creates a more inclusive environment where technology supports participation rather than creating additional obstacles.
The benefits of accessibility can be seen in everyday situations. Reports are often viewed in less-than-perfect conditions. A manager may review a dashboard quickly between meetings. A project team may access information from a tablet on site. An executive may check key metrics while travelling. Someone may open a report after a long day when concentration levels are already reduced.
The way information is presented has a direct impact on how easily people can understand it. Good colour contrast improves readability across different screens and environments. Clear visual hierarchy helps users identify what matters most.
Consistent layouts make navigation easier because people do not need to relearn how each report works. Meaningful labels and descriptions reduce the need for additional explanations. Simplified visuals allow users to focus on insights rather than interpreting unnecessary complexity.
These principles improve the experience for everyone, including users who do not use accessibility features.
The dashboard I mentioned at the beginning is a good example. Once I looked beyond the assumption that traffic light colours were universally understood, I could improve the way information was communicated. The result was a report that was easier to interpret and required less effort from everyone using it.
Accessibility should be considered as part of building a high-quality Power BI solution.
A successful report combines accurate data, effective communication and thoughtful design. It helps people find information, understand insights and make decisions confidently.
By incorporating accessibility into our development approach, we create solutions that:
Ultimately, the purpose of a Power BI report is to help people understand information. The more accessible that information becomes, the more valuable the solution is for everyone who relies on it.
If you would like to learn more about building more accessible Power BI solutions, I have developed a range of free tools, resources, and guidance to help. Visit my blog Smart Frames UI and my GitHub repository for practical tips, templates, and community resources. You can also try PBIX A11y, a free browser-based tool I designed to help identify accessibility improvements and support the creation of more inclusive Power BI reports.