Check short visual labels in spoken controls

What to change

Ask the supplier to test the spoken names of compact controls and provide a clear accessible label where the shorthand alone is ambiguous.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A compact information control is announced as Information about contact preferences, rather than an isolated letter with no explanation of its purpose.

How to check the result

Accept when the spoken control name is understandable, consistent and connected to the visible label or symbol.

A mistake to avoid

Expanding abbreviations in unrelated body text will not fix a control whose own accessible name remains unclear.

Your action checklist

Use these checks to prepare a discussion with your team or supplier. Tick a check when you have recorded the decision or evidence, rather than when a feature has simply been promised.

Decisions to recordCollect the abbreviated labels used in navigation, tables and buttons. Listen to each within its actual control rather than reading a separate text list.Compare any expanded accessible name with the visible wording. People using speech input should still be able to identify the control from what they see.Check narrow layouts and repeated instances. Ask the supplier to avoid expanding one label differently across pages with the same function.

Evidence, open questions and decisionsNext action and responsible role

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