Keep table values connected to their row and column

What to change

Ask the supplier to preserve meaningful row and column relationships in any table used for comparison or administration.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A visitor reading a fee comparison hears the relevant service and column heading alongside each amount, rather than a string of unexplained figures.

How to check the result

Accept when every meaningful cell can be interpreted from its associated headings in both wide and narrow presentations.

A mistake to avoid

Adding bold text to the first row makes a table look structured but does not establish usable relationships for assistive technology.

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 recordChoose a table with several rows and columns. Ask the supplier to demonstrate moving between cells with a screen reader and identifying each value's context.Inspect grouped or multi-level headings separately. A visually spanning header should remain associated with the correct underlying columns rather than an unrelated group.Compare the narrow-screen version. If the layout changes to cards, verify that the original heading-value relationships remain explicitly available.

Evidence, open questions and decisionsNext action and responsible role

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