This article turned into a circular exploration and had some inconsistencies. Therefore, it has been republished with correct advice on how to mark up accessible image links on your website - How To Make Accessible Image Links (Redux).
I apologise for any inconvenience.
Articles are licenced under a Creative Commons Licence but copyright of images is retained by © Steven Clark 2007 - 2008
Developing software from the user's perspective as opposed the organisational one is a critical area we need to work on as designers. I'm reading Mental Models by Indi Young, a book about understanding users' reasons for doing things and one system for understanding and designing for those reasons.
It's important to understand that when people visit your website they bring with them their own world view, motivations, experience and expectations. And, by working with those factors, we can improve our game significantly by providing them with what they want and need.
June 7th, 2008 at 11:24 am
OK, having considered all and sundry I’d say this much.
In the alt I would include in brackets that the image links to place X…
But, seriously, the information is available to browsers and screen readers in the title attribute (if its been authored correctly) so this is one of those issues where I’m doing so in spite of my own gritted teeth and bit tongue.
Browsers should provide this information to users, don’t you think? If it’s available? Does that make sense?
For now, though, I’ll be trying to provide users with the information in the alt (grrr)…
its fine to disagree.