Designing More Accessible Images: A Practical Workflow for AI Descriptions

Why image descriptions matter

Useful image descriptions make visual information available to people who use screen readers, and they make it easier for teams to search, review, and reuse visual assets. The goal is not to narrate every pixel—it is to communicate the information a reader needs in context.

A simple description workflow

1. Start with purpose. Ask what the image is meant to convey in the page or product flow.
2. Name the important subjects and action. Include people, objects, setting, and relationships when they affect meaning.
3. Keep decorative images brief. If an image contributes no information, it may need empty alt text rather than a verbose caption.
4. Review for accuracy and privacy. AI output is a draft: correct names, numbers, sensitive details, and any assumption it makes.
5. Store descriptions with the asset. This makes them reusable for CMS alt text, support documentation, and social posts.

Where AI can help

For teams with a large existing library, AI can provide a first-pass description that an editor can verify. Image Describer is a browser-based tool for generating descriptive text from an uploaded image, which can speed up that review workflow without requiring desktop software.

A quick quality check

Before publishing, ask: could someone who cannot see the image understand the page's intended message from this description? If not, revise for the missing detail—not for extra length. Clear, context-aware copy is usually more valuable than a long inventory of visual elements.

Accessible descriptions are a small editorial habit with a meaningful payoff: more inclusive content, better internal asset discovery, and fewer lost details when images travel between teams.