Structure people navigate by.
WHAT HEADINGS DO
Create the outline of the document.
WHY THAT MATTERS
Screen reader users navigate by heading, and it is the primary way they move through a page.
WHAT THE RULES ARE
One main heading describing the page Sub-headings in descending order No levels skipped
WHY NOT SKIP LEVELS
It implies a structure that does not exist, and confuses navigation.
WHAT TO CHECK
That the headings alone describe the page's structure.
HOW
Read only the headings, in order.
WHAT THAT REVEALS
Sections with no heading, headings out of order, and decorative text marked as headings.
WHAT NOT TO DO
Use a heading element because the text should be large Use styled text where a heading belongs
WHAT ELSE STRUCTURES A PAGE
Landmark regions: navigation, main content, complementary content, footer.
WHAT THOSE PROVIDE
A way to jump directly to the main content, bypassing repeated navigation.
WHAT TO INCLUDE
A visible means of skipping to the main content, for keyboard users.
