Accessibility compliance mistakes in publishing to avoid
Novatechset

novatechset

29th April 2026.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Accessibility issues in publishing are rarely due to lack of awareness. They come from how workflows are set up. When accessibility is handled late, problems surface too late to fix properly, leading to rework or incomplete compliance across EPUB and PDF outputs.

Treating accessibility as a final QA step

Accessibility is often checked just before delivery, after key formatting decisions are already made. At that stage, fixing structural issues like tagging or reading order is time-consuming and often partial.

To avoid this, accessibility needs to be built into the workflow. Align editorial, production, and conversion teams early so content supports a born-accessible approach. Introduce checks at key stages instead of relying on end-stage fixes.

Overlooking structure during content conversion

Accessibility frequently breaks during conversion. Content may look correct visually, but underlying structure is lost. Common issues include:

  • Incorrect or flattened heading hierarchy
  • Poorly tagged lists and tables
  • Broken reading order

These directly affect how screen readers interpret content. Structure should be preserved and validated during conversion, not after output is generated.

Ignoring accessibility requirements for images and media

Images and media are often incomplete from an accessibility standpoint. Alt text is missing, unclear, or not useful. Multimedia content may lack captions or context.

This limits usability for anyone relying on assistive technologies. Alt text should explain the purpose of the image, not just describe it. Media accessibility should be reviewed as part of standard editorial and production checks.

Assuming tools or platforms will handle accessibility

Automated tools can catch basic issues, but they do not account for context or usability. Content may pass checks and still be difficult to navigate. A more effective approach:

  • Use tools for initial checks
  • Validate outputs manually
  • Build team awareness to catch issues during production

If you are looking to strengthen accessibility across your publishing workflows, explore our accessibility services. We help teams identify gaps, improve processes, and deliver content that meets accessibility standards consistently.