Accessing Tableau dashboards with screen-reader technology
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Tableau is a software for visualizing data. Some DEED data products include visual Tableau dashboards. These dashboards display charts, maps, and tables. For many dashboards, the data that the dashboard is built from can be downloaded as an excel spreadsheet via a hyperlink that appears in the webpage above the Tableau dashboard.
The following is a guide for interacting with Tableau dashboards using screen-reader technology. Specific commands or quick keys may differ among screen-reader software. Guidance below is provided for JAWS and NVDA.
Please contact EconomicAnalysis.DEED@state.mn.us (DEED) for feedback and input for this reference guide.
JAWS commands
Identifying a Tableau dashboard embedded in a webpage
Tableau dashboards are embedded in webpages as iframes. A Tableau dashboard iframe title is generated by Tableau and will read "data visualization."
Table 1: Identifying a Tableau dashboard embedded in a webpage
| Description | Quick Key |
|---|---|
| Identify all frames in a webpage | INSERT+F9 to activate list feature |
| Locate embedded Tableau dashboard in the webpage | M. You can also use TAB until you enter the Tableau dashboard application. |
| Enter the Tableau dashboard | ENTER |
Navigating within a Tableau dashboard
Note: Tableau software has its own set of keyboard commands which may not align with the commands of standard assistive technologies. The interaction between Tableau's keyboard commands and JAWS or other screen-reader commands may produce unexpected results. Here is a Tableau-created guide on keyboard accessibility for Tableau on the web.
Screen readers have two main modes: browse mode and focus mode (sometimes called forms mode). Using browse mode within a tableau dashboard will "skip" some objects in the dashboard. Therefore, use the TAB key (SHIFT+TAB key) to navigate a Tableau dashboard.
Table 2: Navigating within a Tableau dashboard
| Description | Quick Key |
|---|---|
| Navigate between Objects in the dashboard | TAB (SHIFT+TAB) |
| Activate a hyperlink (redirect) | ENTER |
| Activate a dashboard button | ENTER or SPACEBAR |
Using filters in a Tableau dashboard
There are different types of filters that can appear in a Tableau dashboard. When you encounter a filter, alt text has been used to announce the type of filter.
Table 3: Using filters in a Tableau dashboard
| Description | Quick Key |
|---|---|
| Activate filter | ENTER |
| Navigate to the first item in a filter list | TAB |
| Navigate items in a SINGLE CHOICE filter | DOWN or UP ARROW |
| Check or uncheck an item in a SINGLE CHOICE filter | SPACEBAR or ENTER |
| Navigate items in a MULTI-SELECT filter | ALT+RIGHT ARROW (ALT+LEFT ARROW) |
| Check or uncheck an item in a MULTI-SELECT filter | CTRL+SPACEBAR |
| Navigate to the filter's apply button (if relevant) | TAB |
| Activate the apply button | ENTER |
| Exit a filter | ESC |
Interacting with a chart or graph within a Tableau dashboard
When encountering a chart or graph on a Tableau dashboard, you can choose to open the data window to display the underlying data of the chart or graph. Alternatively, you can choose to enter into the chart or graph and interact with the marks within the visualization.
Table 4: Interacting with a chart or graph within a Tableau dashboard
| Description | Quick Key |
|---|---|
| Enter into a visualization (when the focus is on the visualization) | ENTER |
| Open the data window | SHIFT+ENTER |
| Navigate the menu items in the data window | TAB |
| Navigate the data cells in the data window | RIGHT, LEFT, UP, and DOWN ARROW |
| Close the data window | CTRL+F4 |
| Enter into a chart or graph (a visualization) | ENTER |
| Activate navigation of marks in a chart or graph | ENTER |
| Navigate between marks in a chart or graph | RIGHT, LEFT, UP, and DOWN ARROW |
| Select (or activate) a mark in a chart or graph | SPACEBAR (You will hear the screen reader announce "mark." Press SPACEBAR at this point to activate/select the mark.) |
| Exit the chart or graph and move to the next Object in the dashboard | ESC or TAB |
NVDA Commands
Identifying a Tableau dashboard embedded in a webpage
Tableau dashboards are embedded in webpages as iframes. Using browse mode, tab until the screen reader announces "Application." If in focus mode, the screen reader announces "Data Visualization Frame."
Table5: Identifying a Tableau dashboard embedded in a webpage
| Description | Quick Key |
|---|---|
| Locate embedded Tableau dashboard in the webpage |
TAB until you enter the Tableau dashboard application. In browse mode, "Application" will be announced. In focus mode, "Data Visualization Frame" will be announced. |
Navigating within a Tableau dashboard
Note: Tableau software has its own set of keyboard commands which may not align with the commands of standard assistive technologies. The interaction between Tableau's keyboard commands and NVDA or other screen-reader commands may produce unexpected results. Here is a Tableau-created guide on keyboard accessibility for Tableau on the web.
Screen readers have two main modes: browse mode and focus mode (sometimes called forms mode). Using browse mode within a tableau dashboard will "skip" some objects in the dashboard. Therefore, use the TAB key (SHIFT+TAB key) to navigate a Tableau dashboard.
Table 6: Navigating within a Tableau dashboard
| Description | Quick Key |
|---|---|
| Navigate between Objects in the dashboard | TAB (SHIFT+TAB) |
| Activate a hyperlink (redirect) | ENTER |
| Activate a dashboard button | ENTER or SPACEBAR |
Using filters in a Tableau dashboard
There are different types of filters that can appear in a Tableau dashboard. When you encounter a filter, alt text has been used to announce the type of filter.
Table 7: Using filters in a Tableau dashboard
| Description | Quick Key |
|---|---|
| Activate filter | ENTER |
| Navigate to the first item in a filter list | TAB |
| Navigate items in a SINGLE CHOICE filter | DOWN or UP ARROW |
| Check or uncheck an item in a SINGLE CHOICE filter | SPACEBAR or ENTER |
| Navigate items in a MULTI-SELECT filter |
After navigating to the first item in a filter list, ensure that NVDA is in Focus Mode. You can switch between Focus Mode and Browse Mode using the NVDA key + SPACEBAR. Once in Focus Mode, to navigate items in a multi-select filter: DOWN or UP ARROW |
| Check or uncheck an item in a MULTI-SELECT filter (Once in Focus Mode) | SPACEBAR |
| Navigate to the filter's apply button (if relevant) | TAB |
| Activate the apply button | ENTER |
| Exit a filter | ESC |
Interacting with a chart or graph within a Tableau dashboard
When encountering a chart or graph on a Tableau dashboard, you can choose to open the data window to display the underlying data of the chart or graph. Alternatively, you can choose to enter into the chart or graph and interact with the marks within the visualization.
Table 8: Interacting with a chart or graph within a Tableau dashboard
| Description | Quick Key |
|---|---|
| Enter into a visualization (when the focus is on the visualization) | ENTER |
| Open the data window | SHIFT+ENTER |
| Navigate the menu items in the data window | TAB |
| Navigate the data cells in the data window | RIGHT, LEFT, UP, and DOWN ARROW |
| Close the data window | CTRL+F4 |
| Enter into a chart or graph (a visualization) | ENTER |
| Activate navigation of marks in a chart or graph | ENTER |
| Navigate between marks in a chart or graph | RIGHT, LEFT, UP, and DOWN ARROW |
| Select (or activate) a mark in a chart or graph | SPACEBAR (You will hear the screen reader announce "mark." Press SPACEBAR at this point to activate/select the mark.) |
| Exit the chart or graph and move to the next Object in the dashboard | ESC or TAB |
Downloading the data from a Tableau dashboard (JAWS and NVDA)
Tableau dashboards are embedded in a webpage as an iframe. There are three options for downloading data from a Tableau dashboard.
- Option 1: Download data using the hyperlink above the embedded dashboard in the webpage.
- Step 1: Search for the hyperlink in the webpage above the embedded dashboard that says, "Download the Excel data."
- Step 2: Select the hyperlink.
- Step 3: An accessible excel spreadsheet containing the same information as the Tableau dashboard is downloaded into your downloads folder.
- Option 2: Download data from the data window.
- Step 1: Navigate to a chart, map, or table in the dashboard.
- Step 2: Press SHIFT+ENTER, SHIFT+ENTER (Use this command twice.)
- Step 3: The data window will open on the screen.
- Step 4: Use the TAB key until you get to the "Download" button.
- Step 5: Press ENTER.
- Step 6: The data is downloaded into your downloads folder as a .csv file.
- Option 3: Use the download button that is in the bottom ribbon of the embedded dashboard. (Note: The screen reader may not announce the names of the selection options in Step 6 below. In this case, use Option 1 or Option 2 above.)
- Step 1: Use TAB until you navigate to the bottom ribbon. The first button focused on the bottom ribbon says, "View on Tableau Public."
- Step 2: Use the RIGHT ARROW key to navigate to the download button.
- Step 3: Press ENTER to open the download options.
- Step 4: Press the DOWN ARROW key to focus on "Crosstab."
- Step 5: Press ENTER. This opens the "Download Crosstab" dialog box.
- Step 6: Use the DOWN and UP ARROW keys to focus on which sheet on the dashboard you want to download the data for. (For example, "table," or "map.")
- Step 7: Press ENTER to select the sheet of your choice.
- Step 8: Press TAB.
- Step 9: Use the RIGHT and LEFT ARROW keys to select Excel or CSV format for download
- Step 10: Press TAB to navigate to the download button.
- Step 11: Press ENTER to initiate the download.
- Step 12: The data is downloaded into your downloads folder.
Resources and Future accessibility updates
Keyboard guide from Tableau: Keyboard Accessibility for Tableau on the Web - Tableau
Tableau software periodically provides updates to its accessibility. A list of accessibility improvements by release number can be accessed here.
Please contact EconomicAnalysis.DEED@state.mn.us (DEED) for feedback and input for this reference guide.