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Vertical vs horizontal layouts

Joe Julian Updated by Joe Julian

Vertical ↕ vs Horizontal ↔

Vertical columns of fields on a page are more accessible than horizontal rows. There's plenty of research to show this is true for all users, not just people with impairments. This is because vertical columns are easier to scan thus reducing cognitive load.

But that's not to say they don't also have specific benefits for people with impairments.

For example, a person with a visual impairment can use a screen reader to access the data in a vertical column, one line at a time. This is much easier than trying to scan a horizontal row of data, where the words may run together.

Similarly, a person with dyslexia may find it easier to read data in a vertical column, where the words are separated and easier to focus on.

Finally, a person with a mobility impairment may find it easier to navigate a webpage with vertical columns, using a keyboard. This is because they can move up and down the page, one column at a time, without having to move the cursor to the left or right.

If you are designing a webpage that displays data to employees with different roles and equipment, it is important to consider the accessibility of the data. Displaying data in vertical columns ↕ is one way to make your pages in Advanced HR more accessible to everyone.

If you want to read more we recommend this article from the World Wide Web Consortium and this article from the Baymard institute as good starting points. 👨‍🎓

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