PL-300 Visualize and analyze the data Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are best practices for designing Power BI reports for accessibility? (Select TWO.)
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Provide alternative text for visuals.
Option A is correct because providing alternative text (alt text) for visuals lets screen readers announce a meaningful description of each chart, image, or shape, which is a core accessibility requirement in Power BI. Option C is correct because sufficient color contrast between text and background ensures that low-vision users and people viewing reports in bright environments can read content, and Power BI's Accessibility Checker flags insufficient contrast. Option B is not recommended because animations can distract users and may cause issues for people with cognitive or vestibular sensitivities, and they are not an accessibility best practice. Option D is not ideal because relying on color alone to differentiate data points excludes color-blind users; accessible designs should add labels, shapes, or patterns instead. Option E is wrong because small font sizes reduce readability; accessible reports should use legible font sizes rather than shrinking text to fit more data.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Provide alternative text for visuals.
Why this is correct
Alternative text for visuals in Power BI provides screen readers with a concise, meaningful description of the chart's message, not just its type. When you set alt text on a visual, it should convey the key insight or conclusion so users with visual impairments can understand the report without seeing the graphic. This is a WCAG 2.1 success criterion and a best practice because it makes the report's narrative accessible to all users, and it also helps when the report is exported or embedded where the visual itself might not render.
- ✗
Use animations to draw attention.
Why it's wrong here
Animations in a report may briefly attract the eye but they are often distracting and can cause discomfort or nausea for users with vestibular or motion-sensitivity conditions. Additionally, animations rarely convey information in a static, non-interactive context—such as a PDF export or a printed report—so they add visual noise without improving understanding. Best practice is to use static visual attributes like color, size, or position to highlight important data points, which are effective for all users and persist across all viewing modes.
- ✓
Ensure sufficient color contrast between text and background.
Why this is correct
Ensuring sufficient color contrast between text and its background is a core accessibility requirement because it directly affects legibility for users with low vision, color vision deficiencies, or who view reports in bright environments. The WCAG 2.1 AA guideline specifies a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, and Power BI theme colors should be tested against these thresholds. High contrast not only helps those with disabilities but also improves readability for everyone, making it a fundamental best practice for visual design.
- ✗
Use a variety of colors to differentiate data points.
Why it's wrong here
Using a variety of colors to distinguish data points might seem visually appealing, but color alone is not an accessible method of encoding information because about 8% of men and 0.5% of women have some form of color vision deficiency. If two data series are differentiated only by hue, many users will be unable to tell them apart, and the problem worsens in printed or grayscale outputs. The correct approach is to combine color with redundant cues such as patterns, shapes, labels, or data labels so that the information is accessible even without color perception.
- ✗
Use small font sizes to fit more data.
Why it's wrong here
Choosing small font sizes to display more data in a report sacrifices readability and defeats the purpose of the report, which is to communicate information clearly. Users with low vision or presbyopia may find small text impossible to read, and viewing on varying screen sizes or zoom levels further exacerbates the issue. Instead of shrinking text, report designers should prioritize the most important information, use a clear visual hierarchy, and let the report scroll or paginate if necessary—never compromise legibility for the sake of fitting more content.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every PL-300 question from scratch — 524 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PL-300 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PL-300 exam.