Data tables are essential to the web but must be appropriately structured to be accessible. Heydon Pickering explains that while the advice to “not use tables for layout” was well-intentioned, some developers abandoned tables altogether, even for displaying tabular data.

Tables contain semantic information important for users of assistive technologies like screen readers. When tables are used for non-tabular content, it can confuse and frustrate these users. Heydon provides guidance on creating inclusive data tables that are screen reader accessible, responsive, and ergonomic for all users.