A notice can be short and still make people work things out. “05/11 · reduced hours · back tomorrow” leaves several decisions to the reader: interpreting the date, finding the closing time and working out which day “tomorrow” means. Before adding another image to the display, write down what someone approaching the entrance needs to know.
1. Write out the month when the date matters
W3C WAI’s formatting and punctuation pattern explains that a numeric date can be interpreted differently depending on the language. Writing the month in words avoids that ambiguity. The guidance concerns web content; we use it here to prepare wording that still needs checking at the shop window. Read the WAI pattern.
For artwork with a withdrawal date, “November 5, 2026” identifies the day more clearly than an isolated number. The Spanish version, “5 de noviembre de 2026,” keeps the same date. Review the translation with a calendar beside you: translating the wording should not change the day in the notice.
2. Give each line a job
This composition example shows an exceptional schedule:
Special opening hours
November 5, 2026
Open 09:30–13:30
Next opening: November 6, 09:30
Web Accessibility Perspectives: Clear Layout and DesignLook at headings and reading order in the web example. Use that separation to check the notice’s date, hours and next opening.
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) · Reading order: date, hours and next opening
The heading announces the exception; the second line says when; the third gives the opening interval and the last answers when to return. Place any additional condition beside the information it qualifies. Keep the date within the same slide: a date slide and an hours slide may be seen separately.
3. Check the reading order
Temporarily remove the photograph and look at the wording alone. Is the date distinct from the hours? Does the next opening appear to belong to today’s schedule? Adjust the spacing before making the type smaller. Use the same order on the entrance sign so people can compare both notices without hunting for each detail.
Check the composition from the pavement under the light expected when it will appear. If the year or opening time disappears when viewed from one side, change the design and return to that viewing position. The computer draft helps prepare the artwork; the shop window lets you check it.
4. Check three answers before publishing
- On which date do the hours change?
- When can a customer enter on that date?
- When can they return after closing?
Ask another person to answer using only the notice. Correct any detail they have to guess. To coordinate publication and withdrawal across channels, continue with Special opening hours: from the shop window to the business profile.
Commentary by Pantallas Profesionales. Further reading: W3C WAI.