# 12. Understand Tables, Charts and Slides

> Recover structure, labels, order and values before asking for interpretation.

[Confident with AI course contents](https://charli.info/training/confident-with-ai/)

Part Three: Understand Images and Visual Information

Recover structure, labels, order and values before asking for interpretation.

**Estimated time:** 10 minutes. **Last reviewed:** 11 August 2026.

## What you need to know

This page stands alone. No previous AI knowledge is required. You need access to an AI assistant only for the activity.

**Learning outcome:** By the end, you will request a structured representation and trace conclusions back to its values.

## The lesson

A fluent summary may capture a chart’s general shape while getting the underlying data wrong.

For tables, request column headings and each row in a consistent order.

For slides, preserve slide order, headings, body text and the distinction between printed content and interpretation.

### For charts

- Title and chart type.
- Horizontal and vertical axes.
- Units, scale and range.
- Legend categories and colours or patterns.
- Exact labelled values or clearly marked estimates.
- Trend or conclusion only after the data account.

### Prefer the source data

When values matter, obtain the accessible source table or data file if one exists. Treat an image-based reconstruction as an intermediate access route, not automatically as the authoritative dataset.

## Try it

Take one non-sensitive table, chart or slide. Ask first for structure and values, then for a short interpretation that identifies uncertainty.

## Checkpoint

You can trace every important conclusion back to a label or value in the structured account.

- Previous: [11. Read Documents, Forms and Screenshots](https://charli.info/training/confident-with-ai/modules/11-read-documents-forms-and-screenshots/)
- [Course contents](https://charli.info/training/confident-with-ai/)
- Next: [13. Create Your First Image](https://charli.info/training/confident-with-ai/modules/13-create-your-first-image/)

## About this course

*Confident with AI* was created by Charli-Jo Tyrer in association with the Technology Association of Visually Impaired People (TAVIP).

Licensed under [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).