Abstract: A system and method for dynamically generating a textual description for a visual data representation is provided. The method accesses a data set and visual template associated with a visual data representation. A textual description template is also accessed. The visual template is interpreted using the textual description template and data from the data set. As the visual template is interpreted, a textual description is generated corresponding to the visual data representation. The system and method may be initiated by a user request or a command based on some other event such as the passage of time, a change to data in the data set, or the like. The textual description may be generated dynamically in response to a request or previous to, and in anticipation of, a request from a user.