Accessible and inclusive
(10)
Overview
A barrier-free website for the Accessibility Advisory Service, developed in collaboration with the Bavarian Chamber of Architects. The project created a digital presence that offers a truly inclusive experience for all users, regardless of their abilities.
Year
2021
For
Beratungsstelle Barrierefreiheit
Project overview
The central goal of this project was to design and implement a website that lives up to the promise of accessibility. From the beginning, the approach was inclusive: the design process started with interviews involving people with different impairments, allowing us to integrate their experiences and needs into the concept. Complementing this, a series of workshops defined detailed requirements, ensuring that the final platform was equally intuitive and usable for all audiences.
Initial requirements:
Developing a website that fully complies with accessibility standards.
Creating a clear navigation structure supported by barrier-free design components.
Building an appointment booking tool that is accessible for all users.
Ensuring the implementation aligns with BITV (German Barrier-Free Information Technology Ordinance) regulations.
Design elements:
A custom, unique icon set designed specifically for this project to clearly represent themes and navigation paths.
Structurally consistent layouts with barrier-free navigation patterns.
Flexible templates tested across multiple devices to ensure equal usability.
Clean typography and high-contrast color schemes to meet accessibility standards.
Process highlights:
Conducted user interviews and workshops to identify diverse accessibility needs.
Designed and implemented a fully accessible navigation concept and appointment booking system.
Created a custom icon set as a visual language to guide users through topics intuitively.
Performed extensive usability and accessibility tests to ensure compliance with BITV standards.
Collaborated closely with the Bavarian Chamber of Architects to align technical and design decisions with stakeholder requirements.
Lessons learned:
This project underlined important insights about inclusive design:
Accessibility is human-centered: Real user input from people with disabilities is invaluable for creating designs that work for everyone.
Design systems must adapt: Barrier-free components are not one-size-fits-all — they need to be tailored, tested, and refined through iteration.
Icons as language: A thoughtfully designed icon system can bridge gaps between complexity and clarity, enhancing usability for all user groups.
My role:
As part of the design team at ediundsepp, I was responsible for concept development, design, and execution. I created the custom icon set, developed accessible navigation structures, and supported usability testing. My work ensured that the final website not only met legal accessibility requirements but also provided an intuitive and engaging experience for all users.