Ensuring accessibility

Thinking about digital accessibility from the very beginning
Digital services provided by the state must be accessible to everyone — regardless of individual abilities. At DigitalService, accessibility is integrated into development from the outset and in a practical way: through in-house tools, workshops, and specific methods that help systematically remove digital barriers and design user-friendly solutions for all.
Our goal: to make digital administrative services more inclusive, step by step — together with the administration.
Our initiatives for accessibility

How many people?
Everyone has different requirements when it comes to digital services. Our tool shows how many people in Germany with certain characteristics – such as disabilities or impairments – might use a service, and helps to derive specific measures for removing barriers.

Simulate accessibility personas
This browser extension can be used to simulate the user experience of people with impairments such as visual impairment or dyslexia. It helps identify and eliminate barriers on websites early in the development process.

Pizza-powered accessibility check
In a 90-minute workshop – our so-called “Pizza-powered accessibility check” – your own service can be tested for basic accessibility requirements. This includes using the “Simulate accessibility personas” extension.

Accessibility ambassadors
We are a diverse working group within DigitalService – from the fields of design, product management, software engineering, and user research – committed to promoting greater digital inclusion. Our goal is to share knowledge, raise awareness, and break down barriers together.
Contact: accessibility@digitalservice.bund.de
Blog posts about accessibility

No digital offering is barrier-free – how we want to change that
Accessibility is important for all DigitalService employees: there is already a mandatory module during onboarding. We show how the topic is also considered early on in our projects.

Making online services more inclusive: our user research on accessibility
To make online services accessible to all citizens, regular accessibility-focused testing is essential. This article (German only) highlights the methods and assistive technologies being used.

Building accessibility capability at Germany’s DigitalService through reuse
DigitalService promotes accessibility through mandatory training, a user evaluation tool, and practical formats — as described in the article, drawing inspiration from proven approaches in the UK.
On site at events
Upcoming events
Google Web AI Accessibility Day
When: June 17, 2025
Where: Berlin
11th Future Congress on State and Administration
When: June 23–25, 2025
Where: Berlin
Past events
Smart Country Convention
When: November 19, 2024
Where: Berlin
Materials: Presentation “No digital offering is barrier-free – how we change that”
Seventh Network Meeting on Digital Accessibility
When: November 19, 2024
Where: Berlin
Materials: Summary of the network meeting on digital accessibility