VRM improves
digital accessibility
With support for Drupal 7 ending, the Flemish Regulator for the Media VRM was in urgent need of a new website. We took care of migration to the latest secure version of Drupal, while also taking the opportunity to improve accessibility. This is how.
The question: upgrade website to UX & GDPR-compliant tool
The website of the Flemish Regulator for the Media VRM is the go-to source of information about rules imposed on the media in Flanders for the general public. It was created in Drupal 7, but technical support for that CMS system is ending in the new year, so an upgrade to Drupal 10 was advisable. The new website had to strengthen VRM’s digital communication, fulfil the specific GDPR and other requirements applicable to government websites (personal data protection), it had to be user-friendly, easy to administer and maintain, and scalable going forward. All those boxes were ticked.
The preparation: from analysis to design
We created a strategic step-by-step plan to address all the challenges in consultation with VRM. In this insight phase, we conducted a functional analysis focused on SEO optimisation, a clear navigational structure and an intuitive user experience. The technologies and tools needed to ensure top website performance were identified in a technical analysis. We then created an attractive UX design based on the Flemish government’s house style that is fully responsive and compatible with all browsers on the market.
The development: Drupal 10
We created the new website in Drupal 10, a powerful and secure CMS. Dynamic components, such as paragraphs, produce flexible, structured pages, while structured data makes the website more findable with search machines. We incorporated a number of practical extras to benefit the user experience, including the possibility for end users to compile their own reports and a text/image-to-speech screen reader for visual impaired people. Integration with the Flemish government’s access management system means users can also log in with their itsme account.
The delivery: testing, training & support
With the technical side of things sorted, we put the website through rigorous testing to check that all functionality worked as advertised. We also provided in-depth training to familiarise VRM staff with the new CMS. The website went live on 16 July 2024. But that wasn’t the end of it for us. Our Dev&tech team is in place to monitor performance and support VRM as it works to further improve its digital accessibility.
