The challenge
Local governments face a unique paradox: they are required to serve all categories of citizens simultaneously—from digitally native young people to seniors and people with disabilities—using resources and processes that are often designed for a single audience.
The existing website of the Chișineu-Criș City Hall reflected this tension. Although functional, it failed to communicate effectively with the citizens who needed it most. Announcements, forms, contests, and sections on decision-making transparency were difficult to access, the visual structure was outdated, and the platform did not comply with digital accessibility standards—effectively excluding a significant portion of the community.
Our mission was to transform a website into a functional public service.
Strategy
The starting point for any digital project in the public sector cannot be aesthetics, but the citizen. We approached the redesign through the lens of users’ actual needs: what they are looking for when they visit the city hall’s website, what obstacles they encounter, and what causes them to abandon the process.
We identified three strategic pillars that structured the entire process:
Accessibility as a right, not an option. Compliance with WCAG 2.2 standards (Levels A and AA) was not treated as a technical box to check, but as a design decision with a direct impact on people’s lives. The platform had to function properly for users with visual, motor, or cognitive impairments—including compatibility with screen readers, adequate contrast, and full keyboard navigation.
Architectural clarity for critical information. Forms, announcements, contests, and decision-making transparency are at the heart of the relationship between citizens and the administration. We restructured the information architecture so that these sections are immediately visible, easy to navigate, and quick to access—regardless of the device used.
Design that reflects institutional professionalism. A city hall is, above all, a public institution that citizens must be able to trust. The new interface conveys seriousness, transparency, and competence—without sacrificing clarity or accessibility.
The Solution
The process began with a comprehensive audit of the existing platform: analyzing the navigation structure, assessing accessibility compliance, and identifying the sections with the greatest impact on citizens.
Based on these findings, we developed a new information architecture built around actual usage flows. The sections for announcements, forms, contests, and decision-making transparency were visually and technically restructured for quick and intuitive access.
Implementing WCAG 2.2 standards involved interventions at multiple levels: semantic HTML structure, color contrast ratios, the behavior of interactive elements, compatibility with assistive technologies, and focus management for keyboard navigation. Each component was rigorously tested to ensure compliance with Levels A and AA.
The platform’s new visual identity reflects the institution’s official character: clean, well-organized, and designed for clarity—not for show.
A city hall website is not a communication project. It is a civic infrastructure. And like any public infrastructure, it must work for everyone.
Outcomes
The redesign of the Chișineu-Criș City Hall demonstrates that digital modernization in the public sector isn’t just about a fresh look—it’s about providing better service to citizens.
The new platform provides equal access to information for all user groups, improving the visibility of documents and public notices. WCAG 2.2 compliance positions the Chișineu-Criș City Hall among local governments that treat digital accessibility as a genuine responsibility toward the community.
The project confirms that a strategic approach and careful execution can transform any institutional platform—regardless of its starting point—into a tool for genuine connection between the administration and citizens.
