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Accessible Walking Guide

Accessible walking guide for the city of Bruges

At Eleven Ways, creating a digital version of an existing physical flyer of walking tours through the city

  • Client: City of Bruges · Eleven Ways
  • Role: Project Manager

Vision

To transform the existing physical flyer for Bruges’ walking tours into a fully accessible digital version, ensuring that everyone can explore the city’s rich cultural and historical offerings. The goal was to create an inclusive experience that aligns with digital accessibility standards and best practices.

Scope

  • Digital recreation: Collaborated with an internal developer to build a fully accessible webpage that replicated the content and design of the original physical flyer.
  • Accessibility integration: Worked with an accessibility expert to create descriptive alt texts, ensure WCAG compliance for navigation, colour contrast, and keyboard usability, and advise on semantic HTML and ARIA labels.

Goals

  • Provide an inclusive digital experience for all users, including those with visual, auditory, or motor impairments.
  • Ensure the digital guide retained the charm and usability of the original physical flyer while improving accessibility.
  • Deliver a product that the client would be proud to share as a model for accessible tourism.

The Work

Some impressions of the work.

Cover of the physical Bruges walking guide: Oooh! Brugge, toegankelijk voor iedereen
Physical flyer of the walking guide
Visualisation of the accessible digital walking guide for desktop and mobile
Visualisation of the accessible digital version of the walking guide

The Team

  • Project Manager

    Oversee and guide the project from start to finish.

  • Accessibility specialist

    Inclusive design, alt text, and WCAG compliance.

  • Frontend developer

    Built the accessible webpage and implemented technical solutions.

  • Client stakeholders

    Representatives of the city of Bruges, providing feedback, usability input, and insight into end users.

My Contributions

  • Scope definition: Clarified the project’s objectives and deliverables, as the initial scope was ambiguous. Worked iteratively with the client to refine requirements and prioritize accessibility features.
  • Stakeholder coordination: Managed communication between the client, developers, and accessibility experts. Facilitated feedback loops to address concerns and adjust direction.
  • Problem-solving: Mediated discussions to resolve conflicts between design constraints and accessibility needs (e.g. balancing visual appeal with screen reader compatibility).
  • Quality assurance: Reviewed the developer’s work and the accessibility expert’s recommendations to ensure the final product met both technical and inclusivity standards.
  • Client satisfaction: Ensured the client’s vision was realized, despite the back-and-forth, by maintaining transparency and delivering a polished, user-friendly result.

Outcomes & Improvements

  • Accessible digital guide: Successfully launched a fully accessible webpage that allows users with disabilities to navigate Bruges’ walking tours independently.
  • Client satisfaction: The client was happy with the final product, which exceeded their initial expectations for accessibility and usability.
  • Lessons learned: Highlighted the importance of defining scope early and maintaining clear communication channels with stakeholders to avoid iterative revisions.
  • Future impact: Set a precedent for future projects at Eleven Ways, demonstrating the value of integrating accessibility from the outset.