Usability and Accessibility Seal Toolkit Published

Following the recognition of the need to simplify and improve the usability of of public digital services and ensure greater efficiency for citizens, the Agency for Administrative Modernisation, in collaboration with the National Institute for Rehabilitation, developed the Usability and Accessibility Seal.

This seal identifies and highlights the adoption of best practices in usability and accessibility on websites and applications, fostering continuous improvement through the achievement of the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. It is primarily aimed at Public Administration entities.

Usability and, more recently, User Experience are now essential concepts in the design of any digital presence. Concerns about user interaction, reducing frustration, and creating a pleasant browsing experience are especially relevant when applied to the digital presence of public sector bodies.

For people with disabilities, the selection of requirements took into account the basic principle that “before using, one must first be able to access”. In this context, it is crucial to eliminate all barriers preventing such users — particularly those who rely on assistive technologies — from accessing services and information available online. Only once access is guaranteed can usability be discussed.

The Seal is structured across three levels, representing different stages of effort, each certified by a Seal. The Bronze Seal certifies compliance with Level 1 requirements. The Silver Seal represents the intermediate level, and the Gold Seal is the highest, requiring user testing as well as compliance with of the Bronze and Silver requirements.

The Usability and Accessibility Seal is primarily intended for entities subject to compliance with Law no. 36/2011, of 21 June, which established the adoption of open standards in the State’s IT systems, leading to the creation of the National Regulation on Digital Interoperability (RNID). The most recent amendment to the legislation establishing the RNID (Law no. 36/2011, of 21 June, and Council of Ministers Resolution no. 2/2018, of 5 January) was introduced by Decree-Law no. 83/2018, of 19 October.

Adopting the Usability and Accessibility Seal enables public bodies not only to deliver better digital services but also to take an important step towards increasing their uptake by citizens.

For more information, consult:

• Usability and Accessibility Seal Toolkit (HTML), available on GitHub AMAGOVPT.

You can also find further resources on usability and web accessibility at:

• Usabilidade.gov.pt
• Acessibilidade.gov.pt
• National Institute for Rehabilitation website