Accessibility as an opportunity: How the BFSG demands and promotes web agencies

It all started about a year ago in a typical lecture at the TH Cologne. Karam and I (Robin), two enthusiastic web development students, were sitting together in a front-end lecture when we made a startling discovery: Less than 10% of all websites are truly accessible to all people. This realization was an eye-opener - and the start of a journey that led us to a groundbreaking solution: “Accesstra ”.

Today, shortly before the Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG) comes into force, this issue is more topical than ever. But what exactly is the BFSG, why does it present web agencies with such major challenges and how is Accesstra revolutionizing the accessibility process?

What is the BFSG?

The BFSG implements the EU Directive on accessibility requirements for products and services. Our goal is to make digital offerings accessible to all people. Companies and public bodies are now obliged to meet the requirements of the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and the BITV (Barrier-free Information Technology Ordinance). What at first glance appears to be a technical formality is actually a major step towards inclusion.

Challenges for web agencies

For many web agencies, however, the new law represents a massive challenge. Most websites do not comply with the WCAG and BITV standards. At the same time, the demand for accessible solutions is increasing - often far beyond the capacity of many agencies.

The result? Projects fall through the cracks or are expensively outsourced. It seems almost impossible to meet the requirements in the given time.

Inclusion through innovation: the emergence of Accesstra

This is exactly where our innovation comes into play. Accesstra was born out of the need to find a new way. Existing tools offered limited support and left agencies alone with complex problems. We wanted to change that. Our goal was to develop a tool that would not only work faster, but also deliver more accurate results - revolutionizing the entire accessibility process.

Despite numerous opinions stating that the limit of automated testing is 30%, we were convinced that we could overcome this limit. So we succeeded in developing an innovation that currently already checks 50% of the WCAG criteria automatically and can fix them using artificial intelligence.

How does Accesstra work?

Accesstra is based on a self-developed algorithm that automatically and precisely checks websites for accessibility. Unlike many existing tools, Accesstra is not limited to the surface, but goes into detail:

• Analysis of structures: It recognizes potential obstacles for users.
• AI-generated suggestions for improvement: These are clear and specific, with references to the relevant WCAG criteria.
• Practical implementation: It explains clearly how the changes can be made.

This in-depth analysis process enables web agencies to not only check the accessibility of their projects, but to make lasting improvements in a fraction of the time it would otherwise take.

Advantages for web agencies

Accesstra offers web agencies numerous advantages that go far beyond simply saving time:

• Time saving: Extensive web projects can be checked for accessibility in the shortest possible time - without any loss of quality.
• Cost reduction: Fewer manual tests mean less effort and a noticeable reduction in budget.
• Customer satisfaction: Faster and higher quality results impress customers and encourage long-term loyalty.
• Competitive advantage: Agencies that approach accessibility proactively and efficiently secure a better market position - especially now that the topic is gaining relevance.

Conclusion: Accessibility as an opportunity for the future

At first glance, the BFSG may seem like a challenge, but it holds enormous opportunities. Companies and agencies that rely on accessible solutions now are not only protecting themselves legally, but are also taking on responsibility - a clear competitive advantage.

Ready to optimize your processes and implement accessibility efficiently?

Discover Accesstra and take your projects to a new level.

Together we create a digital world without barriers.