Accessibility is more important than ever, as people with disabilities are absolute power users of new technologies and mobile apps that make their lives easier. But they can only do so if these tools are accessible. That also applies to the Post-App. But how can the Post-App be developed in a way that’s completely accessible?

Digital infrastructure, data security, online retail and logistics chains are increasingly becoming the driving force behind Switzerland’s competitive edge and prosperity. That’s why Swiss Post plans to continue growing in these areas and is consistently aligning its services with its customers’ future needs. The aim is to make Swiss Post’s digital services accessible to everyone, including its terminals, website and smartphone app. And we wish to bring them as close as possible to our customers, while also continuing to develop them with our own in-house Accessibility department.

How we implement accessibility at Swiss Post

Firstly, the core element needs to be right – the diversity of our teams. A diverse working environment is the only way to ensure that the various requirements of people with disabilities are incorporated. That also includes employees with visual impairments or autism. As a company providing services and products for the entire Swiss population, the diversity of Swiss Post’s teams is vital.

Selecting the right technology is another important factor. Mobile devices have small screens, which means that intuitive and proven alternative reading/listening options are required. The tools must also meet user design requirements. After all, what we don’t want is a second-rate accessible app.

The design goes well beyond the look and feel of an app – the processes and integration into the core systems also have to be verified and modified. That includes processes that switch to a different app, which isn’t a good experience for an accessible approach.

Continual improvement and incorporation of feedback probably remain the key factors. Technologies are changing at a rapid pace, which also means that new opportunities are opening up all the time. The traditional user experience has evolved over recent decades – relatively speaking, the “accessible” user experience is still very young.

But suppliers also have to be taken into account. We migrated the Post-App to a new technology (.NET MAUI) in early summer 2023, and we are reliant on the technology suppliers for this. While the open-source framework is well developed and future-oriented, we expect to be able to make further optimizations in future. The same applies to the SwissID App provided by our subsidiary SwissSign, which we migrated to a new technology in autumn.

Reducing complexity step by step

Swiss Post’s umbrella app contains various services that are independent of one another, but are all located in the same place. For historical reasons, all these services were developed using different software/technology. In terms of the technical design, this means that the accessibility of every existing and new service has to be individually checked and improved where necessary.

We focus on the here and now. The aim is to enable customers to interact with Swiss Post or access its information and services easily, quickly and anywhere while on the go.

The early versions of the Post-App in 2010 included only the location search and the ability to check branch opening times. Today, the app brings together over ten of Swiss Post’s most-used online services – for example, direct franking of letters and parcels, track and trace, consignment management, integrated scanner software, use of My Post 24 terminals and management of collection notes. We naturally want to continue expanding the Post-App, which will also increase its complexity. Various interfaces in the background have to be high performance, and user expectations are growing – waiting times of 2–3 seconds are not considered acceptable. The Post-App’s data needs to be available 24/7, which means that maintenance windows must be announced in advance and kept very short.

And what about the accessibility of the Post-App?

We work on that every day. For example, we ask ourselves how someone who is blind can scan the right code on a parcel label when various options are available, or how they can find a My Post 24 terminal, navigate their way around a Swiss Post branch or locate ticket machines.

We aim to ensure that the design of our digital access points is WCAG-compliant and accessible right from the outset. Swiss Post’s in-house Accessibility department is in constant contact with accessibility testing institutes. They carry out regular expert reviews, during which the Post-App is tested time and again. We can always make improvements thanks to long-standing collaboration with our testing and certification body “Access for all” and with people who are directly affected.

Findings are then analysed and shared. Smaller issues, such as contrast, colours and reading flow, etc. are resolved rapidly, as quick wins. More complex shortcomings that involve structural modification need more time to tackle. Our developers are tasked with achieving the best possible solution with the resources, expertise and funds available.

Sometimes it is very difficult, or even impossible, to make services or solutions accessible in the Post-App − for example, claim cases that involve images and documents, or specific postage stamps that offer the ability to play a film.

For as long as the Post-App continues to be developed, it’s our job to ensure maximum accessibility.

About the author

Wolfgang Eger is CIO and Member of Executive Management. He has been Head of the Informatics/Technology unit since 2019 and was appointed a Member of Swiss Post Ltd Executive Management on 1 January 2022.