Lifting for the ZKB website

 
Zürcher Kantonalbank has a new face on the Internet. In addition to aesthetic aspects, the bank has set a milestone in terms of user-friendliness for people with disabilities. The website was designed by Metadesign, a Zurich-based agency specializing in branding and design, and went online after a good year of implementation. During this time, MetaDesign developed the concept for a complete new online presence in close collaboration with Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), usability experts and a technical implementation partner, according to a press release.
The agency for branding and corporate identity was awarded the contract because, according to ZKB, it was able to translate the brand promise "The close bank" and the corresponding brand values into a clear design principle. It was very important to both the client and the agency commissioned to realize an online presence that also provides easy access for people with disabilities. As Co-Managing Director Bruno Schmidt explained to Werbewoche, functions have been added that enable blind and motor-impaired people, among others, to make optimum use of the website. For example, the font size can be adjusted to suit visual performance. The site is also compatible with special Brwoser tools that are designed to meet the needs of blind people so that they can read texts aloud automatically. The navigation system has been structured in such a way that it is easy to use even for people with motor impairments: instead of stepped navigation points, users click on single menu items that lead to entire pages.
However, even more should be achieved in terms of user-friendliness. Frequently used functions should be easier to find, search functions have been improved, and ZKB customers should also be able to experience optimized usability in many other areas. As the project focused entirely on the question of how the ZKB brand should be felt on the website, the content was also revised in addition to the structure.
According to Schmidt, it is difficult to design a website that offers optimal usability for all possible users, allows other functions such as the connection to the database and at the same time integrates all aesthetically oriented new technologies. Flash and various other popular functions had to be dispensed with. Nevertheless, the Internet presence is pleasant to look at. The elaborate design, the many tests and the various improvements have paid off: The "Access for All" certification body awarded the website the highest level of accessibility.
 
Natalie Favre