Accessibility is becoming an increasingly important topic in today’s society. In the publishing sector as well, the issue is gaining traction—especially with the Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG) set to take effect in 2025. Until then, significant effort is being put into the development of tools to simplify workflows within companies and to optimally implement accessibility requirements.
Accessibility of Content and Products
In the first part of the guest lecture, Tobias Ott spoke about the accessibility of content and products.
“We have […] 276 working days left until our digitally published products must be fully accessible.” – Tobias Ott
With this statement, he emphasized the urgency of the topic, as there is still much to be done before the BFSG comes into force.
Ott highlighted that XML data provides the best foundation for producing accessible media, as 80% of the required information is already contained in the structured content. Additionally, the increasing automation of accessibility can be integrated into BPMN workflows. The goal, according to Ott, is to implement a kind of “accessibility traffic light” within processes so that content validation can take place even before media production begins.
Through an XML-first approach, various aspects—such as security settings, metadata, or logical reading order—can already be addressed. However, elements like font and background color, font sizes, and highlights only emerge during the layout phase.
Ott noted that InDesign still needs further development to support accessibility effectively, making PrintCSS and XML-first significantly more advantageous at this time.
Accessibility in Content Management
The second part of the lecture focused on accessibility in content management. Fabian Kern explained how a content management system (CMS) can help implement accessibility requirements already during content structuring and creation, automate tasks, integrate tools, and support staff.
“Semantic structure is, I’d say, more than half the battle when it comes to accessible products.” – Fabian Kern
Accessibility requires semantic depth and consistent navigation. This means every important document needs headings and a logical hierarchical structure. XML editors (like Fonto) and CMS platforms (like SiteFusion) can support and ensure this.
For content-relevant images, it’s crucial to provide alternative text descriptions so that people with visual impairments can access them. AI-based services can assist with this.
It is also important to be aware of the content language so screen readers can correctly pronounce and relay the text. XML schemas, editors, and tools support this through language selection during project setup or by simply tagging quotes and foreign language expressions.
Kern concluded by emphasizing that it’s essential to establish key requirements already during content creation. Employees can be supported through well-adapted editors, connected tools, and automation, and high-quality content is necessary for automating production into various accessible media formats.
This insightful guest lecture highlighted the growing relevance of accessibility in society and the challenges the BFSG poses for the publishing industry.
The SiteFusion User Group is a network of SiteFusion customers and partners who come together to exchange experiences and develop joint solutions. Once a month, the major SiteFusion User Group Monthly Meeting takes place, during which the latest system developments are presented, current topics are discussed, and interesting subjects are featured in guest presentations.