Accessible Website Relaunch at the University of Siegen

Organizational Units

Editors

Pages Migrated

The XIMS CMS had been in use since 2003. At some point, it became technically impossible to further develop it—no modern API, no active vendor support, and no way to meet current accessibility or security standards. At the same time, the system had grown so significantly over two decades that replacing it without disrupting operations became a challenge of its own magnitude.

The university has a decentralized structure: over 1,200 organizational units, dedicated editorial teams for each faculty and department, and student assistants. A simple 1:1 migration was therefore out of the question. The new system had to not only reflect this complexity—it was designed to actively simplify it.

• In use since 2003 – no active manufacturer support, no modern API
• Not compliant with BITV 2.0 / WCAG 2.1 – no longer legally permissible
• No responsive design, no mobile usability
• Integration with HISinOne or Shibboleth not possible
• 100,000+ pages without a uniform structure or export functionality
• Not GDPR-compliant – lack of control over third-party integrations

• Migration from a 20-year-old proprietary CMS (XIMS) with hundreds of thousands of pages
• Integration with the existing campus management system HISinOne (UNISONO)
• Parallel system operation during migration—without downtime
• Integration with the university-wide authentication system (Shibboleth)
• High performance despite complex content structures

• Hundreds of decentralized editors in faculties, departments, and administrative offices
• Complex organizational structures with varying responsibilities
• Preservation of editorial autonomy while ensuring centralized quality assurance
• Involvement of student assistants for professors
• Training and onboarding of over 1,000 editors

• Full accessibility in accordance with BITV 2.0 and WCAG 2.1 Level AA
• GDPR-compliant implementation of all features and integrations
• Responsive design for optimal use on all devices
• Long-term maintainability and future-proofing of the system

• User Research with Stakeholders and Target Audiences
• Accessible Design System in Figma
• Modular, Reusable Components
• User-Centered Information Architecture
• Consistent Design Tokens
• Content Structuring and Editing

• BITV 2.0 / WCAG 2.1 Level AA Compliance
• Automated & Manual Testing
• In-house-developed a11y widget
• Accessible content management system
• GDPR-compliant cookie consent
• Testing with assistive technologies

• PROGRESSIVE Drupal Distribution
• Complex Migration from XIMS
• HISinOne & Shibboleth Integration
• Responsive Front-End Development
• Optimized Caching
• 1:1 Implementation of the Design System

• Managed Hosting with SLAs
• 24/7 Monitoring & Alerts
• Continuous Development
• Security Updates
• Git Workflow & Deployment
• Internal Wiki, Support & Training

Dynamic interfaces synchronize people, roles, and organizational structures directly from the campus management system. Contact information and organizational charts are updated automatically. Manual maintenance is no longer necessary.

One of the first AI assistants at a German university. Locally indexed university knowledge, specialized agents for each service area, multilingual support. Fully compliant with data protection regulations—without reliance on an external cloud.

Automatic translation via the DeepL API, supplemented by editable subject-matter glossaries. Terminology remains consistent across all subject areas—eliminating the need for manual translation.

A single login for the CMS, email, and learning platform—using university-wide login credentials. User management is handled centrally, so no additional password management is required. This enhances security and makes everyday life easier for users.

Accessibility is integrated throughout the entire project—from the design guidelines all the way through to implementation. The in-house Progressive Accessibility Widget provides editors with real-time guidance as they work. No additional effort later on, no extra steps.

Publications and research achievements are automatically displayed for each individual—directly linked to the university’s organizational structure. Who is researching what, and where: this is visible at a glance.