Access for All is a Swiss foundation focused on digital accessibility. As a competence centre and certification body, it supports organisations in making digital services more accessible through consulting, testing, certification, training, and publicly available accessibility resources.

The foundation works with public institutions, companies, and organisations, and its mission is closely tied to digital inclusion for people with different disabilities. It also regularly publishes accessibility studies and helps raise awareness of accessibility standards and practices in Switzerland and neighbouring countries.

On this project, we worked in partnership with Assistive Technology AG, our long-time partners on multiple projects. Together, we supported Access for All in shaping a new software solution that could expand and modernise the way accessibility testing is performed.

Access for All already had a tool used for web accessibility testing, but it was tied to a single standard. Their work was broader than website checks alone, and their future needs were broader, too.

They needed a system that could support different accessibility standards, adapt to evolving requirements, and handle a wider range of testing scenarios across digital and physical environments.

Their goal was to create a configurable platform that would not be locked to current standards, specific types of assessments, or one testing model. The system needed to support both manual and automated testing, generate structured reports, and remain flexible enough to accommodate evolving standards, diverse use cases, and accessibility testing for physical environments such as buildings and street infrastructure.

There was another important layer to solve. Access for All needed a multi-tenant setup that would keep data fully separated across different organisations and end clients. That was essential for serving public-sector entities, foundations, and third parties through one platform without mixing data or workflows.

On top of that, the product had to stay usable for a highly specialised audience, including accessibility experts and testers with disabilities. That raised the bar significantly. The system could not just be technically flexible. It also had to be practical, intuitive, and tested against real user needs from day one.

We started with a proof of concept, which later grew into a dedicated technical discovery phase. Over the course of a month, we translated high-level requirements into a clear system direction, defined the architecture, and documented key decisions that would guide the development phase.

A platform that doesn’t depend on a single standard

Instead of extending a limited tool, we built Accessibility Monitor, a configurable platform not tied to a single accessibility standard or testing type.

Available through the Access for All Foundation, the system allows standards to be defined and adjusted within the platform, making it adaptable to different regulatory requirements across countries and future changes.

This shifted the product from a fixed solution to a flexible system that can evolve over time.

Multi-tenancy without compromise on data separation

A key requirement was the ability to support multiple organisations on the same platform while keeping their data fully separated.

We implemented a multi-tenant architecture with a single API and separate databases for each tenant, supported by horizontal deployments. This approach simplified infrastructure while ensuring strict data isolation and eliminating the risk of cross-contamination between client environments.

Automation where it matters, control where it’s needed

The platform supports both automated and manual testing workflows. Automated testing enables the system to scan digital assets and generate reports, while manual testing remains essential for more complex or context-specific assessments, especially in physical environments. This balance ensures both efficiency and accuracy.

Usability tested in real conditions

Usability was a critical part of the solution, especially given the target users. We worked with real testers and validated workflows through practical use cases, ensuring that the system is intuitive and accessible. Instead of focusing on visual complexity, we prioritised clarity and ease of use, aligning the interface with the needs of accessibility professionals and users with disabilities.

Scalable architecture without unnecessary complexity

The platform is hosted on Azure and built as a modular monolith. This allowed us to maintain a clear structure while avoiding unnecessary complexity in the early stages. Authentication is handled through Microsoft Entra External ID, supporting the multi-tenant setup and simplifying identity management across different organisations.

Access for All now has a single, unified platform capable of supporting accessibility testing across websites, buildings, transport infrastructure, and any other environment. Whichever standards apply to their clients, they can cover it.

The multi-tenant architecture means the platform can be offered to third-party organisations as a standalone product, creating a new commercial avenue for the foundation alongside its core consulting and auditing work.

On the other hand, automated web testing reduces the time required to generate baseline accessibility reports, freeing the foundation's specialist testers to focus on the nuanced, lived-experience assessments that differentiate their offer.