Case Study: How Tienskip Engages Youth in Democracy Through Accessible Design
Project Overview
Client: Tienskip
Timeline: January - June 2024
Challenge: Create a digital platform that makes democratic processes accessible and engaging for young people in Friesland.
The Challenge
Tienskip approached me with a clear mission: to increase youth participation in local democratic processes. Research had shown that young people in Friesland felt disconnected from traditional politics, not because they were uninterested, but because the systems weren't designed with them in mind.
The challenge was multifaceted:
- Create a platform that speaks to youth in their language (both literally and figuratively)
- Make complex democratic processes understandable and relevant
- Ensure accessibility for all young people, including those with disabilities
- Design for both Frisian and Dutch speakers
- Build something that would actually be used, not just admired
The Human-Centered Design Process
1. Discovery and Research
We began with extensive research, including:
- Interviews with 15 young people aged 14-24 from diverse backgrounds
- Workshops with local government representatives
- Analysis of existing youth engagement platforms
- Accessibility audits of current civic participation tools
Key insights revealed that young people wanted:
- Clear, jargon-free explanations of how decisions affect their daily lives
- Ways to participate that fit into their existing digital habits
- Visual representations of complex processes
- Recognition for their contributions
2. Design Principles
Based on our research, we established these guiding principles:
- Simplicity over comprehensiveness - Focus on clarity rather than exhaustive detail
- Visual storytelling - Use illustrations and infographics to explain concepts
- Multilingual by default - Equal support for Frisian and Dutch
- Accessibility as foundation - Not an afterthought
- Mobile-first design - Meet young people where they are
3. Design and Development
The design process involved:
- Collaborative wireframing sessions with youth representatives
- Regular prototype testing with the target audience
- Accessibility testing throughout development
- Performance optimization for users with limited data plans
Key Features
Interactive Decision Maps
We created visual "decision maps" that show how local government decisions impact specific aspects of young people's lives. Users can explore topics like education, transportation, or recreation to see current initiatives and how they can get involved.
Simplified Participation Pathways
Rather than expecting young people to understand traditional civic processes, we created clear "pathways" with step-by-step guidance on how to:
- Submit ideas to local councils
- Join youth advisory boards
- Participate in public consultations
- Start community initiatives
Bilingual Content Strategy
All content is available in both Frisian and Dutch, with easy language switching. We worked with youth writers to ensure the tone was appropriate and engaging rather than formal or bureaucratic.
Accessibility Features
- High contrast mode
- Screen reader optimization
- Keyboard navigation
- Reading level indicators
- Text-to-speech functionality
- Simplified language options
Technical Implementation
The site was built using:
- Eleventy as a static site generator
- Progressive enhancement principles
- Minimal JavaScript to ensure performance
- SVG animations for visual engagement
- Service workers for offline functionality
Results and Impact
Since launching in June 2024:
- 1,200+ young people have registered on the platform
- 45 youth-initiated proposals have been submitted to local councils
- 3 proposals have already been implemented by municipalities
- Average session time is 8.5 minutes (compared to <1 minute on previous government youth sites)
- 94% of users rate the platform as "easy to understand"
Accessibility Achievements
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliance across all pages
- Usability testing with youth with various disabilities showed 92% task completion rate
- Received recognition from the Dutch Accessibility Foundation
Lessons Learned
- Youth co-creation is essential - Having young people involved at every stage ensured relevance
- Language matters - The effort to create truly youth-friendly content took longer than expected but proved crucial
- Accessibility benefits everyone - Features designed for users with disabilities improved the experience for all users
- Start with mobile - Over 85% of youth access came through mobile devices
Conclusion
The Tienskip platform demonstrates that civic engagement tools can be both accessible and engaging when designed with and for the actual users. By prioritizing human-centered design principles and accessibility, we created a platform that not only looks good but actually achieves its mission of increasing youth participation in democracy.
This project reinforced my belief that the most effective digital tools for social impact don't just solve technical problems—they address human needs in ways that feel natural and intuitive to the people using them.
If you're working on a project aimed at increasing civic participation or youth engagement, I'd love to discuss how human-centered design could help. Contact me to start a conversation.