Accessibility comes first in the Helsinki metropolitan area Service Map

Helsinki metropolitan area Service Map

Customer

Helsingin kaupunki

Challenge The aim was to develop the accessibility of the Service Map so that it would serve all user groups equally.

Results The accessibility of the Service Map has been continuously improved so that it serves more and more users.

Benefits The Service Map is available to an even wider range of users.

The Accessibility Statement of the Act on the Provision of Digital Services, which binds public actors, entered into force in 2019. Superb accessibility is one of the key principles in the digital Service Map of the Helsinki metropolitan area. The project is developed in cooperation with the City of Helsinki, Nitor, and accessibility experts.

The world's most accessible Service Map

The Helsinki metropolitan area Service Map is an open-source online service developed and maintained by the City of Helsinki allowing residents and visitors to the Helsinki metropolitan area to find available services and their information, such as opening hours, contact information and accessibility information. The City of Helsinki has been developing the Service Map for more than 10 years. A revised, more accessible Service Map was published in January 2020.

Easier access to information for more than 15,000 service locations

The Service Map is most often used to search for locations and view their information. The Service Map includes information on more than 15,000 services, ranging from libraries and schools to gyms and sports. Due to their diversity, information must be presented as clearly as possible to all users, regardless of their sensory or cognitive impairments.

The City of Helsinki requires WCAG 2.0 level AA for its services. Although map services are not covered by the Accessibility Statement, the information in the Service Map about the services locations can also be utilized without the map itself. The site also supports the use of tools such as a screen reader.

Photos: City of Helsinki, Shutterstock

2020

renewed Service Map

6 m

Users in 2020

+20 %

Growth in visitors in 2020

An open-source solution

The Service Map is built using open data and open-source code. The source code for the map can be found on GitHub and its further development is encouraged. Map data is retrieved from the OpenStreetMap and is copyrighted by the authors of OpenStreetMap. Route information is imported into our service from HSL's journey planner.

The Service Map collects information through several interfaces

The Service Map’s interfaces provide data about the locations and services displayed on the map through open programming interfaces. On the Service Map, you will find public offices in Espoo, Helsinki, Kauniainen and Vantaa, and their services, such as schools, kindergartens, health centers. In addition, the Service Map shows many other services, such as HSY's recycling points and Aalto University's services. Private services, such as tourist destinations, are added to the Service Map via the MyHelsinki interface, while, for example, events are obtained via the Linked Events interface and bookable spaces through the Varaamo online service.

The data is available in REST, WFS and XML formats. In addition, data can be downloaded in JSON format via the map interface of the Service Map. Service Map Backend API open interface is also available for application developers.

The Service Map utilizes the Material UI library. The comprehensive UI library provides tools for design work and accelerates development. However, the accessibility of the libraries is not fully reliable. Some accessibility issues were found in the Material UI library.

I am pleased with our technology choices and, in particular, the city’s principle of open-source. For example, the Material UI library has improved its accessibility tremendously since we introduced it.

Mikko Saarinen, Developer, Service Map

Service Map helps different type of users

Accessibility is the most important design principle
The Service Map guides residents to always find the most up-to-date information about the services offered by the city as well as their accessibility. The Service Map is designed and implemented with the principle of accessibility first.

Relevant accessibility information makes using services easier
The user can select the accessibility settings that suit them from the Service Map, in which case the service providers can provide the user with relevant accessibility information. If, for example, the user selects “I use a rollator” as the accessibility setting, the retrieved location page will show instructions for moving with a rollator and, at the same time, warn of possible obstacles. Settings can be found, for example, for hearing aid users, the visually impaired and people with reduced mobility.

Services throughout the Helsinki metropolitan area
The Helsinki metropolitan area Service Map can also be limited to a specific city including Espoo, Helsinki, Kauniainen and Vantaa. When selecting a city, the search results include service locations from that city only. If you do not select any specific city, the search will target all cities.

User interface design to meet different needs
The presentation of the service location data with the user interface solution had to be balanced between three main uses. For a screen reader user, the page elements should be in a clear order and the page should not contain surprising dynamic or interactive elements. For sighted users, there should not be too much visible information on screen and navigation should not require multiple clicks. In addition, the structure of the page should be easy to understand and no complicated or ambiguous language should be used in the user interface. Prototypes of the different solutions were drawn, and together with accessibility experts the team chose the best options.

Maintaining accessibility requires active consideration in development as well as ongoing testing. However, by making accessibility an active part of development, the team's goal remains clear and the development of individual activities is effective.

Aleksi Peiponen, Developer, Service Map

Results with multidisciplinary cooperation

Cooperation with accessibility experts began as early as 2015 when the Service Map was developed to meet the requirements of the “Accessibility Considered” certificate together with Annanpura Oy, owned by the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired. Today, Siteimprove's Tero Pesonen acts as the Service Map's accessibility expert.

When designing digital services, every decision ultimately is reflected in the emphasis of the service being designed. For example, do you want to build the experience focused on the use of a screen reader, or is technical support for the screen reader in line with the WCAG standard enough? The Service Map is designed on the principle of accessibility first, which means that the user experience is as effortless as possible for its various user communities.

The City of Helsinki also cooperates with other municipal actors. For example, the City of Turku has developed a high-contrast map template for its own Service Map, which is also utilized by the Helsinki metropolitan area Service Map.

More information

Mirjam Heikkinen
Project manager
City of Helsinki
mirjam.heikkinen@hel.fi

Henna Niemi
Project manager
City of Helsinki
henna.niemi@hel.fi