Kraków w dobrym kierunku – A Modern Platform for Monitoring the City’s Strategy
About project
"Kraków w Dobrym Kierunku" is a modern internet platform created for the Kraków City Hall, designed for the transparent presentation of progress in achieving the city's strategic development goals. The aim of the project was to transform complex data into a readable and visually attractive service that builds trust between the city and its residents. The website combines an informational function with an interactive presentation of city indicators, placing the highest emphasis on digital accessibility (WCAG) and consistency with the magistrate's information policy.
Problem:
The need to create a digital tool that presents hundreds of Kraków’s development indicators to a wide audience in an accessible way. Challenges included:
- Accessible presentation of statistics – the necessity to turn dry numbers into visualizations understandable for residents.
- Full digital accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA) – the legal and ethical requirement to ensure access to content for all citizens, including people with disabilities.
- Responsive embedding of external data – the challenge of ensuring the readability of Power BI reports on mobile devices while maintaining UX standards.
- Editorial independence – the need to create a system where officials can edit data without programming support.
- Performance and speed of operation – ensuring the smooth loading of the page with a large number of interactive elements.
Actions taken:
- Implementation of a dedicated CMS system: We used the WordPress engine along with an advanced configuration of ACF Pro fields, which allowed for the creation of a secure and official-friendly administrative backend.
- Building a modular interface: We created a library of over 25 components (blocks), allowing the editorial team to freely shape the content layout on subpages.
- Implementation of data visualizations: We applied the Nivo and Chart.js libraries, which generate interactive charts (bar, pie, progress bars) directly from data entered in the CMS panel.
- Optimization of external embeds: We configured containers for Power BI reports in such a way as to ensure maximum possible responsiveness and a correct appearance on smartphones.
- Rigorous adaptation to WCAG: We implemented an appropriate header structure, contrasts, keyboard navigation, and ARIA labels, which allowed for the achievement of full digital accessibility.
- Integration with Social Media: We implemented a module displaying content from city channels (e.g., Instagram), increasing the reach of the city’s promotional campaign.
Solution to the Problem:
The new service fully realizes the transparency strategy of the Miasto Kraków:
- Intuitive administrator panel, which shortened the time required to publish new statistical data.
- Full accessibility (RWD and WCAG), allowing residents to track the city’s development on any device, regardless of physical limitations.
- Clear visualization of city successes, which educates and informs about real changes in public space.
- A modern image of e-administration, building a professional image of Kraków as an innovative city.
Client Achievements:
- Successful implementation of the portal monitoring the city’s strategy (https://wdobrymkierunku.krakow.pl/).
- Ensuring 100% digital accessibility of public information in accordance with legal standards.
- Simplification of communicating complex data through the use of interactive charts.
- Building a lasting information tool that can be easily scaled to include further thematic areas.
Dlaczego my?
- Experts in WordPress for the public sector – we know how to combine CMS flexibility with security and accessibility requirements.
- WCAG Specialists – designing for digital accessibility is our standard, not an add-on.
- Experience working with government offices – we understand the processes and communication standards in public institutions.
- Attention to technical details – from loading time optimization to the precise fitting of UI components.
Further Cooperation:
- Maintenance and Security: Constant monitoring of system stability and regular security updates.
- Functional Development: Adding new data presentation modules in response to the needs of the editorial team.
- Analytics: Support in traffic analysis to identify the strategy areas of most interest to residents.
New Opportunities:
- Data Download (Open Data): Implementation of functions to export indicators to CSV/XLS files for residents and analysts.
- Expansion with a Map Module: The possibility of future integration with interactive investment maps.
- Surveys and Feedback: Adding tools to collect resident opinions directly under the presented data.
