Relaunching a Public-Sector Platform with Modern UX and Scalable Infrastructure
Deutschland sicher im Netz e.V. (DsiN) is a non-profit organisation founded at the German federal Digital Summit to improve digital literacy among citizens, small businesses, and vulnerable groups. The organisation operates at the intersection of public policy, education, and cybersecurity — and required a modernised digital platform to reflect that role.
The previous website had become difficult to maintain and lacked the clarity, security, and flexibility required by DsiN's current programs. The organisation required a modernised digital platform to reflect its role at the intersection of public policy, education, and cybersecurity.
Client: Deutschland sicher im Netz e.V. (DsiN)
Location: Berlin, Germany
Category: Analysis, Planning, Design, Development, Implementation
The Challenge
The goal was to rebuild DsiN's main website from the ground up: structurally, visually, and operationally. Key priorities included mobile-first usability, simplified content management via WordPress, and seamless access to project pages, news, and events. The site needed to reflect the credibility of a federally endorsed institution — while remaining accessible to a wide, non-technical user base.
Additionally, DsiN required full editorial autonomy without the need for ongoing developer support, meaning the CMS had to be robust yet intuitive. While a member login area was initially considered, the final scope focused instead on scalable public content infrastructure, including dynamic learning modules, embedded booking tools, and end-to-end security.
“The site needed to reflect the credibility of a federally endorsed institution — while remaining accessible to a wide, non-technical user base.”
The Solution
Arckipel designed and implemented a custom WordPress platform using a modular, performance-optimised theme architecture. We worked entirely from scratch — avoiding templates or visual builders — to ensure clean performance, maintainability, and accessibility across devices.
Platform Features
The platform includes several key features designed to meet DsiN's requirements:
Technical Implementation
We implemented an event management system in the backend that allows DsiN to manage all public events centrally. The frontend dynamically displays upcoming events, automatically hides past dates, and updates teaser sections on the homepage and newsroom without manual effort.
Several standalone landing pages were developed to host embedded tools and external services (e.g., security check forms, donation options), styled to seamlessly blend into the main platform.
We also introduced flexible page templates for legal content such as privacy policies and terms of use, allowing DsiN to update structure and text elements independently — including heading hierarchies and content blocks.
Training and Documentation
In addition to technical delivery, Arckipel provided tailored CMS training sessions and step-by-step documentation to ensure full editorial autonomy for the internal team. All technical handovers included documentation, onboarding support, and quality assurance reviews — ensuring the DsiN communications team could operate the platform independently.
The Arckipel Touch
Our approach to the DsiN project exemplified the “Arckipel Touch” through strategic solutions tailored to public-sector requirements:
- Custom WordPress Architecture: We built a modular, performance-optimised theme from scratch, avoiding templates to ensure clean performance and maintainability.
- Editorial Autonomy: The CMS was designed to be robust yet intuitive, allowing the DsiN team to manage content without ongoing developer support.
- Scalable Infrastructure: Dynamic content management systems for events, news, and educational materials that update automatically.
- Security & Compliance: Enhanced legal and technical compliance with GDPR and accessibility guidelines, crucial for a federally endorsed institution.
- Seamless Integration: Calendly integration and embedded tools styled to blend seamlessly into the main platform.
The “Arckipel Touch” ensured that the platform not only met immediate technical requirements but also positioned DsiN for long-term digital success with a scalable, maintainable, and user-friendly solution.
The Result
The new DsiN website successfully launched in 2025. Early feedback from internal teams and external visitors has been overwhelmingly positive — citing major improvements in usability, performance, and visual clarity. The new platform now serves as a central hub for all of DsiN's public-facing initiatives and integrates seamlessly with external tools such as the SiBa mobile app.
DsiN continues to collaborate with Arckipel on infrastructure updates and public communication efforts, and has publicly referenced the project as a benchmark in modernising public-sector communication.
The platform successfully demonstrates how modern web technologies can be leveraged to enhance public-sector digital literacy initiatives while maintaining the highest standards of security, accessibility, and user experience.
