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Bank Van Breda

From savings bank in Lier to specialist banker. Despite its name, Bank J.Van Breda & C° is not Dutch. It was founded in Lier on February 21, 1930, by brothers Jos and Maurice Van Breda. Starting a bank during the 1930s crisis took courage. Jos Van Breda, a former Volksbank employee, saw potential in a well-managed bank. With his brother Maurice and family support, he made it happen. In 1937, the business expanded into insurance, later becoming Vanbreda Risk & Benefits, now an independent leader. Vanbreda International also grew into a global player in medical risk insurance.

Services
  • Accessibility Audit
Tech
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Challenge

Bank Van Breda wanted to improve the user experience and accessibility of their mobile app and client portal. To achieve this, a thorough UX & Accessibility audit was needed to identify usability issues and accessibility barriers. The goal was to ensure that all users could interact seamlessly with the digital banking platforms regardless of their abilities.

What we did

We conducted an in-depth UX audit to analyze the key user flows of Bank Van Breda’s mobile app and client portal. The audit focused on navigation, unclear visual elements, confusing terminology, inconsistent feedback, and compatibility with assistive technologies. Additionally, we performed a benchmark analysis, comparing the bank’s digital experience with leading banking applications to identify industry best practices and areas for optimization.

European Accessibility Act 2025

On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882) officially takes effect, marking a big step toward a more inclusive digital world. While the previous Web Accessibility Directive focused mainly on public-sector organizations, the EAA now extends accessibility requirements to private-sector products and services, e-commerce platforms, banking apps, and self-service terminals like ATMs and ticket machines.

Bank Van Breda saw this as an opportunity to improve their digital experiences for everyone. That’s why we teamed up with Bank Van Breda to conduct an Accessibility Audit. Our UX designer and Accessibility expert took a deep dive into their mobile app and client portal, ensuring they meet the accessibility standards and provide an inclusive experience for all users.

Identifying obstacles and opportunities

A detailed examination of the mobile app and client portal helped uncover potential usability challenges that could hinder a smooth and inclusive user experience. By analyzing navigation patterns, contrast ratios, and alternative text implementation, we were able to highlight critical areas for improvement for example.

Benchmarking for best practices

To provide a broader perspective on industry standards, we compared Bank Van Breda’s platforms with other top banking applications. This benchmarking exercise revealed key insights and opportunities for optimization, ensuring that Bank Van Breda could enhance its digital banking experience to meet the highest standards.

Concrete recommendations for improvement

The audit resulted in a set of clear recommendations to enhance usability and accessibility. These included improving color contrast, optimizing keyboard navigation, ensuring alternative text for images, and enhancing screen reader compatibility for example. By implementing these improvements, Bank Van Breda can offer a more user-friendly and inclusive online banking experience.

A true partnership

One of our designers has been collaborating with Bank Van Breda for years now, shaping their internal tools for maximum efficiency. From building a comprehensive design system to crafting intuitive UX/UI designs for new features, our work ensures a seamless experience for their teams. This partnership prioritizes user-friendliness and continuous improvement at every step.

Let's create an app together

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