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Agentschap Digitaal Vlaanderen is the digital business partner for all Flemish government organizations. One of its core platforms, ‘Digitaal Ondertekenen’, allows government leaders and civil servants to electronically sign official documents. Until recently, that process worked smoothly on desktop, but remained cumbersome on mobile. We developed a mobile-accessible solution that enables signing documents safely anywhere and anytime.
Challenge
The original Digital Singing web platform worked well on desktop but lacked an optimized mobile experience. Users had to deal with complex steps or security restrictions that made signing on the go difficult. The challenge was threefold:
- Enable mobile signing without compromising on security or compliance.
- Ensure seamless integration with Digitaal Vlaanderen’s existing architecture and systems.
- Guarantee cross-platform compatibility across all major browsers and devices.
The solution
We developed a Progressive Web App (PWA) version of ‘Digitaal Ondertekenen’, ensuring a smooth experience on any modern device.
- PWA, no app-store install: Works on any modern device. Behaves like a native app, but runs directly in a browser.
- itsme® integration: Strong identity verification and qualified electronic signatures (eIDAS-aligned).
- Cross-browser support: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, plus WebView contexts (e.g., links from Teams/Outlook).
- Automatic updates: Users always run the latest version; no manual updates required.
- Accessibility-first UI: Responsive layouts and patterns aligned with the design system of Agentschap Digitaal Vlaanderen.
Our approach
We worked closely with the Digitaal Vlaanderen team to ensure full alignment with their internal architecture, security standards, and design principles. The process combined technical exploration, user validation, and secure rollout.
1. Discover & define: We started with a technical deep dive into the existing Digitaal Ondertekenen platform to understand constraints, security requirements, and user flows. Together with Digitaal Vlaanderen’s product owners, we defined what “mobile-first” should mean in a government context, balancing usability, accessibility, and compliance.
2. Design & architecture: Based on those insights, we selected a Progressive Web App (PWA) architecture to deliver an app-like experience without app-store dependencies. The decision was driven by the need for: consistent performance across browsers and operating systems, simplified maintenance through automatic updates, and full integration with Digitaal Vlaanderen’s design system. We built the frontend with Nuxt (Vue.js) and TypeScript for scalability, and a Node.js backend to securely handle sensitive operations.
3. Build & integrate: Our developers worked hand in hand with the agency’s internal tech teams to ensure seamless interoperability. The design system was implemented through SCSS styling and shared tokens for visual consistency.
On the infrastructure side, we set up a secure AWS environment (EC2 with Auto Scaling) compliant with ISO 27001, SOC 2, and eIDAS, ensuring both flexibility and trust.
4. Test & rollout: We launched a pilot with a select group of users to validate performance and usability under real-world conditions. Their feedback guided a series of refinements before the broader phased rollout.
The outcome
The mobile experience is now a core part of Flanders’ paperless administration. Digitaal Ondertekenen processes 200,000+ signatures per month, bringing less paper, less planning friction, and faster decisions.
Key features
- Progressive Web App: Works on any device with a modern browser.
- itsme® integration: Secure identity verification and legally valid signatures.
- Automatic updates: Always the latest version, no manual installs.
- Cross-browser compatibility: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, WebView.
- Scalable AWS infrastructure: Secure, compliant, and performance-driven.