Does the quality of online services meet the requirements of citizens? DIN SPEC 66336, published in March 2025, provides a new reference. The specification places an even greater focus on the quality of online services. For the first time, the specification sets out binding requirements for the design, implementation and evaluation of digital administrative services. The focus is particularly on user-friendliness, accessibility and reusability. As a provider of long-lasting and adaptable enterprise software solutions, which are also used successfully in public administration in large-scale projects such as the online tax portal ELSTER, mgm welcomes the introduction of binding and overarching standards, the core content of which mgm has already been fulfilling for years.
What is behind DIN SPEC 66336?
The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs (BMI) initiated the new specification, which was developed by an interdisciplinary team from administration and industry. Even though it is not yet a legal standard, it is becoming increasingly important. The draft bill for the Online Access Standard Ordinance (OZG-SV) provides for DIN SPEC 66336 to be made mandatory for new systems – and with a transitional period for existing services as well.
13 quality principles structure the standard: they range from user analysis and data protection to open source, security and support. The target group of the new specification includes everyone who develops or is responsible for digital administrative services.
How mgm already fulfils the requirements today with A12
As a long-standing service provider of enterprise software solutions for public administration, mgm has been working for years to make digital administrative processes user-friendly, efficient and sustainable.
The A12 enterprise development platform already supports key aspects of DIN SPEC 66336 – from conceptualisation to development and operation:
- User analyses are carried out using interviews, questionnaires and workshops – documented in the open project wiki.
- Needs analyses take into account legal, specialist and technical framework conditions and translate them into clear target processes and KPIs.
- Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined in all projects. mgm also assumes long-term responsibility for operation and further development on request.
- Collaboration: Depending on requirements, classic, agile or hybrid process models are used. In doing so, mgm relies on a model-driven approach and the separation of business and technology.
- Reuse plays a major role: at model level, for technical components and by researching existing solutions.
- mgm ensures accessibility and user-centredness via a modern design system, accessible components and transformation and mapping functionalities for the simple implementation of the once-only principle.
- Open source: A12 platform consistently relies on open source components. mgm supports public clients in designing a suitable open source strategy.
What does this mean for future digital administrative services?
DIN SPEC 66336 provides clear guidance – for new projects and existing online services. The planned legal anchoring increases the pressure for implementation in administrations. At the same time, however, there is an opportunity to make digital services more user-friendly, robust and sustainable across the board. mgm not only provides a technical development platform for this, but also the methodological expertise to efficiently implement the requirements of the DIN SPEC in projects. Whether for the initial concept, operation or evaluation – mgm supports administrations with a comprehensive approach.
The new standard marks an important step towards sustainable digital administrative services. Those who focus on quality, standards and user-centredness at an early stage not only ensure compliance – but also acceptance among citizens.
Further information:
- Website: A12
