CJD — Technical Relaunch on Drupal 11
Client: Christliches Jugenddorfwerk Deutschland e.V. (CJD) Industry: Education & Social Services (NGO) Service: Technical Relaunch Partner Agency: 21TORR (Concept & Design) Website: cjd.de
The Challenge
CJD operates facilities nationwide in the areas of education, health, rehabilitation, employment, and social services. An organization of this size places special demands on its web presence:
Complex Information Architecture
Mapping thousands of offerings, locations, and departments into a comprehensible, user-friendly structure — that was the central challenge. The content had to be accessible and discoverable for very different target audiences.
Accessibility as a Core Requirement
As an NGO in the social sector, accessibility is not an optional feature but a core mission. The website must meet WCAG standards and provide all people with access to information and services.
Technological Fresh Start
The relaunch meant a complete technical rebuild on Drupal 11 — with the goal of creating a future-proof platform that remains scalable for years to come.
Two Agencies, One Project
CJD was not looking for one agency, but the best team for each discipline. Concept and design from 21TORR, technical implementation from arocom — coordinated as a joint venture.
The Solution
Co-Pitch Model: The Best of Both Worlds
arocom and 21TORR pitched together as a joint venture — a model arocom has practiced with design agencies since 2012. Both agencies are part of the Schoene Toechter Group, know each other well, and work together seamlessly.
The division of tasks was clear: 21TORR was responsible for concept and design, arocom for the technical implementation on Drupal 11. The technical portion — and thus arocom's share of the overall project — was the larger one.
Technical Implementation
arocom built cjd.de entirely on Drupal 11. The key areas of technical work:
Drupal 11 as Foundation
The current Drupal version provides stability, security, and a modern development foundation. arocom designed the architecture so that updates and extensions remain efficient long-term.
WCAG Accessibility
Drupal comes with accessibility built into its core. arocom consistently leveraged and extended this foundation: semantic HTML, ARIA attributes, keyboard navigation, and support for content managers in creating accessible content.
Scalable Information Architecture
The content architecture maps the complexity of the CJD organization: departments, locations, services, careers — interconnected and searchable, without overwhelming the editorial team.
Future-Proof Platform
Standards-compliant implementation, clean module architecture, documented code. CJD is not locked into a single agency — the platform is maintainable and extensible.
The Results
Accessible for All
cjd.de meets WCAG standards and makes CJD's services accessible to all people — regardless of individual limitations.
Modern Platform on Drupal 11
The website runs on the current Drupal version with an architecture that remains maintainable, extensible, and secure for years to come.
Editorial Autonomy
CJD's editorial team can independently manage content, create new locations and services — without technical support for day-to-day operations.
Proven Partner Model
The project demonstrates how the co-pitch model works: design agency and Drupal agency as equals, coordinated as a joint venture, with clear division of responsibilities.
Additional metrics: Multi-domain infrastructure replacing 160 legacy domains. Independent donation portal at spenden.cjd.de. Extended search functionality with comprehensive filter options.
Technology
Testimonial
I have been very satisfied with the collaboration from day 1! I gladly recommend arocom to anyone looking for a partnership-oriented digital agency for Drupal or SEO. Especially positive are the short response times and the low staff turnover.
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What is arocom's co-pitch model?
Design agencies and arocom pitch together to clients. Each agency brings its core competency: the design agency handles concept and visual design, arocom the technical implementation on Drupal. The CJD project with 21TORR is the reference example for this model.
Why did CJD choose Drupal?
Drupal has accessibility built into its core, scales for complex organizations, and is open source. For an NGO with approximately 11,000 employees and nationwide locations, this is the right foundation — no license costs, full control over the platform.
How does arocom ensure accessibility?
arocom builds on Drupal Core's WCAG compliance and extends it with semantic HTML, ARIA attributes, and keyboard navigation. Additionally, the platform supports content managers in creating accessible content.
What does 'technical relaunch' mean?
A technical relaunch involves a complete rebuild of the website's technology — in this case on Drupal 11. The content model, module architecture, template layer, and infrastructure are all redesigned and developed from scratch.
Can arocom work without a partner agency?
Yes. The co-pitch model is an option, not a requirement. arocom delivers projects independently just as well — from concept to launch. The decision depends on what makes the most sense for your project.
How long does a Drupal relaunch take?
For the CJD project, the development time was approximately seven months using agile Scrum. In general, the duration of a Drupal relaunch depends on complexity — from a few months to up to a year for very large platforms.
Further Reading
- Partners — The Co-Pitch Model for Design Agencies
- Accessibility — WCAG-Compliant Websites with Drupal
- Platform Check (Audit) — Is Your Platform Future-Ready?
- Why Drupal? — What Sets Drupal Apart from Other CMS