The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) recently introduced the Digital Experience Policy, marking a significant step towards enhancing digital services across federal, state, and local government agencies. These standards ensure that digital services are user-friendly, inclusive, and accessible to all Australians.
ICON, with our extensive experience in delivering digital services for government, is well-positioned to help agencies comply with these new requirements, particularly the Digital Inclusion Standard.
Understanding the Digital Experience Policy and Standards
The Digital Experience Policy and Standards aim to create a consistent and high-quality digital experience for users interacting with government services. Key aspects include:
- Applying user-centred design principles to prioritise users' needs in the design and delivery of digital services.
- Accessibility and Inclusion to ensure digital services are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.
- Interoperability and data sharing to promote seamless interaction between different government systems and the efficient sharing of data.
- Security and privacy considerations to help safeguard user data
- Maintaining high standards of performance and reliability for digital services.
The Digital Inclusion Standard
The Digital Inclusion Standard is a crucial component of these new policies, and it’s one ICON is passionate about. It ensures that digital services are designed and delivered in a way that includes all Australians, regardless of their abilities or digital literacy. The standard is built around five key criteria:
- Criterion 1 – Embrace diversity
- Criterion 2 – Motivate digital use
- Criterion 3 – Protect users
- Criterion 4 – Make it accessible
- Criterion 5 – Provide flexibility and choice
ICON’s Expertise in Digital Inclusion
ICON’s track record in delivering inclusive digital solutions makes us an ideal partner for government agencies aiming to comply with the new Standard. A prime example of our capabilities is the development of the NDIS.gov.au website.
When designing and developing the NDIS.gov.au website, ICON took a user-centred design and testing approach to ensure it was accessible to Australians of all abilities. Features such as adjustable text sizes, high-contrast modes, and screen reader compatibility cater to a wide range of users.
Engaging with a diverse group of Participants, Providers, and stakeholders was key during the design and testing phases. Their feedback helped us make continual improvements based on real-world needs.
Creating a pre-tested design system and component library enables efficient, on-brand, and accessible pages and subsites to be created in record time.
How we can assist
ICON’s approach to helping government agencies comply involves a comprehensive approach:
- Conducting thorough assessments of current digital services and developing tailored strategies to align with the new standards
- Implementing user-centred design principles to create digital services that meet the diverse needs of all users
- Performing detailed accessibility audits and implementing enhancements to ensure compliance with the new Standard
- Providing training for government staff on best practices for maintaining and improving digital inclusivity
- Establishing mechanisms for ongoing assessment and improvement of digital services based on user feedback and performance data.
Read more about the Digital Experience Policy.
Read the NDIS website case study.
Get in contact if you’d like to discuss how we can help.