Proposed principles

Help improve the design standard to create and run digital services that are user-focused and high-quality. While the standard is being developed, these principles are in draft — they might change based on your feedback.

Register to help improve the standard

Sign up for workshops, surveys or interviews to share your interest and experience. The design team will use your feedback to help in developing the new standard.

Get involved in user research: Digital.govt.nz — Optimal Workshop

If you register to help — privacy statement and how to contact us

The design team works under the Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO) role.

The GCDO needs to collect personal information to contact you about the Digital Service Design Standard project — the GCDO collects your:

  • name
  • email address.

Privacy notice for Digital.govt.nz

Purpose for collecting this personal information

The GCDO will only use this information for the Digital Service Design Standard project.

Your comments for the project will be de-linked from personally identifiable information. This is often called ‘anonymising’ data to keep your privacy.

Right to access and correct your personal information

At any time, you have the right to access and request correction of your personal information.

When the GCDO deletes your personal information from its records

The GCDO will delete your personal information when the research project finishes or if you tell the GCDO to delete it.

If you signed up for the wider Public Sector Design Community of Practice, the GCDO will keep you in that group until you say to delete your personal information from it. The group is commonly known as the ‘Service Design Community of Practice’.

  1. 1

    Understand users’ needs

    Test assumptions by developing a holistic understanding of real users beyond their relationship with the government.

  2. 2

    Define a clear purpose

    Create a shared understanding of the problem you’re solving and desired outcomes before choosing a solution.

  3. 3

    Make it secure and trustworthy

    Evaluate what data should be collected, secured and provided. Be transparent how people’s information is used so it’s lawful and ethical.

  4. 4

    Build for everyone equally from the start

    Everyone, including disabled people, should be able to access and use your service regardless of ability, language or culture.

  5. 5

    Resource for ongoing delivery

    Make sure you have the resources to operate, maintain and improve the service over its life cycle.

  6. 6

    Support multi-disciplinary teams

    Bring together and develop teams who work together to create solutions. Make sure they’re given the freedom to work in innovative ways.

  7. 7

    Improve often

    Adopt modern agile and iterative ways of working. Start by solving a small part of the problem — learn and continue to improve over time.

  8. 8

    Share solutions

    Use existing resources so you can create services that are cost-effective and familiar. Share your own so others can benefit.

  9. 9

    Build cultural capability

    Commit to learning and adopting culturally grounded approaches that allow partnering with communities to create solutions.

  10. 10

    Select the right technology partners

    Pick flexible technology partners and tools that let you create a high-quality service that reduces the risk of future changes in direction.

  11. 11

    Measure performance

    Define what good looks like. Continue to measure what’s important to inform further improvements and publish results.

  12. 12

    Make it simple to use

    Integrate with other services and channels so users can easily find, understand and use your service.

Utility links and page information

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