What is the Digital Service Standard?
The Digital Service Standard (the Standard) establishes the requirements for designing and delivering digital government services. The Standard puts people and business at the centre of government digital service delivery. It guides digital teams to create and maintain digital services that are:
- user-friendly
- inclusive
- adaptable
- measurable
The Data and Digital Government Strategy sets a 2030 vision for: the Australian Government to deliver simple, secure and connected public services, for all people and business, through world class data and digital capabilities. The Standard supports this vision by promoting consistency across digital services and ensuring services:
- are accessible
- are secure
- are transparent
- meet the needs of people and business
Version 2.0 of the Standard has reduced the number of criteria, to 10 compared to 13 criteria of the former version, released in 2016. The changes reflect the Government’s increased level of digital maturity and adoption of trust and protection principles that have elevated in the years since 2016. The reinvigorated Standard also strengthens inclusion and accessibility requirements, so that no one is left behind when accessing Government’s digital services.
Services covered by the Digital Service Standard
The Standard is mandatory and applies to digital services that are:
- owned by non-corporate Commonwealth entities
- informational or transactional
- new or existing public facing
- new staff facing
They may be provided through a website, mobile app or other digital platform.
Enforcement and assessment of version 2.0 of the Standard will be introduced in 2 phases. Refer to the Transition Approach section for details about the 2 phases.
Informational services
Informational services provide information, such as reports, fact sheets or videos, to users. They may include:
- government agency website
- smart answers and virtual assistants
- e-learning
- publications
- multimedia
Transactional services
Transactional services lead to a change in government-held records, typically involving an exchange of information, money, licences or goods. Examples of transactional services include:
- submitting a claim
- registering a business
- updating contact details
- lodging a tax return
Staff-facing services
Staff-facing services provide information or support transactions to government employees. They may include:
- intranets
- learning management systems
- records management systems
- case/client management systems
- decision-making systems
Services not covered by the Digital Service Standard
Agencies are recommended to apply the Standard to existing staff facing services, though these services are not mandated. The Standard does not apply to:
- state, territory or local government services
- personal ministerial websites that contain material on a minister's political activities or views on issues not related to their ministerial role
Services not covered by the Standard may choose to apply the Standard to improve their digital services Some services may request full or partial exemptions from the Standard. See the Exemptions section below.
Transition Approach
The implementation of Version 2.0 of the Standard will be phased to give agencies time to plan and update their services:
- phase 1- new services
- phase 2 - existing public-facing services
The Digital Transformation Agency’s (DTA) website will be updated to include Version 2.0 of the Standard, replacing Version 1.0 (refer to the Australian Government Architecture website).
Phase 1 - New services
From 1 July 2024, services that meet the following criteria, will be required to meet Version 2.0 of the Standard:
- public or staff-facing; and
- owned by non-corporate Commonwealth entities; and
- new informational and transactional services
Example – new services designed or redesigned from 1 July 2024
Any new digital or ICT enabled proposals coming forward in the 2024-25 MYEFO context will need to meet the requirements of the Standard Version 2.0, as per the Investment Oversight Framework.
Phase 2 – Existing public-facing services
From 1 July 2025, services that meet the following criteria, will be required to meet Version 2.0 of the Standard:
- public-facing:and
- owned by non-corporate Commonwealth entities; and
- all existing information and transactional services
- note: existing staff facing services are excluded
Example – existing public-facing services
Public-facing services in existence prior to 1 July 2024, will be required to update their services to meet the requirements under Version 2.0 of the Standard from 1 July 2025 or seek an exemption from the DTA.
How to meet the Digital Service Standard?
The Standard is made up of 10 criteria to help government agencies design and deliver services that are user-friendly, inclusive, adaptable, and measurable.
To successfully apply it, government agencies must meet all the criteria.
The Standard expects that agencies are working in an agile way, based on agile values and principles and using agile tools and techniques. Each criterion links to the most relevant stage/s of the Service Design and Delivery Process. However, agencies are strongly encouraged to consider how the criterion applies across the whole service lifecycle and not just in the single phase identified.
It is recommended that agencies also consider the non-digital experience of users to ensure services are inclusive and accessible for all.
Exemptions
Agencies may seek a conditional exemption (either full or partial) from the Standard Version 2.0 for specific services if:
- They are unable to meet the Standard due to legacy technology barriers that cannot be overcome; and
- Changing their service to meet the Standard would cause substantial financial burden on the service agency to comply with the Standard requirements.
To support agencies in managing the transition timeframes and potential costs of complying with the standard, the DTA will consult across Government to implement a policy for exemptions from the Standard prior to 1 July 2024.
Note: Even if your service or website is not covered by the Standard, or you receive an exemption, you may still have related obligations under relevant Australian legislation, for example accessibility requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
How do we measure success of the Digital Service Standard?
We will measure success by reporting on agencies’ compliance with the Standard. The DTA will provide oversight of adherence to the Standard by collecting self-assessed and quantitative data from agencies. Agencies are required to report these to the DTA within specified timeframes and maintain continuous improvement against performance measures.
- For new services this will apply from 1 July 2024
- For existing public-facing services this will apply from1 July 2025
The DTA will engage with stakeholders on compliance implications and develop a reporting framework prior to reporting requirements coming into place.
The Standard criteria
The Standard consists of the following criteria:
- Have a clear intent
- Know your user
- Leave no one behind
- Connect services
- Build trust in design
- Don’t reinvent the wheel
- Do no harm
- Innovate with purpose
- Monitor your service
- Keep it relevant
Each criterion is accompanied by:
- an explanation of its purpose
- your responsibilities in meeting it
- when it should be applied within the Service Design and Delivery Process
- suggested activities to apply it
- further resources and guidance
For further information on meeting the criteria, see Digital Service Standard v2.0 guides and tools.