This policy describes the requirements for Commonwealth entities operating and providing services through digital portals.
Applicability
Commonwealth entities are encouraged to apply this policy to their digital and ICT systems to ensure a best-practice, consistent approach across government.
Entities bringing forward investment proposals through the Digital and ICT investment oversight framework (IOF) will be assessed against this policy.
Policy requirements
This section describes the requirements for developing, operating and providing services through digital portals.
Consolidate services into a single access point
Entities must integrate public-facing services for individuals with myGov wherever possible, in line with the Digital access standard. Similarly, they must integrate services for businesses with existing access points such as informational websites, online portals and web applications wherever this can reasonably be achieved.
Apply human-centred design practices to digital portals
Entities must apply a human-centred approach, drawing on practices such as journey mapping, stakeholder engagement and user testing, analysis of user behaviour, analytics, and accessibility testing to developing and maintaining digital portals and the features within them.
Strategically deliver digital services on digital channels
Entities must have a clear strategy on how to improve government services by focusing on digital delivery, and to decide which services work best online, while ensuring everyone can still access them.
Align to guidelines and standards
Entities must ensure that digital portal design, development, deployment and operation activities align with the Protective security policy framework (PSPF) and Hosting certification framework (HCF), as well as any other mandatory frameworks, policies and standards.
Enable integration and interoperability
Entities must create, adopt and implement standards and protocols that guide and facilitate collaboration and interoperability through system integration, information sharing, communication and interaction.
Follow appropriate guidance and ethics principles when AI is involved in digital portals
Entities using AI-enabled data portals must implement AI in line with appropriate guidance, including the Department of Industry, Science and Resources’ AI ethics principles and the DTA’s Policy for the responsible use of AI in government.
Adhere to reuse principles
Entities must prioritise the adoption of existing digital and ICT solutions, patterns and knowledge wherever possible, and develop new solutions with a focus on their future reuse.
Comply with relevant legislation
An entity must comply with any legislation relevant to its circumstances. Details of what entities need to do to comply with these requirements are included under the corresponding standard statements in the Digital portal standard.