The Government Digital Service (GDS) is a part of the Cabinet Office in the United Kingdom. The GDS is responsible for improving the way the government uses digital technology. They do this by providing guidance and support to government departments, and by developing and running digital services themselves.
The GDS has a number of goals, including:
Making government services simpler and easier to use
Making government services more transparent and accountable
Making government services more accessible to everyone
Using digital technology to improve the way that government works
Evolving a set of Design Principles – a set of guidelines for creating user-friendly digital services.
The GDS is still a relatively new organization, but it has already made a significant impact on the way that the government uses digital technology.
Assessments are typically organised and facilitated by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) – a department of the United Kingdom government. It was formed in July 2016 by the merger of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). BEIS is responsible for a wide range of policy areas, but in the context of IT projects, it primarily maintains oversight of innovation and skills, investment, strategy, and the digital economy.
The GDS assessment is a rigorous process that is designed to ensure that new government services are user-centered, well-designed, and ready for development or delivery. To prepare for assessment, service teams will need to:
Understand the GDS Service Standard
Gather evidence to support their proposals
Present to a panel of assessors and be prepared to answer questions
It is important to note that assessments are not a formal “test” – they are a review of proposals by a multi-disciplinary panel of skilled and experienced volunteers who have either domain expertise or recent experience relevant to your proposal. Questions tend to be centred around the GDS Service Standard (see below) – and will explore your preparation, your current position, and your future plans.
The GDS Service Standard is a set of principles and guidelines that all government services must meet. It is important to understand the Service Standard so that you can ensure that your service meets the required standards. The principles are as follows:
When designing a service, it is important to put the user first. This means understanding their needs, wants, and pain points. It also means designing the service in a way that is easy to use and understand.
Services should be simple and easy to use, even for people who are not familiar with technology. This means using clear language, avoiding jargon, and providing clear instructions.
Services should be reliable and secure. This means being available when users need them, and protecting users’ data. Services should have a backup plan in case of unexpected outages, and they should use strong security measures to protect users’ data.
Services should be open and transparent. This means being clear about how they work, and being open to feedback from users. Services should publish their data in a way that is easy to understand, and they should have a process for collecting and responding to user feedback.
Services should be continuously improved. This means listening to user feedback, and making changes to the service based on that feedback. Services should also be regularly updated with new features and functionality to improve the experience for users.
The GDS Service Standard is comprised of a number of subjects areas that must prove you have considered – and can provide reasoned arguments for in an assessment. It’s worth noting that no two projects are the same – one solution does not fit all. Your approach to answering each area of concern may differ widely between projects.
The points covered by the GDS Service Standard are as follows:
Understand users and their needs
Solve a whole problem for users
Provide a joined up experience across all channels
Make the service simple to use
Make sure everyone can use the service
Have a multidisciplinary team
Use agile ways of working
Iterate and improve frequently
Create a secure service which protects users’ privacy
Define what success looks like and publish performance data
Choose the right tools and technology
Make new source code open
Use and contribute to open standards, common components and patterns
Operate a reliable service
As part of the development process, assessments are conducted at both “Alpha” and “Beta” phases to evaluate the progress and quality of a digital service.
During the alpha phase, the focus is on exploring ideas and potential solutions. The purpose of the alpha assessment is to determine whether the project should proceed to the next stage (beta). The assessment team reviews the service’s design, user research, technical feasibility, and plans for the beta phase.
If the project successfully passes the alpha assessment, it moves into the beta phase. In the beta phase, the focus shifts to developing a working prototype of the service. The beta assessment evaluates the progress made since the alpha phase and determines whether the service is ready for a live release. The assessment team examines user feedback, performance data, security measures, and overall readiness for scaling the service.
Both the alpha and beta assessments aim to ensure that digital services are user-friendly, efficient, secure, and aligned with government standards. These assessments help identify any issues or gaps in the service’s development and provide recommendations for improvement before the service moves to the next phase or is launched live.
GDS assessments are based on evidence. This means that you will need to gather evidence to support your proposed service. Evidence typically consists of user research, usability testing, and performance data.
User research is the process of gathering and analysing information about users to understand their needs, wants, and pain points. This information can be used to improve the design and usability of products and services.
There are many different methods that can be used for user research, including:
Talking to users directly to get their feedback on the nature of their work, and how products or services might improve their experiences.
Watching users interact with either existing or proposed products and services to see how they use them.
Asking users questions about their needs, wants, and pain points.
Having users test prototypes of proposed products and services to see how easy they are to use.
User research is an ongoing practice that begins in the earliest stages of analysis, and continues through design, development, deployment, and delivery.
Performance data can be used to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and make decisions about how to allocate resources. Choosing appropriate key performance indicators within both prototype and existing services will generate valuable data on the time and cost implications of proposed changes.
Most online platforms include a variety of monitoring and instrumentation options – where user interaction can be monitored, recorded, measured, and analysed.
GDS assessments include a presentation – your opportunity to explain the background story of your service – why it is needed, and to convince the assessors that your proposals are ready for the next phase of development.
Assessments include a question and answer session, where assessors will ask you questions about your service, your approach, and your plans for the future. It is important to be prepared to answer these questions so that you can demonstrate your understanding of your service, confidence in your approach, and that essential factors have been considered.
Here are some tips we have learned along the way:
The GDS assessment process is complex. It is important to start preparing early so you have enough time to develop prototypes, gather user research, compile results, practice presentations, and address any issues that may arise along the way.
It is helpful to get feedback from others on your service and your presentation. The GDS team will be more than happy to schedule a session to review where you are ahead of an assessment. The feedback will sanity check work done so far, help identify areas for improvement, and highlight any gaps.
The GDS assessment process is often seen as challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. If you are confident in the requirement for the service you are proposing, you have appropriate user research to back up your proposals, and have considered the wider implications of building, operating, and supporting the proposed service, you shouldn’t anticipate too many issues. The assessors want to see that you are passionate about your service and that you are confident in your ability to deliver it successfully.
Transparity have worked on a number of successful projects that have followed the GDS assessment pathway. We have experience gathering user research, managing content design, developing prototypes, delivering completed services, and preparing teams for both alpha and beta assessments. We have a wealth of experience and skills to share.
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