What the new Digital Experience Policy means for government sites

What government agencies need to know

The DX Policy primarily applies to new digital service investments under the Digital and ICT Investment Oversight Framework (IOF), with broader application of the Digital Service Standard and Digital Inclusion Standard. 

The DX Policy will be effective from 1 January 2025 and applies to new public and staff-facing services. Existing services will need to comply with the Service Standard by 1 July 2025 and the Inclusive Standard by 1 January 2026. 

Agencies need to review and understand each standard to figure out which of their services fall under the Digital Experience Policy and what the requirements are. Compliance is mandatory for services that are covered by this policy, unless they receive an exemption from the Digital Transformation Agency Digital (DTA).

Services that fall under the policy must meet the relevant requirements by the specified deadlines in each standard. Some services might need to follow several standards at the same time, depending on their nature.

Reporting means submitting the required information in the correct format and on time, as outlined in this framework. To make it easier for agencies, compliance reporting will be coordinated with the DTA’s existing data collection activities, like the Approved Programs Collection, which is part of the Investment Oversight Framework (IOF).

The DTA will help agencies avoid not meeting compliance or missing reports. They will do this by checking compliance at different stages during the IOF process. If an agency doesn’t meet the requirements of the Digital Experience Policy and Standards, the DTA will first work with them to fix the areas where they haven’t complied yet.

Morpht’s approach to the DX Policy

Morpht is committed to the Digital Transformation Agency Digital (DTA) Service Standards and the incoming DX Policy. We can ensure that our projects will follow the principles specified in the standards:

Have a clear intent

Morpht makes a considerable effort to adopt an agile methodology and ensures that the triage and delivery of issues can adapt to changing needs and priorities. The Morpht team will include UX designers, artists, architects, developers, themers, project managers, and an account manager. This team will combine with the Department’s team to deliver the project.

Know your user

As part of every website build, Morpht undertakes a Discover and Define process that ensures that we have identified all potential users of the site.

Leave no one behind

Morpht understands the diversity of users that will be using the website and ensures that we comply with standards under the Disability Discrimination Act (1992) as detailed on our website. Additionally, we work for several agencies that demand WCAG 2.1 AA compliance as part of their deliverables. We build accessibility into every phase of the project: design, implementation, and testing. Following our standard practice, we always run a series of tests as part of our ‘go live’ protocol to ensure compliance. This includes Lighthouse tests, keyboard tests, and screen reader tests.

Connect services

With all our designs and builds, Morpht designs for interoperability. We carefully consider how the new website or services in the website will integrate with any existing systems and data. This will sometimes result in making sure any developed APIs are available for reuse and planning early for growth in scale, whether in the infrastructure or in our design patterns and systems.

Build trust in design

Any discovery process conducted will be user-centric and could involve interviews, surveys, observations, and workshops. Morpht developers develop code that adheres to recommended Drupal security practices. 

Don’t reinvent the wheel

We take a component-driven approach with the aim of consistency and reusability. Our Convivial starter site now houses a treasure chest of drag-and-drop components that adapt to the device used. All sites we make are responsive. 

Do no harm

Morpht upholds the digital rights of users and will use any collected data for the stated purpose that the user agrees to. Additionally, if requested Morpht can deliver Privacy Impact Assessments and Cyber security testing & assessments via our cyber security partner.

Conclusion

The Digital Experience (DX) Policy is an important step in improving the accessibility, inclusivity, and efficiency of government digital services. By standardising how agencies design and deliver these services, the policy ensures a cohesive and user-centred approach that benefits both citizens and businesses. Compliance will require research and focus from agencies enhance the overall digital experience while promoting transparency, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement.

When it comes to implementation, Morpht is well-positioned to help agencies meet these new requirements. Through its agile approach, inclusive design practices, and expertise in accessibility and security, Morpht can assist in delivering high-quality, compliant digital solutions. By leveraging Morpht's experience in building accessible, scalable, and user-focused platforms, agencies can confidently align with the policy objectives and an improved digital experience for all users.