Digital service standards
The Digital Service Standard (DSS) is a set of best-practice principles for designing and delivering government services. It guides digital teams in creating services that are simple, clear, and fast.
Below are some key tips based on these standards. For detailed information, visit the Digital Transformation Agency website(Opens in a new tab/window).
Information Architecture (IA)
Information architecture—or content structure—is a way of organising content so users can easily find and use it. Think of it as information about information. When done well, it helps visitors locate, understand, and share content with ease. When done poorly, it can leave users frustrated and confused. Good IA is critical to a positive user experience
Content usage and accessibility
To be effective, your content must be easy for everyone to understand—including people with disabilities and those who speak English as a second language.
Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, all Australian government organisations are required to comply with WCAG 2.0 Level AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). Accessible content ensures that your message reaches the widest audience possible.
Writing for readability
Writing for the web is different from writing for print. Online users scan pages quickly, often from mobile devices, looking for specific information.
Here are five tips to improve readability:
- Break content into sections with clear, descriptive headings.
- Start with the most important information.
- Keep sentences short—ideally under 35 words.
- Use plain language; avoid jargon and acronyms.
- Aim for a reading level of Year 9 or lower (you can test this with free online tools).
For more guidance, visit the Digital Transformation Agency website(Opens in a new tab/window).
Responsive design
Responsive design ensures your website looks great on any device—whether it's a phone, tablet, or desktop. It uses flexible layouts, images, and CSS media queries to adapt to different screen sizes and orientations.
This approach improves usability and accessibility, creating a better experience for all users.
COPE: Create once, publish everywhere
COPE stands for Create Once, Publish Everywhere. It's a content strategy that saves time by allowing you to reuse and repurpose content across multiple channels.
For example:
- Write one article and use excerpts on other pages.
- Share key points via social media or email newsletters.
- Link back to the full version for more details.
COPE helps maintain consistency and maximises the value of your content.
Image optimisation
Slow-loading pages can drive users away. To keep your site fast and user-friendly, always optimise your images by reducing file sizes without sacrificing quality.
You can use online tools, plugins, or scripts to compress images. Benefits include:
- Faster page load times
- Better Google Image search rankings
- Improved overall performance and accessibility
Need help? We’re happy to point you toward helpful tools and resources.
Continuous improvement
A website is never truly finished. User needs evolve—and your site should, too.
We follow the Agile methodology, a DTA-recommended approach that delivers improvements in stages:
- Discovery – Understand user needs and project scope
- Alpha – Test ideas and identify key issues
- Beta – Refine the product with real users
- Live – Launch with a plan for ongoing updates
By working in iterations, you can improve your site over time instead of trying to perfect it all at once.
Learn more about Agile development at the Digital Transformation Agency website(Opens in a new tab/window).