Design principles

A clear set of design principles will ensure transformation efforts focus on what is critical to deliver the vision.

The principles will guide government investments, align our understanding of what good digital infrastructure looks like and challenge our mindsets. The principles outline the elements that departments and agencies should consider as they design, build or transform products, services and experiences. For each principle, this Strategy provides guidance on how it will be applied.

Design principles to support better decision-making

Focus on the customer

Orient around the most important needs of the people we are serving.

  • Reshape government around individuals, communities and businesses.
  • Do the work so our customers don’t have to understand and navigate government to get what they need.
  • Focus on the needs and fairer access to services of all individuals, especially the most vulnerable.

Solve the right problem

Focus our effort on the right challenges through evidence and insights.

  • Seek out data from across government, industry and the community, avoid making assumptions.
  • Apply human-centred design techniques and build empathy with communities to identify problems that really need solving. Embrace agile mindsets and approaches to change course if required.

Make it simple

Reimagine and transform to reduce complexity.

  • Design inclusive and accessible services that are connected across government.
  • Reshape and streamline internal tools and processes. Build simplicity of delivery into policy.

Build on the standard

Make choices that create scalable digital solutions – cloud first.

  • Take a long-term, holistic view to understand and apply existing standards and common digital solutions.
  • When building new digital services, take time to understand shared needs and invest in reusable solutions.
  • Invest and build with the end-to-end solution lifecycle in mind.

Progress over perfection

Change how we work by showing value early and often.

  • Embrace early testing of ideas and new concepts as a way of focusing design on the needs of Victorians.
  • Embed agility in how we make decisions to reduce the time it takes to bring change to the public.

Trusted by design

Secure, safe and well governed.

  • Ensure security and privacy are central to decision-making and solution design.
  • Make decisions that are transparent and ethical to empower customers while protecting users, systems and data.

Connect and partner

Engage with the broader Victorian community.

  • Identify value for the broader community and economy by innovating and delivering with third parties.
  • Seek to liberate public data so that others can create new business opportunities and find new value for Victorians.

Innovate with purpose

Drive outcomes that are faster, lower risk and more cost effective.

  • Be clear about the value of innovating before investing in new digital technology. Alternatively focus on scaling up existing standards, platforms, patterns and techniques.
  • Embed a culture of innovation and actively drive change across government.

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