• Provides assurance to government that projects are on-track to deliver expected benefits. 

  • Public evaluation briefing

    Thank you to those who attended our public briefing on Friday 25 October 2024. Catch up on the briefing below or download a copy of the slide deck (PDF, 120KB).

    In the coming weeks, the DTA will publish answers to questions from attendees on this page. To receive updates, consider subscribing to the DTA's AI in government newsletter.

  • General inclusion

    Do’s 

    • Use common patterns for design components.
    • Use a linear, logical layout.
    • Write in plain English.
    • Display clear hints and error messages, with appropriate symbols, below text boxes.
    • Provide content in a variety of mediums to support different preferences.
    • Build in modern coding languages e.g. HTML 5 or later.
    • Ensure code scripts are readable by, and work with, support tools.
    • Test using keyboards for navigation and different browsers.
    • Reduce screen complexity by providing white space and content that is not cluttered.
    • Start with accessibility in mind and test regularly throughout the design process.

    Don’ts 

    • Limit or provide inconsistent touch tap areas.
    • Provide hint text in boxes that disappear when the box is clicked.
    • Use complex technical terms.
    • Quickly ‘time out’.
    • Force mouse or screen use.
    • Require excessive validation processes for online applications.
    • Make dynamic content that requires a lot of mouse movement.
    • Use decorative or cursive font styles.
    • Allow video or audio content to play automatically.
    Off
  • People who are blind or vision impaired

    Do’s

    • Use common patterns for design components.
    • Use a linear, logical layout.
    • Write in plain English.
    • Show clear hints and error messages below text boxes using simple words and icons.
    • Provide content in a variety of mediums to support different preferences.
    • Build in modern coding languages e.g. HTML 5 or later.
    • Ensure code scripts are readable by, and work with, support tools.
    • Test using keyboards for navigation and different browsers.
    • Reduce on screen complexity by providing white space and content that is not cluttered.
    • Include accessibility in the design as early as possible and test application of standards throughout.

    Don’ts

    • Limit or provide inconsistent touch tap areas.
    • Provide hint text in boxes that disappear when the box is clicked.
    • Use complex technical terms.
    • Quickly ‘time out’.
    • Force mouse or screen use.
    • Require excessive validation processes for online applications.
    • Make dynamic content that requires a lot of mouse movement.
    • Use decorative or cursive font styles.
    • Allow video or audio content to play automatically.
    Off
  • People who are cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD)

    Do’s 

    • Use clear headings and simple language. Provide definitions if needed.
    • Consider cultural context, like warnings for photos of deceased persons.
    • Use images and videos to simplify and explain information.
    • Provide guides and documents in a variety of languages.
    • Use certified translators for critical information.
    • Provide translations and custom help text on the same page.
    • Consider how service changes may impact users who rely on consistency.
    • Provide alternative contact methods, including interpreter services.
    • Provide user feedback when an action is completed correctly.
    • Provide translated error messages to support troubleshooting.

    Don’ts 

    • Use complex layouts, structures or menus.
    • Separate related information across different webpages.
    • Provide video or audio information, unless also accompanied by text.
    • Use complicated words, figures of speech or long blocks of text.
    • Rely on automatic translations. Check translated terms for accuracy.
    Off
  • People who are Deaf or hard of hearing

    Do’s

    • Ensure all videos have transcripts, captions and provide text descriptions for images.
    • Provide content in a variety of mediums to support different preferences.
    • Offer users options for how they interact with your service.
    • Make it easy to access support services.

    Don’ts 

    • Only show information in an image or video.
    • Spread content all over a page.
    • Rely on text size and placement for structure.
    • Force mouse or screen use.
    • Write uninformative links and headings – for example, Click here
    Off
  • People impacted by family and domestic violence

    Do’s 

    • Provide clear information on how safety concerns are reported and escalated.
    • Offer a simple ‘quick exit’ function.
    • Make it easy to restrict access from personal or shared accounts.
    • Offer choice about how and when to receive information.
    • Offer translation software that enables non-English speakers to access support.
    • Use empathy in the tone of communications.

    Don’ts

    • Make users re-explain sensitive circumstances across government services.
    • Send communications during hours where user action is unlikely to occur.
    • Make users complete processes in a single session.
    • Complicate validation steps for applications.
    Off
  • People with low digital literacy

    Do’s 

    • Allow users to start and stop processes across different communications channels.
    • Accompany key takeaways with clear calls to action.
    • Provide clear step by step instructions, to support key information and action points.
    • Use progress indicators to show task advancement.
    • Provide mobile responsive designs.
    • Make it easy to reset passwords and build on tasks.
    • Support older browsers and devices.
    • Group related content together to improve discoverability.
    • Use repeatable icons and visual cues to build user familiarity and confidence.
    • Provide equivalent alternatives to auditory and visual content.

    Don’ts 

    • Assume users have prior knowledge of digital tools.
    • Play videos and audio content automatically.
    • Use technical terminology.
    • Limit the time available to complete tasks.
    • Show error messages too quickly.
    Off
  • Neurodiverse people

    Do’s 

    • Respect user settings to remove motion.
    • Let users manage auto-refresh.
    • Consider animations carefully.
    • Use images such as icons and symbols with text.
    • Provide plenty of white space around information.
    • Carefully consider information display and order.
    • Use progressive reveal to reduce cognitive load.
    • Use clear affordance to help navigation.
    • Keep content short, clear and simple.
    • Let users change the contrast between background and text.

    Don’ts 

    • Rely on device/user movement.
    • Use strobing or rapid flashing effects.
    • Use all uppercase letters.
    • Use text that is both left and right justified on the same page.
    Off
  • People with physical disability

    Do’s

    • Design with ‘mobile first’ design patterns.
    • Test in both vertical and horizontal views.
    • Remove navigation that requires complex hand movement.
    • Ensure the touch tap area is the widest possible area and consistent across the site.

    Don’ts 

    • Create interactions that require precision.
    • Put multiple interactions together.
    • Have short time out windows or error messages that display too soon.
    • Tire users with lots of typing and scrolling.
    Off

  • General inclusion poster

  • Blind or vision impaired poster

  • CALD poster

  • Deaf or hard of hearing poster

  • Family and domestic violence poster

  • Low digital literacy poster

  • Neurodiverse poster

  • Physical disability

  • Note: Early stage proposals 

    Well-articulated benefits are critical in informing digital and ICT funding decisions. However, the DTA acknowledges that benefits articulation and management requires ongoing refinement throughout the life of an investment. As such, the DTA differentiates requirements for early and final-stage investments in the Digital Capability Assessment Process provided that the proposal:

    • only seeks partial funding predominantly to inform a future government submission (e.g. a first pass business case that is seeking to fund discovery work that will inform a second pass business case); and 
    • clearly articulates the intent to return with completed benefits management documentation as part of a subsequent submission to government. Specific investment proposal guidance is available at investment@dta.gov.au.

  • Assurance on Digital & ICT Investments

  • Assurance on Digital & ICT Investments Factsheet

    Background & Context 

    From 1 July 2021, the DTA has whole-of-government responsibility for managing strategic coordination and oversight functions for Australian Government’s digital and ICT investments across their project lifecycle. To give effect to the DTA’s mandate, the Government has agreed to the Whole-of-Government Digital and ICT Investment Oversight Framework (IOF). 

    Aligning to the Government’s Budget cycles, the IOF provides a way for the DTA to engage and support the Government in effectively overseeing its digital and ICT-enabled investment portfolio. The IOF outlines six states across the investment lifecycle where agencies are required to engage with the DTA: Strategic Planning, Prioritisation, Contestability, Assurance, Sourcing and Operations. 

    Assurance Framework 

    Agencies bringing forward or implementing digital and ICT investments must plan for and implement assurance arrangements which meet the requirements of the Assurance Framework. 

    The Assurance Framework must be adhered to if: 

    • The agency responsible is a non-corporate Commonwealth entity 
    • The agency’s proposed investment meets the definition for a digital investment (this generally includes investments which use technology as the primary lever for achieving expected outcomes and benefits). 

    What is assurance? 

    The Assurance Framework defines assurance as 'independent and objective assessments and evaluations undertaken by people and entities separate to the delivery team and the Senior Responsible Official (SRO), to support decision-making'. 

    DTA’s assurance oversight role 

    The DTA is responsible for providing Ministers, the Secretaries’ Digital and Data Committee and other key stakeholders with confidence that digital investments are being designed well, are optimised to deliver value – and if funded, will achieve their investment objectives. This is achieved through the DTA’s assurance oversight role during key states of the investment. 

    During the proposal stage, the DTA will engage to support the agency to develop and agree an Assurance Plan. During the delivery stage, the DTA will engage to ensure proposed assurance is mobilised and to monitor those assurance activities and their outputs. 

    Assurance engagement process 

    To ensure fit-for-purpose assurance is planned for digital and ICT investments, agencies are required to engage with the DTA during the Contestability state. Planning also continues throughout the Assurance state. This engagement follows a four-step process outlined in the Assurance Framework:

    Contestability State 

    Step 1 Confirm the applicable investment tier: The Tier of an investment is determined by the DTA, in consultation with the agency and in context of the risk, complexity and strategic importance. 

    Step 2 Plan for assurance: Applying the Key Principles for Good Assurance, agencies are required to plan for assurance, addressing the minimum requirements applicable to the investment’s Tier rating. 

    Assurance State 

    Step 3 Use assurance effectively during delivery: Agencies must deliver according to the approved Assurance Plan, continue to apply the Key Principles for Good Assurance, and meet ongoing reporting and engagement requirements. 

    Step 4 Follow the escalation protocols (if required): Investments which encounter difficulty during delivery will receive additional DTA oversight and support.

    Investment Tiers 

    The tier determined during the Contestability state will drive the assurance requirements for that investment. 

    3 Investment Tiers 

    • Tier 1 Flagship digital investments: Government’s most complex and strategically significant digital investments, responsible for transforming the experience of people and businesses. 
    • Tier 2 Strategically significant digital investments: Complex and strategically significant digital investments which may not have the same whole-of-government emphasis or the same criticality to the digital agenda as Tier 1 investments. 
    • Tier 3 Significant digital investments: Significant digital investments, that are likely focussed on meeting the needs of one agency or, sometimes, a small group of agencies

    Regardless of tier, all in-scope investments are required to agree an Assurance Plan with the DTA prior to Cabinet decision (some exceptions apply) – which drives the mobilising and monitoring of assurance during delivery. 

    Tier 1 – Assurance Requirements 

    Tier 1 investments must show that assurance is being applied effectively during delivery, aligning to the Key Principles for Good Assurance, by meeting the following minimum requirements:

    • include DTA representation on your investment’s governance committee 
    • agree terms of reference for external assurance activities with the DTA prior to commencement 
    • when approaching the market for independent assurance providers, agree approach to market materials with the DTA 
    • review and update your Assurance Plan through the governance committee with DTA representation every six (6) months (or as otherwise stated in your Assurance Plan), and provide the updated version to the DTA for review and agreement
    • provide draft and final assurance reports containing a Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) rating on the overall health of the investment to the DTA quarterly. (Note that Gateway Review reports will be handled in accordance with agreed protocols for the handling of Gateway material.)
    • ensure governance bodies with DTA representation receive regular reporting on progress implementing agreed assurance recommendations 
    • advise the DTA when there is a material variation from planned assurance arrangements. 

    Tier 2 – Assurance Requirements 

    Tier 2 investments must show that assurance is being applied effectively during delivery, aligning to the Key Principles for Good Assurance by meeting the following minimum requirements:

    • provide terms of reference for external assurance activities as endorsed by the SRO to the DTA for comment, prior to delivery commencement 
    • review and update your Assurance Plan through your governance body at least every 12 months, and provide the updated version to the DTA for review 
    • provide final assurance reports containing a DCA rating to the DTA biannually for oversight purposes. (Note that Gateway Review reports will be handled in accordance with agreed protocols for the handling of Gateway material). 
    • provide summary reporting to the DTA on recommendation implementation progress 
    • advise the DTA when there is a material variation from planned assurance arrangements. 

    Tier 3 – Assurance Requirements 

    Tier 3 investments must show that assurance is being applied effectively during delivery, aligning to the Key Principles for Good Assurance by meeting the following minimum requirements: 

    • review and update your Assurance Plan through your governance body as needed to maintain its currency, and provide the updated version to the DTA for review 
    • provide final assurance opinions and reports to the DTA for oversight purposes. This may include a DCA rating on the overall health of the investment. (Note that Gateway Review reports will be handled in accordance with agreed protocols for the handling of Gateway material.) 
    • advise the DTA when there is a material variation from planned assurance arrangements. 

    Mobilising for Assurance – with DTA 

    Once an investment is funded by Cabinet through a Budget cycle, the DTA’s focus turns to monitoring the implementation of agreed assurance arrangements and to ensuring minimum assurance requirements (aligning to the Tier) are met. 

    The DTA will start its assurance oversight engagement when delivery of an approved investment commences (or when an in-flight program/project adopts the Assurance Framework requirements). The DTA will request the relevant SRO and investment delivery team to: 

    • confirm key details to support the DTA in commencing its oversight of assurance arrangements during delivery, such as approved scope and funding, proposed delivery approach, schedule, and governance. 
    • ensure proposed assurance activities are initiated in line with the Assurance Plan and that assurance accountabilities are clear and understood. 
    • acknowledge the ongoing assurance monitoring and reporting activities, aligning this to the investment’s Tier requirements e.g., For Tier-1 investment, inclusion of the DTA on the relevant governance committee. 

    Further information and enquiries: 

    Email: portfolio.assurance@dta.gov.au

  • Downloadable resource

    Assurance on Digital & ICT Investments Factsheet

  • Minimum Assurance Requirements for Investment Tiers

    In-scope digital investments are assigned one of three tiers under the DTA’s Investment Tiering Model. This model is designed to focus oversight attention on the most important investments and ensure lower risk and/or lower value investments are not unnecessarily burdened by excessive levels of assurance oversight. 

    The tier is determined by the DTA in consultation with the proponent agency for an in-scope digital investment. 

    All three tiers must show that assurance is being applied effectively throughout delivery and must also meet the minimum requirements. 

    For more information, refer to the Assurance Framework for Digital & ICT Investments.

    Minimum RequirementsTier 1
    Flagship Digital 
    Investments    		Tier 2 Strategically Significant Digital InvestmentsTier 3 Significant Digital Investments

    Assurance Plan updates 

    Regularly update the Assurance Plan to maintain its currency, incorporating DTA reviews and gaining endorsement at the relevant governance body. Provide the updated version to the DTA.

    		Yes. Every 6 monthsYes. Every 12 months or as otherwise stated in Assurance PlanYes. As needed

    Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA)


    Complete regular assurance activities that provide a DCA rating on the overall health of the investment

    		Yes. QuarterlyYes. BiannualYes. As needed

    Material Variations to Assurance 

    Advise the DTA when there is a material variation from planned assurance arrangements.

    		YesYesYes

    Assurance Reports 

    Provide final assurance reports to the DTA for oversight purposes. 

    Note: Gateway Review reports will be handled in accordance with agreed protocols for the handling of Gateway material.

    		Yes. Also provide draft assurance reports and regular reporting on progress implementing agreed assurance recommendationsYes. Also provide summary reporting to the DTA on recommendation implementation progressYes
    Terms of Reference (ToR) for External Assurance ActivitiesYes. Agree ToR for external assurance activities with the DTA prior to commencementYes. Share ToR for external assurance activities as endorsed by the Senior Responsible Official to the DTA for comment prior to commencementN/A
    DTA Representation on GovernanceYes. Must include DTA on the investment’s primary governance committee, as an observerYes. DTA representation on the investment’s governance committee as an observer – if requiredN/A
    Approach to Market for AssuranceYes. When approaching the market for independent assurance providers, agree approach to market materials with the DTAN/AN/A

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