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National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)

The launch of an accessible myGov platform was the key driver for NDIA to adopt myGov.

• Accessibility is front and centre at NDIA. The older myGov platform didn’t offer the levels of accessibility NDIA needed for their target users.
• NDIA shared their accessibility concerns with myGov and the feedback was taken onboard. Accessibility improvements were built and released into the myGov platform.
• In late 2022, ‘myGov Blue’ platform was launched. This is when NDIA commenced its journey to integrate its newer customer facing digital channels into myGov.
• By onboarding to myGov, NDIA is conforming with Digital Transformation Agency and federal government intention to reduce government access points and improve the user experience

From 2020-22 NDIA took a position to not integrate with myGov until it lifted accessibility standards. This drove NDIA to build login solutions in house.

It had been a challenge to get a variety of data to test various ways to login. For example, secret question and answer, SMS, code generator and myGovID. 

So far, it has not been possible for NDIA to test the myGov app in the test environment. The myGov onboarding team are working with NDIA to rectify this limitation.

This case study is a real digital service currently onboarding to myGov. It shows how NDIA could have applied the Access Standards criteria and decision-making framework to their new digital service. 

Criteria 1: Understand how your users access digital services

The NDIA conducted user research and discovered that their target users already use or have access to myGov.

Research highlights that the newly released ‘myGov Blue’ platform provided the accessibility requirements that NDIA needed to support their users, where the older myGov platform did not.  

The NDIA explores requirements to integrate its newer customer facing digital channels into myGov.

Criteria 2: Define your service offering

The NDIA understood the capabilities their services required and how they could leverage myGov. NDIA’s existing user base was already using myGov to access their legacy digital services. With the upgrades made to myGov, NDIA are now able to integrate their newer digital channels with myGov. 

NDIA were eager to reuse capabilities such as myGov’s: 

• accreditation at the Australian Government Trusted Identify Framework (TDIF)
• centralised security investment and
• modern architecture.

Criteria 3:  Use the AGA to find reusable platforms and capabilities

• The Australian Government Architecture (AGA) can be used to further provide  the NDIA with an understanding of the capabilities available for reuse and any other requirements and/or policies that apply to their digital service.
• The resources provided on AGA allow agencies to understand and consider their service alignment with the Australian Government strategy to reduce the number of government digital access points.

Criteria 4: Follow the decision-making framework 

Applying the decision-making framework helped the NDIA understand: 

• where their users access government services from and if myGov may be appropriate for their service
• the capabilities needed for their digital service and if myGov does or could offer them
• the limitations they may face and if they can be overcome
• the associated costs and benefits for onboarding to myGov, by completing a cost/benefit analysis. 

Criteria 5: Engage with delivery partners

• The NDIA engaged with myGov at multiple touchpoints throughout the application of the Access Standard criteria to understand the requirements to implement their service through myGov.
• Ongoing weekly engagement with myGov helped NDIA meet its objectives to progressively get myGov in front of NDIA’s participant facing digital channels.
• The journey has had its challenges, however through early collaboration, honest conversations and a trusted partnership NDIA and myGov are working through these challenges successfully.

myGov Decision-making Framework

The myGov Decision-making framework helps you decide if you should connect your service to myGov

Know your user

• Do your users currently engage government services via myGov?
• Could your users access myGov?

Service Offering

• Do the capabilities offered by myGov address your services’ needs? (refer to myGov Platform Capability and Functions Overview document)
• Could your service requirements be built into myGov?

Limitations

• Is your service free from limitations that could impeded the use of myGov? (data sharing, ethical or legal)
• Can these limitations be overcome? 

Assess the investment

• Would connecting your service to myGov be cost effective? 
   

Statutory Declarations

Three agencies work together to implement a Digital Commonwealth statutory declaration service through myGov.

• During COVID there were difficulties with in-person witnessing of statutory declarations. This identified a need for an option to have statutory declarations digitally witnessed.
• Services Australia, Attorney-General’s Department and Department of Finance came together to implement a Digital Commonwealth statutory declaration service through myGov.
• The Attorney-General’s Department led the legislative changes for this new service and changed the law so Commonwealth statutory declarations can be made digitally through an approved online platform.
• To create a digital Commonwealth statutory declaration without a physical witness you must have Digital Identity connected to your myGov account.

All 3 agencies engaged early with the myGov teams at Services Australia. This allowed a full investigation into the capabilities that could be reused and new capabilities that needed to be introduced.

A myGov Design Sprint (Incubation) was conducted. This enabled agencies to understand the feasibility of the new capability and gaps.

New capabilities and enhancements like ‘QR code verification’ and ‘digital upload’ were introduced and enhanced for this new service.

This case study is a real digital service in myGov and shows how these agencies could have applied the Access Standard’s criteria and decision-making framework to their new digital service. 

Criteria 1: Understand how your users access digital services

The agencies researched their users and determined that users already use or have access to myGov.

Outcomes from research highlighted that this service required legislative changes to allow the removal of an ‘in person’ witness. 

Agencies understood that myGov was fit for purpose and started to investigate what the user experience could look like. 

Criteria 2: Define your service offering

The agencies conducted a design sprint with myGov to fully understand their service offering and the capabilities myGov can offer or implement to support the new service. 

The agencies learned that Digital Identity and digital upload will be leveraged, but there were some initial gaps in capabilities. 

New capabilities were able to be introduced which ensured myGov was fit for purpose.

Criteria 3:  Use the AGA to find reusable platforms and capabilities

The Australian Government Architecture (AGA) could be used to help agencies understand what capabilities are available for reuse and other requirements and/or policies that apply to their digital service.

The resources provided on AGA support agencies to understand and consider how their services align with the Australian Government strategy, to reduce the number of government digital access points.

Criteria 4: Follow the decision-making framework 

The decision-making framework was applied, which helped agencies understand: 

• where users access government services and if myGov is appropriate for their service
• the capabilities that are needed for their digital service and if myGov offers, or could offer them
• the limitations they may face and if they can be overcome
• the associated costs and benefits for onboarding to myGov, by completing a cost/benefit analysis. 

Criteria 5: Engage with delivery partners

• The Attorney-General’s Department conducted early engagement with myGov understanding this was essential for the successful implementation into myGov.
• The Attorney-General’s Department and Department of Finance worked in partnership with Services Australia and discovered the need for an early Design Sprint with myGov essential to understanding the design, capability and cost effectiveness of myGov in comparison to bespoke solutions. 

myGov Decision-making Framework

The myGov Decision-making framework helps you decide if you should connect your service to myGov.

Know your user

• Do your users currently engage government services via myGov?
• Could your users access myGov?

Service Offering

• Do the capabilities offered by myGov address your services’ needs? (refer to myGov Platform Capability and Functions Overview document)
• Could your service requirements be built into myGov?

Limitations

• Is your service free from limitations that could impeded the use of Gov? (data sharing, ethical or legal)
• Can these limitations be overcome? 
  Assess the investment
• Would connecting your service to myGov be cost effective? 
   

Passport application and renewal

The Australian Passport Office (APO) created a new digital service for their passport application and renewal process that previously could only be completed by paper forms.

• As part of the Passport Modernisation program, the APO sought to digitalise paper-based passport application and renewal processes.
• To understand the capabilities that myGov could provide, both at present and in the future, the APO engaged with Services Australia early.
• The APO were interested in using myGov capabilities, such as the authenticated log-on, and the ability to notify and communicate with users through the inbox.
• Services Australia completed a Design Sprint to understand what a passport service in myGov could look like.

APO’s customer base renew their passport every 10 years.  The infrequent use of user accounts means that using the myGov login, rather than an APO specific login, enhances the user experience.

In its current state, APO’s system requires transformation and increased maturity before it can onboard its passport application and renewal process into myGov.

APO’s engagement with myGov has been ongoing for several years and will continue as they upgrade their system in preparation to onboard in myGov.

This case study is a real digital service looking to onboard to myGov in the future. This example shows how the APO could have applied the Access Standards criteria and decision-making framework to their new digital service.  In this case a temporary exemption would need to be applied for.

Criteria 1: Understand how your users access digital services

The APO conducted user research and discovered that their target users already use or have access to myGov.

The APO would like their passport application/renewal process to be available for users in myGov. 

The APO explores requirements to onboard their new digital service to myGov. 

Criteria 2: Define your service offering

The APO conducted a Design Sprint with myGov to fully understand their service offering and the capabilities myGov can offer or implement. 

APO were eager to reuse capabilities, like myGov’s authentication, inbox and notifications.

APO discovered its system was too immature to be onboarded onto myGov. 

The APO are undergoing digital transformation, investing and building their system capabilities to onboard to myGov in the future.

Criteria 3:  Use the AGA to find reusable platforms and capabilities

The Australian Government Architecture (AGA) could have been used to provide the APO further understanding of what capabilities were available for reuse and any other requirements and/or policies that apply to their digital service.

The resources provided on AGA allow agencies to understand and consider their service alignment with the Australian Government strategy to reduce the number of government digital access points.

Criteria 4: Follow the decision-making framework 

Applying the decision-making framework helped APO understand: 

• where their users access government services from and if myGov may be appropriate for their service
• the capabilities needed for their digital service and if myGov does or could offer them
• the limitations they may face and if they can be overcome
• the associated costs and benefits are for onboarding to myGov, by completing a cost/benefit analysis. 

Criteria 5: Engage with delivery partners

• Early engagement with myGov will be essential for any future onboarding to myGov.
• The APO engaged with myGov at multiple touchpoints throughout the application of the Digital Access Standard’s criteria to understand what was required to implement the service through myGov.
• The APO will continue their engagement with myGov to discuss future onboarding to myGov.

myGov Decision-making Framework

The myGov Decision-making framework helps you decide if you should connect your service to myGov.

Know your user

• Do your users currently engage government services via myGov?
• Could your users access myGov?

Service Offering

• Do the capabilities offered by myGov address your services’ needs? (refer to myGov Platform Capability and Functions Overview document)
• Could your service’s requirements be built into myGov?

Limitations

• Is your service free from limitations that could impeded the use of myGov? (data sharing, ethical or legal)
• Can these limitations be overcome? 

Assess the investment

• Would connecting your service to myGov be cost effective? 
   

Case studies

Explore our collection of case studies showcasing how agencies have successfully implemented the Digital Experience (DX) Policy and Standards. These real-world examples highlight innovative solutions, common challenges, and practical learnings from across government. Discover how adopting best practices in digital design, accessibility, and user experience is making a difference for all Australians. 

Digital Access Standard