• Test

  • The scope of the Policy 

    The DX Policy will be effective from 1 January 2025 and applies to Corporate and Non-Corporate Commonwealth Entities, as defined by the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. 

    Services delivered after this date will be subject to requirements under the DX Policy. Compliance and processes will also commence from this date. 

    Agencies in scope of the DX Policy are expected to review and understand each Standard to determine which services are in scope of the requirements. 

    Services not covered by the DX Policy, for example state and territory services, may still choose to apply the DX Policy and standards to improve a quality digital experience for their users. 

    Note: The previously mandated Digital Service Standard will retain its effective date of 1 July 2024. However, from 1 January 2025 it will be aligned to the Digital Experience Policy suite of standards.

    Services covered by the Digital Experience Policy 

    The Digital Experience Policy covers the digital components of government services, noting that many services include both digital and non-digital channels designed to work together.

    This Policy applies to digital services with multimedia and gamified elements.

    Informational, transactional and staff-facing services have been defined below to assist agencies to determine if this policy applies to their digital services.

  • Benefits of a Digital Experience Policy 

    Over the past decade, digital government services have expanded rapidly, providing new ways for people and business to access information, complete tasks, and seek assistance. However, a history of siloed delivery and uneven digital maturity has created fragmented service experiences. 

    A coordinated focus on digital experience help address these challenges. It ensures that services are designed and delivered in a way that is user-friendly, inclusive, and efficient.

    Focusing on digital experience enables:

    • More equitable access to services
    • Reduced duplication of effort and resources
    • Better-informed investment decisions, supported by data and insights

    This also strengthens whole-of-government strategic alignment and improves the quality of future investments. 

    The Standards

    The Policy is underpinned by four supporting standards, each addressing a core element of high-quality digital service delivery:

    • Digital Service Standard: sets the requirements for designing and delivering digital government services.
    • Digital Inclusion Standard: sets the requirements for inclusive and accessible digital government experiences.
    • Digital Access Standard: sets the requirements for agencies to reduce duplication of entry points, supporting unified access to digital government services for people and business.
    • Digital Performance Standard: sets the approach for monitoring digital service performance and using insights to drive ongoing improvement. 

    Services covered by the DX Policy

    The DX Policy is mandatory and applies to informational and transactional digital services that are: 

    The DX Policy covers the digital components of government services, noting that many services include both digital and non-digital channels designed to work together.  

    This Policy applies to digital services with multimedia and gamified elements.  

    Informational, transactional and staff-facing services have been defined below to assist agencies to determine if this policy applies to their digital services. 

  • Informational services

    Informational services provide information to users, such as reports, fact sheets or videos. They may include: 

    • government agency websites
    • smart answers and virtual assistants
    • e-learning
    • publications
    • online libraries
    • databases and data warehouses. 
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  • Transactional services

    Transactional services lead to a change in government-held records, typically involving an exchange of information, money, licences or goods.  

    Examples of transactional services include: 

    • logging in to a portal or platform
    • submitting a claim
    • registering a business
    • updating contact details
    • lodging a tax return
    • subscribing to newsletters
    • grant applications
    • public consultation submissions. 

    For information on how ‘portals’ are defined, please refer to the AGA.
     

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  • Staff-facing services

    Staff-facing services provide information to government employees or support employee transactions. They may include:

    • intranets
    • learning management systems
    • records management systems
    • case/client management systems
    • decision-making systems
    • any systems or platforms utilised by staff.
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  • Implementation timeline

    For new public-facing services

    • The Service Standard came into effect on 1 July 2024
    • The Inclusion and Performance Standards came into effect on 1 January 2025
    • The Access Standard came into effect on 1 January 2025 for services suitable for myGov.
    • The Access Standard came into effect on 1 January 2026 for individuals not suitable for myGov, as well as for business and providers.

    For new staff-facing services

    • The Service Standard came into effect on 1 July 2024
    • The Inclusion Standard came into effect on 1 January 2025.

    For existing public-facing services

    • The Service Standard came into effect on 1 July 2025
    • The Inclusion Standard came into effect on 1 January 2026

    Agencies are responsible for reviewing each standard and determining which of their services fall within scope.

    While the Policy does not apply to state or territory services, agencies outside the mandatory scope are encouraged to adopt the standards to improve user experience. 

    An image showing the Digital Experience Policy timeline. A full description of the image is available in the 'Image description' section below.
  • Governance approach

    The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) is the product owner of the DX Policy and accompanying standards. This includes:

    • the ongoing day-to-day operation of the policy and standards 
    • developing guidance to support agencies to apply the standards
    • the collection and analysis of data related to agency compliance
    • assessment of services through the IOF process
    • reporting outcomes and compliance to Secretaries’ Data and Digital Committee (SDDC) and other interested parties
    • review and assessment of exemption requests received by agencies.

    Agencies with services in scope of the policy will be responsible for:

    • ensuring services meet the requirements set out in the standards 
    • the ongoing application of the standards against all services 
    • reporting to the DTA in line with the timeframes set in the supporting materials.

    Changes to the standards will be governed and approved through the SDDC and the Digital Leadership Committee (DLC). This approach will make sure the policies and standards remain relevant and current, while considering the diverse needs of agencies across government.

    The proposed exemption process and monitoring frameworks will be agreed through the SDDC and the DLC prior to implementation across agencies.

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