By Services Australia
Partnering with the APSC, and in collaboration with other government agencies, Services Australia designed 7 Experience Design Principles (the Principles) to put customers at the centre of policies and services we design and deliver.
Designed to provide a shared vision and set the bar for the desired experience across government, the Principles ensure both the customer and staff experience is prioritised from the very beginning of the service design and delivery process.
The APS Experience Design Principles pave the way to build a stronger APS, supporting pillar 2 of the APS Reform to drive:
“An APS that puts people and business at the centre of policy and services”
Emphasising a customer-centric culture and inclusive experience for all, the 7 principles are:
Each principle includes outcomes and supporting design criteria. The outcomes define what the desired customer experience is, and the design criteria identify areas of focus that enable us to achieve those outcomes. By linking specific actions and resources to high-level outcomes, the principles support teams to put people at the centre of designing or improving policies and services.
Whether you are working on a policy, program or service, the principles can be applied at every stage - from development to design and implementation. Applying across all channels—online, telephony, face to face— no matter what part of government you work in, the principles will support you to deliver high-quality, customer-centric services that meet the needs of customers.
For more information about the Principles, head to the AGA Website.\
How were they developed?
Using an agile and iterative approach, the APS Experience Design Principles were co-designed, tested and iterated with stakeholders across government and advocacy groups. The CX Standard team at Services Australia extensively reviewed design best practice and user research from across Services Australia, the Australian Government at the Federal, State and Local level, international governments (including the UK, Canada, and New Zealand), and industry.
Through strong collaboration with over 700 Services Australia subject matter experts and 250 external stakeholders, the team gathered diverse perspectives and insights that shaped how the principles were refined and validated to the product you see today. In September 2024, the Partnerships Priorities Committee endorsed the principles across government to guide the design of people and business-facing policies and services.
Next Steps
The CX Standard team at Services Australia is now working with project teams to drive alignment, adoption and embedding of the principles within Services Australia, and across whole-of-government.
Connect with the team (CXStandard@servicesaustralia.gov.au) for guidance on how you can build your awareness, and adopt the APS Experience Design Principles in the way you develop, design, and implement services and policies.