Design and UX

New Zealand Government Design System (alpha phase)

A design system is a catalogue of reusable components, patterns and base elements you might need to build your website or app.

Accessibility

Web accessibility is about inclusion — making sure everyone, including people with disabilities and those using assistive technologies, can access online information and services.

• Accessible language
• Accessible video
• Accessibility for Microsoft Word documents
• Accessibility supported technologies
• CAPTCHA and accessibility
• Colour and contrast
• Legal and policy requirements for accessible websites
• Planning for accessibility
• Print and alternate formats

Usability

Usability is about designing effective, efficient and satisfying user experiences. All public service and non-public service agencies must meet the NZ Government Web Usability Standard.

• Copyright statements for websites
• Privacy statements for websites
• Disclaimers on websites
• Terms of use for websites
• Linking to non-HTML files

Service design

A service design approach looks at the whole task, rather than the separate parts that might be spread throughout a government agency or across different agencies.

• Service design — overview
• 1. Prepare phase
• 2. Understand phase
• 3. Create phase
• 4. Develop phase
• Service design examples
• Service design tools
• Service design principles

Content design and management

• Content structure
• Plain language
• Search engine optimisation
• Writing link text
• Web content checklists
• Writing tools and resources
• Managing content in a project environment

Browser and device testing

Web development should support all browsers and devices. Availability and accessibility of core content and functionality are key priorities.

Research

Understanding your users and their needs is the first step towards designing useful, usable information and services.

• All-of-government mindsets