Updates to the Digital Experience Policy and suite of Standards

The DTA has revised the Digital Experience Policy (DX Policy) - and all four of its standards - to offer clearer direction, streamlined language, and improved practical guidance to support implementation and compliance. These changes come from feedback from agencies and departments as they look to comply to the Policy.

The mandate and effect dates are now precisely defined, making it easier for agencies to understand which standards apply and when, with the DX Policy coming into effect from 1 January 2025.  

Each supporting standard includes explicit effective dates, so agencies can confidently plan their implementation timelines.

Terminology such as “access points”, “digital experiences”, and “digital inclusion” is now consistently defined and applied, ensuring uniform understanding and reducing ambiguity. Definitions and examples have been expanded for a wide range of service types, including informational, transactional, staff-facing, new, existing, redesigned, and replacement services. These now specifically mention elements such as multimedia, gamified features, and online libraries, making the guidance more practical and comprehensive.

Compliance pathways have been clarified for both existing and new or replacement services, introducing reporting thresholds for high-volume interactions.

Data collection and reporting requirements are now more prominent, with clearer processes outlined for agencies to follow. The feedback from agencies has been directly incorporated, making agency responsibilities explicit and providing straightforward instructions for engagement, exemption requests, and meeting compliance expectations.

The DTA’s roles and responsibilities, as well as the roles of relevant agencies, are now clearly described. Overall, these updates enhance clarity, consistency, and accessibility for these resources. This makes it easier for agencies to interpret, apply, and comply with the DX Policy and its standards.

The revisions were completed last week additional resources, including the APS Experience Design Principles from Services Australia, will soon be added to the toolkit on digital.gov.au.