Alpha

This page is part of the Digital Alpha Projectgive us feedback to help improve it?

Design Principles for Citizens Advice Beta

This document starts to look at the design principles.

1. Clients first

Our users are our clients, they aren’t us. Start with understanding their needs and the design will follow.

Needs come from:

  • Analysing data (is it needed)
  • Talking to users (what is needed)
  • Feedback from bureau (service delivery)

2. Keep it simple

By keeping the design simple, we keep the content focused, this means we can help clients find the information and advice they need quicker.

3. Work openly

From start to finish – research, idea generation, development and results should be open to all by default, the more we know the better the solution.

4. Inclusion

Our clients can be the most vulnerable in society, from diverse backgrounds and varying abilities. With such a wide range of users of varying abilities and needs, we have to be focused on accessibility throughout the digital experience, everything we produce needs to be legible, understandable and accessible.

5. Learn and change

There is always more than one answer to a need, testing solutions with real users is the only way to know if something has answered a need – design quickly, test rigorously, evolve and implement.

6. Aim for consistency not constant

Clients are often seeking advice on more than one problem, therefore they could return immediately or shortly after. Managing their expectations and experience is fundamental to the service we provide. Not to reinvent but also not force the same format for every process or problem.