GOV.UK is designed to help people access information and services quickly and easily, without needing to understand the structure of government. The GOV.UK proposition supports publishers within government by outlining what information and services belong on GOV.UK. This helps reinforce GOV.UK’s role as the single, trusted home of government information.
The proposition takes the form of an overarching document which defines what should, and what should not, go on GOV.UK. We’ve blogged in the past about changes we’ve made to the proposition in response to changing needs - and now we’re iterating it again. Here’s what we’re doing and why.
Why we’re updating the proposition
As user needs and departmental requirements evolve, so must GOV.UK. The GOV.UK proposition is reviewed and updated regularly in order to ensure it is aligned with the GOV.UK strategy. These changes can range from factual corrections or clarifications to substantial additions or alterations depending on our work and goals.
The GOV.UK strategy for growth
In June we unveiled the GOV.UK strategy for growth, which is a blueprint to expand the GOV.UK offer beyond traditional web experiences to new channels and platforms. The strategy's aim is to reach people wherever and whenever they need government information, embracing new technologies to meet evolving user expectations.
For example, we want to develop our presence on social channels, such as YouTube, create new content types, and expand our use of existing formats such as video. Improving the user experience around specific, targeted journeys, and reducing the complexity of our publishing tools, are also among our goals, which we have already started delivering on with the most significant update to our homepage in years.
In support of the strategy, a review of the GOV.UK proposition was undertaken, resulting in a number of changes to align with the evolving multi-channel offer.
The new changes
We’ve made 5 changes to the proposition, which are as follows:
- We’ve added an explanation of why the proposition exists, where accountability sits and a clear commitment to review the proposition regularly.
- We’ve restructured the section about who and what GOV.UK is for to make it easier to read.
- We’ve updated the list of channels and domains the GOV.UK proposition applies to. This reflects GOV.UK’s expansion from being solely a website, to having a multichannel presence.
- We’ve updated the wording around what content must, by default, go on GOV.UK. This helps departmental publishers by removing ambiguity about where content should be hosted.
- We’ve made applying for an exemption from GOV.UK more accessible by replacing a downloadable document with an online form, built with the new GOV.UK Forms platform. We’ve had quite a lot of feedback on this form already and will be making some tweaks over the next couple of weeks.
Our next steps
We’ll review the GOV.UK proposition regularly to ensure it continues to align with the GOV.UK strategy.
We are always happy to receive feedback on changes to the proposition. For suggestions or to get involved in the development of the proposition, email govuk-enquiries@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk.
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1 comment
Comment by Ross Ferguson posted on
These are excellent improvements that clarify and should strengthen the GOV.UK proposition.
I regularly encourage other government and public service sites to adopt similar propositions. This remains the best example, and kudos to the GOV.UK for keeping it under review, updated and accounting for the changes that are made.