1. Prioritise user needs
We focus on what users need from our content. Organisational goals are important too, but we primarily take a user-centred perspective.
2. Work smarter, not harder
We aim to be efficient as well as effective. This means focusing on the simplest way content can meet user and organisation needs initially. We avoid overly complicated approaches.
3. Design with data
We base content design decisions on tangible insights from user research and other information, such as analytics and customer feedback. We empathise with user frustrations to design better experiences.
4. Do the hard work to make it simple
We make content as clear, simple and easy to use as possible. We work hard to remove jargon, complexity and redundant words.
5. Accessible by default
We advocate for disabled users, and challenge services to comply with Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. Accessible content should be the default, not an optional add-on.
6. Consider the context of use
We design inclusive content. This means ensuring content is understandable and useful on different devices, and when accessed in different environments. We're mindful of situational disabilities.
7. Design user journeys, not webpages
We design content that considers where users have come from, what they need to know, and where they need to go next. We know every page is part of a multi-step journey, and work with colleagues to avoid a silo mentality.
8. Keep things consistent
We maintain style guidance to help ensure language, layouts and formatting are consistent across user journeys. Consistency ensures a smoother user experience, and avoids jarring moments that distract from the task at hand.
9. Learn from others
We're often trying to solve the same problems as dozens of other local authorities. We talk to our peers to learn best practices and new ideas we can adapt. We take inspiration wherever we find it.
10. Ethics and environment
We're mindful of the impact of our work. We weigh up the cost-benefit trade-off of using artificial intelligence (AI), and consider the environmental credentials of suppliers we work with.
