Digital Service Design Playbook

Crafting digital services tailored to the diverse needs of Queenslanders presents an ongoing challenge. The Playbook addresses this by offering methodologies and tools for government contexts, emphasising human-centered design practices such as user research, prototyping, and creative problem-solving. While recognising the valuable contributions of existing resources, the Digital Service Design Office (DSDO) recognised a need for more detailed instructions and a deeper consideration of the government context. Research indicated a gap for practitioners beyond introductory levels, promoting the need for an approved framework that aligns with our unique circumstances and objectives at TMR.

The DSDO responded by collaborating with users and stakeholders to create the Playbook, a collection of ‘plays’ containing activities and workshops that can help public servants design and deliver better products and services. At its core, the Playbook offers a novel and pioneering proposition, the democratisation of user-centred design. By enabling public servants from diverse backgrounds, including non-designers, to partake meaningfully in the design and delivery of Queensland Government services. It introduces a new approach to thinking and working, breaking down traditional barriers and making design accessible for the public sector beyond those with specialised design roles.

The Playbook •Empowers public servants to place customers at the centre of the design process. •Fosters enhanced collaboration and adaptability, sparking innovative solutions to real-world complexities. •Promotes efficiency and customer satisfaction. •Paves the way for smarter, more streamlined service design. •Builds design capability and services that adhere to Queensland Government policies and standards. •Mitigates risks and costs, ensuring problems are accurately identified and addressed. Benefits for Queenslanders •Services that meet our customer’s needs. •An improved customer experience of products and services. •Less frustration when using products and services. •Removal of thought overload when determining how to use services.

The Playbook is structured into ’plays’ and ’game plans’. Each ‘play’ is a proven design tool such as service blueprinting or ecosystem mapping. ’Game plans’, are where these plays come together, providing practical strategies and plans of action focused on ensuring design solutions are user-friendly, inclusive, accessible, efficient, and impactful. Intentionally designed with a low-fidelity, approachable aesthetic, the Playbook encourages user interaction, inviting users to make notes and make the Playbook their tool for innovation. The Playbook is not about being tech-savvy; it’s about understanding and adopting a user-centric approach to design better products and services for Queenslanders.