Read how we're improving our approach to online accessibility and digital inclusion (links to information provided on the Vision Australia website):

00:00

(Upbeat music) I'm Neil King from the Digital Access Team here at Vision Australia. Most clients we work with address accessibility at the end of a project, so they're retrofitting what they've already built to make it accessible. South Australian Government, in conjunction with Vision Australia, did this the other way around.

We worked on the policy, then we worked on the procedures to support that policy through the online toolkit, and then the Web Design System. Accessibility was front of mind and drove everything else.

[Female Narrator] We live in a world where everything is turning digital, from the way you order food, book a car, organise your holiday, or use government services. At the same time, our communities are becoming more and more diverse. We all live in different places and have different backgrounds.

We're old, young, live with disability, speak multiple languages, and access online services in different ways, on different devices, from different locations right around South Australia.

01:05

The South Australian Government believes digital things, like websites and apps, should be created with the whole community in mind, that's why we created the online accessibility toolkit.

The toolkit is free and publicly available, so that everyone can create accessible digital platforms that are easy to navigate and read, work on different devices, and consider good design and color, ensuring that captions, transcripts, and code, are built in a way that the one in five Australians, who have a disability, can access without disadvantage.

Co-designed with over 100 different organisations, including Vision Australia, Royal Society for the Blind SA, and people with a lived experience of disability, the toolkit provides best practice guidelines, easy-to-use checklists, and communities to ensure all government, non-profit, and profit enterprise, design with accessibility in mind.

01:56

[Male Narrator] Government websites are one of the most important tools for communicating services and connecting with citizens.

Also, citizens digital experiences have evolved, expecting the same level of online capability from government as they already receive from businesses, such as Uber, Amazon, banks, and airlines.

Many government websites are built on static platforms that are difficult and expensive to improve and evolve over time.

Often these websites aren't user-friendly, don't work well on multiple devices, and don't comply with accessibility standards.

The Government of South Australia has launched the Website Design System, a world-leading, template-based website framework that simplifies the development process, whilst ensuring governments design, security, and accessibility standards are met.

By building in accessibility to the website from the start, not only saves on initial costs but can support good design rather than limiting it.

With over 50 unique features, functions, and templates to choose from, agencies can create customized and compliant websites with minimal technical know-how.

03:04

The Website Design System is an Australian first for government, and is the all-in-one solution for agencies looking to create seamless digital experiences.

We understand building websites can be complicated and requires expertise. Our step-by-step guide allows agencies to follow the process in their time and lean on our team of experts when they need.

Website Design System creation happens in four simple steps, discovery, design, development, and delivery.

Here's how it works. Before agencies can build a website, they need to understand its purpose and their customers.

Our journey mapping tools and analytics deep-dive, ensure we've done the research to deliver the right website for the agency's need.

This includes core functions for the website, target audience identification, and any specific government or system requirements.

04:01

With the purpose and site requirements completed, we work collaboratively with agencies to wireframe their website from our range of best practice templates and components.

These collaborative sessions can be delivered in-person, or digitally, and allow all stakeholders to have their say in how the website should be structured.

With the functionality, design, and wireframes completed, our team will now commence building the website.

Our design system framework means each of our templates and components are pre-built, in partnership with Vision Australia, accessibility compliance, and seamless functionality on every website.

The Website Design System doesn't just ensure a great user experience for citizens, but our simple-to-use content editing tools make editing the website a breeze.

With agencies now actively developing content for their site, our content editors are on-hand to assist with government publishing and editorial standards.

05:01

Before each website goes live, our teams complete an exhaustive quality, content, security, and functional accessibility audit.

The process ensures each new website meets the standards set by the Government of South Australia, and we can be confident in its usability for citizens.

Digital dashboards and analytics tools are also provided to ensure constant understanding of the website and its use is achieved.

The Website Design System is cost-efficient and has already created millions of dollars in savings for government.

With over 30 government websites already utilising the Website Design System, and many more in the pipeline, citizens in South Australia are now receiving a more seamless, secure, and accessible digital government experience.

Find out more about the Website Design System at designsystem.sa.gov.au, or our accessibility toolkit at accessibility.sa.gov.au.