Meeting the Digital Inclusion Standard
The Digital Inclusion Standard is made up of 5 criteria to help government agencies design and deliver inclusive and accessible services for all people and business.
To successfully apply the Digital Inclusion Standard, agencies must meet all the criteria.
Agencies are strongly encouraged to consider how the criteria applies across the whole service lifecycle.
It is recommended that agencies also consider the non-digital experience of users to make sure services are inclusive and accessible for all.
Alignment with the Investment Oversight Framework
Agencies are expected to consider how their proposal aligns to the Digital Inclusion Standard throughout all the Digital and ICT Investment Oversight Framework (IOF) states.
During the design phase, agencies should consider how to apply the Digital Inclusion Standard during the Strategic planning and Prioritisation states to align with the strategic outcomes of Government.
From 1 January 2025, proposals for new digital services will be assessed through the IOF at the following states:
- Contestability state: The Digital Inclusion Standard will be assessed as part of the existing ICT Investment Approval Process. Agencies must demonstrate to the DTA how they have, or will, apply the Digital Inclusion Standard and provide evidence to support it through the Digital Capability Assessment Process (DCAP). Guidance of what evidence is required will be provided as part of the DCAP Agency Guide.
- Assurance state: The Digital Inclusion Standard will be assessed through the Assurance Framework. Agencies will be required to demonstrate to the DTA how they applied the Digital Inclusion Standard and provide supporting evidence.
For new services, agencies should consider obligations under the Digital Inclusion Standard throughout the Sourcing and Operations states.
For existing services from 1 January 2026, services will be assessed at relevant points throughout the Operations state of the IOF, for example, through the Approved Programs Collection (also known as Wave).
Additional information on how the DTA will assess compliance with the Digital Inclusion Standard is provided in the Compliance and Reporting Framework. This framework will continue to be evaluated and is expected to mature over time.