# Digital Scotland Service Standard

Source: https://govform.com/resources/documentation/article/digital-scotland-service-standard
Topic: Service standards & background

Scottish public sector services need to be accessible, inclusive, secure and designed around the people who use them. Teams are expected to create services that are easy to understand, work across different channels and can be improved over time.

Govform helps Scottish public sector teams build digital services that support these goals. It gives teams a configurable Digital Service Builder for creating forms, applications, surveys, calculators, casework services and other public sector journeys.

Because Scottish public sector organisations may follow different internal governance, assurance and design requirements, Govform should be used alongside the relevant organisational standards, policies and approval processes.

## How Govform supports Scottish public sector digital delivery

### Design around user needs

Govform helps teams create services based on what users need to do, rather than how an organisation is structured internally. Teams can build services that:

-   ask clear questions
-   use plain language
-   avoid unnecessary steps
-   show only relevant pages
-   let users check answers before submitting
-   provide clear confirmation after submission

This makes services easier to test with users and improve based on evidence.

### Make services accessible and inclusive

Govform services use accessible public sector design patterns and components. This helps teams build services that work for people using:

-   assistive technologies
-   keyboards
-   screen readers
-   mobile devices
-   different browsers
-   browser zoom and text resizing

Teams should still test services for accessibility and check that their content, documents and uploaded files meet the required standards.

### Create joined-up journeys

Many public services involve more than one step, team or system. Govform supports joined-up journeys through:

-   multi-page services
-   conditional routing
-   task lists
-   file uploads
-   email notifications
-   approval workflows
-   API integrations
-   SharePoint integrations
-   data feeds
-   search and results interfaces

This helps teams build services that feel joined up for users, even when the operational process behind the service is more complex.

### Support different types of public service

Govform can be used for many Scottish public sector use cases, including:

-   applications
-   grants
-   licensing
-   reporting services
-   inspections
-   surveys
-   consultations
-   eligibility checks
-   calculators
-   casework frontends
-   internal operational services

This means teams can use one platform for a wide range of digital service patterns.

### Protect data and support governance

Govform includes features that help teams manage data safely and responsibly, including:

-   authentication options
-   anonymous access options
-   secure uploads
-   configurable data retention
-   controlled deployment environments
-   audit records
-   environment-specific configuration
-   integration with third-party systems

Teams remain responsible for privacy, data protection impact assessments, information governance and organisational approvals.

### Iterate and improve

Govform supports continuous improvement by allowing teams to:

-   create prototypes quickly
-   test services before deployment
-   deploy to QA and Production environments
-   update content and questions
-   change conditional journeys
-   review analytics
-   track changes over time

This helps teams respond to user feedback and operational learning without needing to rebuild the service from scratch.

## What evidence can teams prepare?

When preparing for internal assurance, governance or service review, teams using Govform can gather evidence such as:

-   user needs and research findings
-   service journey designs
-   prototype links
-   accessibility testing evidence
-   privacy and data retention decisions
-   security and integration documentation
-   analytics
-   content design decisions
-   change history
-   screenshots of key service journeys

Govform helps teams create the digital service, but each organisation remains responsible for meeting its own standards, policies and governance requirements.

## Summary

Govform helps Scottish public sector teams build digital services that are accessible, user-centred, secure and easy to improve. It supports a wide range of service types, from simple applications and surveys to more complex casework, workflow and data-driven services.