Digital Innovation and Transformation

Digital Government Services Design

Citizens expect public services to be as simple as the best private-sector apps. This course shows government professionals how to design digital services around user needs: researching users, mapping journeys, simplifying policy and process, building accessible online services, measuring performance and improving continuously. Examples are drawn from leading digital governments.

5 days Classroom or live online English

Smart Horizon Certified - Global Leadership Consultants

Take the course details with you.

Download the full standard outline: why attend, methodology, objectives, audience, competencies, the daily outline and current plans.

Download course PDF

Why attend

From knowledge to real-world impact.

Many public digital services simply move paper forms online. You will learn how to redesign services end to end so they are easier for citizens and cheaper to run.

Workplace challenges

Professional Problems This Course Is Designed to Solve

The programme explores practical approaches to the following challenges. Results depend on how the learning is applied in your organisation.

Difficulty translating subject knowledge into practical workplace decisions.
Inconsistent approaches to the activities covered in the course outline.
Lack of a structured plan for applying and reviewing new skills.

Course methodology

How you will learn.

User research practice, journey mapping workshops, prototyping exercises and case studies from digital government programmes.

Course objectives

What you'll take away.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Apply service design principles in a public sector context
Conduct user research with citizens and staff
Map and redesign end-to-end service journeys
Design accessible and inclusive digital services
Measure service performance and user satisfaction
Lead multidisciplinary service teams

Target audience

Who should attend.

This course is suitable for:

Public sector managers and policy officers
Digital transformation teams in government
Customer service leaders in public bodies
IT project managers in government
Municipal and agency staff

Target competencies

Capabilities you will build.

Participants will develop competencies in:

Service design
User research
Accessibility
Performance measurement
Cross-functional teamwork

Course outline

Your learning journey.

A focused, practical outline with time to explore, apply and reflect.

Day 1Principles of Digital Government

09:00–10:08What makes a good public service
10:08–11:00Service standards and design principles
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Service standards and design principles (continued)
11:45–12:53International examples
12:53–14:00Exercise: assessing a current service

Day 2Understanding Users

09:00–10:08User research methods
10:08–11:00Personas and needs
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Personas and needs (continued)
11:45–12:53Assisted digital and inclusion
12:53–14:00Practice: user interviews

Day 3Redesigning Journeys

09:00–10:08End-to-end journey mapping
10:08–11:00Removing unnecessary steps
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Removing unnecessary steps (continued)
11:45–12:53Policy and process simplification
12:53–14:00Workshop: redesigning a service

Day 4Building and Testing

09:00–10:08Prototyping and testing
10:08–11:00Accessibility requirements
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Accessibility requirements (continued)
11:45–12:53Agile delivery in government
12:53–14:00Exercise: paper prototype

Day 5Measuring and Improving

09:00–10:08Service performance indicators
10:08–11:00Feedback and continuous improvement
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Feedback and continuous improvement (continued)
11:45–12:53Governance and funding
12:53–14:00Action plan

The timings provided are estimates and may vary depending on the number of participants and the discussions taking place during the sessions. They are indicative only and do not constitute a binding commitment.

Dates & venues

Find a session that works for you.

Confirmed dates accept registration requests. Tentative dates are enquiry only.

Good to know

A few things to know.

How is the course delivered?

Our classroom programmes combine facilitated discussion, case studies, exercises and reflection. The precise format will be confirmed before enrolment.

Can you deliver this programme for our team?

Yes, you can enquire about a tailored programme. Share your goals, group size and preferred dates with our learning team.

Will I receive a certificate?

Participants who complete the programme receive a Smart Horizon UK certificate of attendance. Smart Horizon UK programmes are not externally accredited and do not award a professional qualification, licence or designation. Where a course title or outline refers to a professional certification (for example, AACE International's Certified Cost Professional), the programme supports learning and preparation only; the credential itself is awarded solely by the relevant professional body under its own application and examination requirements.

What should I confirm before booking travel?

Please confirm the session, exact venue, accessibility arrangements, fees and any visa requirements with the team before arranging travel. Tentative dates are not confirmed sessions.

Keep exploring

Your next horizon awaits.

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The full course agenda and dates are available above. Use the session links in Dates & venues to choose a session. Registration and quotation forms require JavaScript; you can also contact our learning team directly.