My UX design journey with GDS and the GOV.UK prototyping kit
Hey there! I’m Elmer, and for the past 18 months, I’ve been immersed in UK Government Digital Service (GDS) projects through Kainos. Let me take you through how my encounter with GDS and the GOV.UK prototyping kit has been nothing short of transformative to my perspective on design.
Learning to love the GDS approach to design
When I first stepped into a project which followed the GDS standard I’ll be honest, I had my doubts. I wondered if there was any room for creativity in what seemed like a pretty rigid framework. And, following established standards felt a bit daunting. But as I got deeper into my role, I had this “aha” moment. I realised that being a UX designer in this context was actually a golden opportunity, not a limitation.
Sure, those GDS standards seemed a bit strict at first, but I quickly understood their benefit. In a world where flashy trends often overshadow practicality, sticking to GDS standards means focusing on what really matters: making things work seamlessly for users.
Along my GDS journey, I’ve picked up 6 key lessons.
1. Put users first
GDS standards constantly remind us to centre our design decisions around what users actually need. By keeping things accessible and easy to use, we ensure that our digital services truly serve the people.
2. Find the balance between looks and functionality
Coming from a graphic design background, I’ve always had an eye for aesthetics. But my time with GDS standards has highlighted the importance of finding that sweet spot between looks and functionality. While a snazzy colour scheme is nice, it’s worthless if it gets in the way of users getting stuff done. So instead of chasing after every passing trend, I’ve learned to focus on crafting interfaces that are intuitive and work well.
3. Less is more
Simplifying things doesn’t mean sacrificing creativity. It’s about cutting out the clutter to make interfaces clear, intuitive, and a breeze to navigate. We should never forget that users do not visit our products to admire our designs but to complete a task.
4. Consistency is king
Following GDS standards means government digital services are consistent across the board. This builds trust with users and makes their lives easier by giving them a familiar experience every time they interact with GOV.UK.
5. Teamwork makes the dream work
Designing isn’t a solo act. It’s all about collaborating with stakeholders, developers, and end-users to create solutions that meet user needs, and which can be implemented easily.
6. The GOV.UK prototype kit impacted my work
Let me tell you about my experience with the GOV.UK Prototyping Kit. It completely changed my approach to design. Initially, its promise of minimal coding requirements intrigued me, but its impact surpassed my expectations.
As I delved into prototyping with the kit, I realised the importance of UX designers learning technical knowledge.
For example, understanding accessibility requirements and technical constraints for different elements, including:
- labels
- legends
- hidden text
Benefits of the GOV.UK prototype kit for my work
Learning to create coded prototypes showed me how to:
- design for users of assistive technology
- improve my communication with the development team
- understand and appreciate project constraints
Embracing the GOV.UK Prototype Kit has elevated my technical proficiency as a UX designer. It has also inspired my desire to delve deeper into coding and website mechanics.
Concluding my GDS journey
In essence, my journey with GDS and the GOV.UK prototyping kit has been eye-opening. This is because I have embraced design and development standards that prioritise practicality, accessibility, collaboration and meeting user needs.
I firmly believe that GDS serves as a valuable reference point for designing any product, offering invaluable insights and guidance.
Here are a few things to help you on your design journey:
