Embracing the feedback loop
Editor’s Note: Robyn Walter is a product manager with the Ontario Digital Service, responsible for collaborating with ministries to create a new design system, a collection of reusable components that are put together to build a digital application. The new design system will enable a more consistent user experience across all Government of Ontario digital services.
Feedback is the breakfast of champions, but let’s be honest — it’s not the easiest breakfast to digest.
In support of the Digital Service Standard which sets out 14 points to help anyone build and deliver excellent government services and the Simpler, Faster, Better Services Act, a bill with big ambitions to improve the way Ontarians interact with government in the digital era, we’ve also introduced the Digital First Assessment (DFA) process.
The goal with the DFA process is to ensure that digital experts evaluate any online product in a consistent way to meet the 14 points outlined in the digital service standard. We also want to make sure that online products can move smoothly through each stage of the service design lifecycle.
I’ve now gone through the DFA process as both the product lead for something being assessed, and as an assessor who’s responsible for reviewing if a team has followed our digital standards. Like my colleague, Sarah, I had my reservations at first.
However, though giving and getting feedback can be hard, sitting on both sides of the table helped me appreciate the value of having a process in place to guide teams in their development of digital services and programs.
My first experience with the DFA process was when the design system was assessed for our discovery work. Our team has been tasked with building a design system for the Government of Ontario. The design system will provide digital teams with standardized components, like buttons and headers, to give users a more consistent experience across our products. In this phase of design, define the potential users of a service, and how their needs can be met.
We were one of the first teams cycling through the process, so we were all collectively learning as we went.
On the day of our assessment, we had a three-hour time block to present in front of our panel of assessors, and answer their questions. It was intimidating to stand before our colleagues, soliciting their feedback, but it was a great opportunity to gain a fresh perspective and propel our project to new heights.
The built-in peer review process approach was particularly helpful as it allowed for free-flowing discussion of our progress to date. Our team identified areas we hadn’t considered during the discovery phase, and talked about how we could address them during the Alpha phase of the design process, which follows discovery.
A few weeks later, I was asked to flip roles and act as an assessor for a ministry project.
Being on the assessor side is, in some ways, just as intimidating. I wrestled with feeling like an imposter in the room. Would I ask the right questions? Was I really in a position to give the best feedback?
Thankfully, the people at the Ontario Digital Service along with the Digital Service Standards provided me all the support I needed to feel confident.
As an assessor, we received the submission a few weeks before the actual assessment date. We were given time to read over what the team submitted and send some follow up questions. Projects are assessed at the end of each phase of the digital service design cycle: pre-discovery, discovery, alpha and beta. On this assessment day, we heard the team’s presentation and discussed their approach for the discovery phase.
One of the best opportunities that the DFA process affords assessors is the chance to advocate for the team they are assessing. If a team doesn’t have the support, resources or expertise to meet the 14 points outlined in the Digital Service Standards, we are empowered to start the discussion of how to move forward in light of certain constraints.
The big picture goal is to make sure teams are successful and this process allows us to ask for what they need.
Reflecting on my experiences as both the assessor and the assessed, I still come back to the reality that giving and receiving feedback can be hard. There are a few things teams and assessors should keep in mind to get the most out of this process which I’ve shared below:
As the team being assessed:
- Be open. Ask questions where you have them, ask for help where you need it
- Take the time to document and talk to your team’s work. Not only will it help the assessors see your team’s strengths, but it is a great exercise in reflection
- Use the resources and guidance on the Digital Service Standard as you go through each phase. They are a great way to make sure you’re on the right track to building a great digital service
As an assessor:
- Remember that teams come with different levels of digital experience. Use this opportunity to encourage and collaborate
- Draw on your own experiences. Think about your different digital projects and what advice or support you could have used
- Ask lots of questions about the product and the team. This is a great opportunity to learn about all the different types of work that the Ontario Government is doing
If you’d like more information on being an assessor or on the DFA process, visit the DFA website. You can reach the team directly at digitalassessments@ontario.ca.
