Designing different content types
Service pages (URL ending service.gov.uk)
You’ll work with an interaction designer on these pages, including:
- content for buttons, radio options, text inputs and links
- error messages
- service name
- page titles and metadata
- accessibility statement, cookie policy and privacy policy
- terms and conditions (if needed)
- translations into Welsh (or other languages, if needed)
GOV.UK start page and guidance
Public-facing services must have a start page hosted on GOV.UK.
Our business as usual (BAU) team manage this content, as well as guidance. If your service is public-facing or if it’s to be used by over 100,000 people read the advice on mainstream content and GDS.
You should get in touch with the relevant BAU team as early as possible in service delivery. They can help you to understand what content and guidance you'll need to provide in relation to your service, and how to identify and manage existing content.
You will work with the BAU team to:
- identify the content relevant to your service on GOV.UK
- identify how the service start page relates to existing content
- understand how users find their way to your service on GOV.UK
You can contact the BAU team by messaging on the #content slack channel.
For further guidance:
- Start using a service (GOV.UK design system)
Mainstream content and GDS
If your service is public-facing or if it’s to be used by over 100,000 people, it is classed as mainstream.
Mainstream content is content aimed at the general public, or at meeting business needs that are not sector-specific.
The content team at GDS leads on the mainstream content associated with a service, including the start page and guidance.
You can contact the BAU team to find out more about the process of creating or updating mainstream content by messaging on the #content slack channel.
Content touchpoints outside the user journey
Your service will have touchpoints that are not part of the user journey, but are still part of the wider service landscape. You would not typically work on this content directly, but you might offer recommendations (if asked).
These touchpoints might include:
- working with communications or marketing teams on newsletters or informational leaflets and posters
- working with communications and policy teams on policy papers
- working with customer enablement teams to understand users
- interactive voice response messaging (IVR) on phone lines
- scripts and guidance for call handlers
- guidance that service providers may need
- any offline service for when the online service may be down, if necessary
- accessible formats of documentation or other communications
Emails, text messages and letters
Your service might communicate with users by email or text. You may sometimes be asked to work on letters.
This could be an alternative option for users to complete a service action, if there is a user need, or to support the communications team.
Emails, text messages and letters are sent using GOV.UK Notify. Anyone can create a Notify login but ask your delivery manager to add you to the relevant project.
If you’re unsure whether you should be working on a particular email, text or letter, speak to your lead content designer.