This document outlines an approach to embedding digital design thinking into the policymaking process. It advocates beginning policy development with user-focused techniques like ethnographic research, prototyping, and usability testing in order to create policies that are responsive, flexible, and innovative. Examples provided include initiatives at the UK Cabinet Office and Department of Trade and Industry to pilot this approach. The document also describes specific strategies and tools used in the digital design process, such as rapid prototyping, journey mapping, and alpha/beta testing.

1. Justice lab*
Policy for the digital age

2. Purpose
Embed digital design thinking* at the
beginning of the policy making, to
enable policy to be more responsive,
flexible and innovative (agile, iterative
and user-focused)

3. UK government examples
Cabinet Office
DTi Nesta

5. Source: google labs
Early prototyping

6. Tactics and tools
A B testing
What works?
And what
doesn’t
validate,
plan, launch
Ethnographic research
Who is
it for
Scenario planning
Rapid prototyping
Co-create
What
could it be
Journey, process
mapping
Personas
Value chain analysis Mind mapping
Alpha
Discovery workshops Hackdays
BETA
Usability
testing
Guerilla research
Multivariate testing
prototyping

7. Discovery workshops
Defining the users and needs
Hackday
create a product in 24 hours
Alphas
Defining the service and prototyping
User research tools
Personas, user needs

8. User needs workshop findings
2 x 25 policy
professionals
from MOJ

9. Family law “service redesign pathfinder”
Goals Outputs Decision Timeline
Discovery
Understand
needs and
KPIs
build the team
run workshops
identify pathfinder projects (with family
law areas)
Proceed to
ALPHA Nov-Dec
Alphas
Test design
approaches
Prototyping solutions Plan for delivering
a BETA (including team required)
Proceed to
BETA Jan- Feb
Beta
Building a
working
prototype/pilot
End-to-end prototype of the service, a
collection of prioritised work to be done
(your backlog), testing plan, accurate
metrics and monitoring KPIs and
example of a working system that can
be used, for real by end users
Proposal for
Final service Feb-April

10. MOJ Digital, policy and performance
Improving digital
capability for staff
in MOJ
Embedding digital
service design in
policy
Legislative Performance
barriers
Removing legal
barriers for going
digital
Justice Lab* Digital
Capability
Improved, user-centred
policy
design & delivery
Preventing new
legal barriers by
changing mindsets
Enabling end-to-end
digital services
Measuring
performance in
MOJ
Measuring
digital service
delivery

11. Thanks*
coca.rivas@digital.justice.gov.uk
@cocarivas