GDS Service Standard — 17 Points in Practice
| Point | Standard | In Practice | ClickMasters Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Understand users and their needs | User research with 3+ participants before Alpha | User research sessions conducted by ClickMasters researcher |
| 2 | Solve a whole problem for users | End-to-end journey (not just one screen) | Journey mapping in Sprint 0 discovery |
| 3 | Provide a joined-up experience | Connect to other government services | GOV.UK common platforms (Pay, Notify, One Login) |
| 4 | Make the service simple to use | One thing per page, progressive disclosure | GOV.UK Design System — no custom patterns |
| 5 | Make sure everyone can use the service | WCAG 2.1 AA — every sprint | axe-core in CI/CD — zero critical violations |
| 9 | Create a secure service | NCSC Cloud Security Principles | Cyber Essentials Plus + AWS CDK security controls |
| 11 | Choose the right tools and technology | Open source preferred, GDS-approved tech | Node.js/Python/React — GDS tech stack |
| 12 | Make new source code open | GitHub public repo as default | Agpl-3.0 or MIT licensed code on GitHub |
| 16 | Make your technology choices | Large talent pool, open standards | REST + OpenAPI 3.0, GOV.UK common platforms |
GOV.UK Common Platforms — Integration Guide
| Platform | What It Does | When to Use | ClickMasters Integration |
|---|---|---|---|
| GOV.UK One Login | Central UK government identity — email + MFA + optional identity proof | All citizen-facing government services | react-oidc-context, PKCE flow, P5/P9 levels |
| GOV.UK Pay | Card payment processing — PCI-DSS SAQ-A | When government service collects payment | GOV.UK Pay API + webhook for payment confirmation |
| GOV.UK Notify | Email, SMS, letter notifications | All automated government communications | govuk-frontend Notify API + GOV.UK Notify SDK |
| GOV.UK Forms | Low-code form builder for simple services | Simple data collection without custom code | Considered before custom build — simpler faster |
| GOV.UK Frontend (React) | React implementation of GOV.UK Design System | All government React/Next.js applications | govuk-react or govuk-frontend-react component library |
GDS Service Assessment — Alpha/Beta/Live Evidence Checklist
ClickMasters GDS assessment track record: 12 GDS Live assessments passed on first submission. Most common first-submission failure elsewhere: insufficient user research evidence (Point 1) and WCAG violations (Point 5). ClickMasters builds both into delivery from Sprint 1 — not as preparation for assessment, but as standard practice.