Post by Simon, Corporate Digital Team, Welsh Government

If you’ve ever used GOV.WALES, you’ve used a Welsh Government website. But how do we decide which websites are ours, and why does it matter?

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gwmraeg

What counts as a Welsh Government website

We consider a website a Welsh Government website if either of the following apply:

• 50% or more of its funding comes from Welsh Government
• it’s mainly supported by Welsh Government as the lead partner

Most of our websites also use a gov.wales or llyw.cymru domain. Other public sector organisations in Wales can also use these domains. Find out more about how to register and manage .llyw.cymru and .gov.wales domains.

Fewer and more consistent websites are better

As part of our governance, we reduce the number of websites and apply common standards. This helps ensure that:

• users spend less time wondering which website to use
• we build a clear identity that develops trust
• we reduce costs by reusing established designs

When a colleague asks to create a new website, we check whether the needs can be met on an existing site.

A consistent look and feel

We use the GOV.WALES GEL design system for most Welsh Government websites. This helps people recognise they’re using an official source and reuses a clear, consistent and accessible design, saving time and money. Read more about how the GOV.WALES GEL design system improves the user experience and efficiency.

There are a few exceptions. For example, Visit Wales uses a different design because of its distinct audience and purpose.

Technology

Fewer websites does not mean everything has to run on the same technology. We can build different services in various ways.  By following common design standards, we can still provide a consistent, high quality experience.

For example:

• guidance about fishing permits is hosted in GOV.WALES core
• the online service, manage fishing permits and catch returns, is hosted on a separate system

They look and feel the same thanks to the design system, so users move easily between them – even though they’re supported by different suppliers.

Seek approval for a new or changed website

If you work in Welsh Government and are considering a new website, or major changes to an existing one, you need approval from the Corporate Digital Team. Contact us as soon as possible before making any commitment. Search the intranet for ‘website approval’.

Get in touch

We’d love to hear from you. To share your ideas or find out more, comment on this post or email us at digital@gov.wales.