Digital Principles

How we developed version 1.0

The principles were co-developed with BC public service employees and members of the wider community in the open on GitHub.

Consider them as a set rather than individually, as there is purposeful overlap among each principle. They should also be considered within a wider context, for example:

• Applicable legislation
• Standards of Conduct for BC Public Service Employees
• Draft Principles that Guide the Province of British Columbia’s Relationship with Indigenous Peoples
• Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)

Want to provide feedback? Visit the GitHub repository and open an Issue.

1. Deliver value for British Columbians and cultivate trust

Recognize that government products and services should ultimately improve people’s lives. Build products and services for outcomes rather than outputs, prioritizing according to citizens’ needs. Use resources judiciously to benefit citizens and B.C.’s homegrown digital economy. Build trust in every interaction, using data to make fair, ethical and evidence-based decisions.

2. Design with people and embed inclusion

Deliver simple, effective products and services in response to citizens’ needs. Apply human-centered design practices, working directly with people who will use the product or service. Communicate in plain language. Strive to meet the highest standards of accessibility, inclusion and equity. Endeavour to create a seamless experience across government’s various digital and physical channels.

3. Integrate ethics

Take an ethical approach to designing or modifying digital products and services. Evaluate the potential ethical, social, cultural and environmental implications of emerging priorities. Ensure there is clear oversight and documentation for automated decision-making processes, for example when using artificial intelligence.

4. Continuously learn and improve

Iterate and improve products and services to support learning and innovation. Use modern tools and approaches. Be flexible to change, even at the last minute. Seek and accept feedback on an ongoing basis. Test early and often. Try to “fail fast” and accept failures as learning opportunities.

5. Work in the open

Collaborate, co-design and co-create with product and service users transparently. Default towards open licenses, open and interoperable standards and open-source code. Share information and data whenever possible.

6. Take an ecosystem approach

Think holistically. Design and deliver forward-thinking, adaptable and scalable solutions. Support interoperability, common components and enterprise approaches. Share work and learnings with the aim of contributing to the wider community. Strive to collect data from users only once, re-using and sharing data whenever possible.

7. Take care of information and data

Act as a trusted information steward. Manage information, including data, as a public asset in accordance with its value and user needs. Strive to improve the quality of information and data. Recognize that people own their personal data and have a stake in how it’s used. Work with citizens to ensure they understand how and why government collects their information.

8. Manage risks proportionately

Promote a risk-balanced approach that addresses security and privacy by design. Recognize risks associated with maintaining the status quo. Remember that no decision is also a decision. Design clear and flexible risk-mitigation strategies.

9. Build diverse teams and internal capacity

Empower all public servants and vendor partners to deliver excellent products and services. Create and support teams with diverse skillsets and backgrounds. Enable teams to use technology as an effective collaboration tool. Encourage innovation and controlled experimentation. Build an organizational culture and structure to support constant learning and engagement.

10. Express cultural and historical awareness and respect

Acknowledge the historical relationships, inequity, trauma, and discrimination created by government. Work in the spirit of reconciliation and B.C.’s Draft Principles guiding our relationship with Indigenous peoples. Respect that First Nations have control over data-collection processes in their communities, and that they own their information and control how it can be used.