As a collaboration between 18F and the U.S. Digital Service, a set of Web Design Standards has been set forward for government sites to use. Announced with a Medium post, the Standards provide a set of common UI components and visual styles for government websites. It’s intended to make it easier for government designers and developers while also providing a consistent, quality experience for Americans using the site. The sets include typography and color recommendations that meet accessibility requirements as well as the web interface elements and the code behind them.
We had four goals:
Make the best thing, the easiest thing. We made tools that align with the values and needs of digital workers in the federal government will drive adoption.
Be accessible out of the box. We created tools that seamlessly meet the standards of 508 accessibility, from colors to code.
Design for flexibility. We aim to give the American people a sense of familiarity when using government services, while allowing agencies to customize these tools to fit their unique needs.
Reuse, reuse, reuse. We reviewed, tested, evaluated, and repurposed existing patterns, code, and designs from dozens of government and private sector style guides to make use of tried-and-true best practices.
You can view the Standards with example website mockups at https://playbook.cio.gov/designstandards/
You may report feedback on the Standards GitHub page.