{"id":5546,"date":"2025-07-14T13:32:32","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T13:32:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.gov.scot\/digital\/?p=5546"},"modified":"2025-07-15T09:04:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T09:04:25","slug":"digital-scotland-service-manual-a-helping-hand-for-digital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.gov.scot\/digital\/2025\/07\/14\/digital-scotland-service-manual-a-helping-hand-for-digital\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Scotland Service Manual: A helping hand for digital"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Blog by Angela Saunders, Senior Product Manager, Digital Directorate.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\"Unique<\/a>

Image by Angela Saunders.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

Hello. I\u2019m Angela Saunders and I work in Scottish Government\u2019s Digital Directorate, in the team that\u2019s developing the Digital Scotland Service Manual<\/a> (DSSM). It\u2019s a self-help resource designed to support colleagues across Scotland\u2019s public sector in the delivery of digital projects. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Why the DSSM?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

We\u2019re creating the DSSM because we know people sometimes need help with their digital projects.\u00a0We want to make their work easier by bringing standards, guidance, tools and templates together in one place.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Put simply, our goal for the DSSM is to help you improve the design of services and reduce the cost of delivery, while increasing your digital knowledge.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

For context, the DSSM is part of a wider programme that aims to make Scotland\u2019s public sector \u2018more digital\u2019 in the service of Scotland.\u00a0 Ongoing work to advance public sector reform in Scotland relies on the efficient and effective delivery of public services. That\u2019s what those who use, and rely on, online services expect and deserve.\u00a0Digital can help.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

It can be hard to find the advice you need when embarking on a project.\u00a0You want to do it well and give users a seamless experience.\u00a0So where to start?\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

The DSSM contains a lot of guidance on good practices that you should know about. It also collates, and points to, useful resources and routes to learning. What\u2019s more, if you follow the DSSM guidance, you\u2019ll also learn how to meet the Digital Scotland Service Standard<\/a> (DSSS) as your project rolls out. The DSSS is a set of 14 criteria towards which all organisations delivering public services should work.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

How the DSSM can help<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Here are just a few benefits you can get from using the site:\u00a0<\/p>\r\n