Public sector web design
Your website is often the first thing people see when they need something from your organisation. It needs to be fast, clear, accessible and easy to manage. We build public sector websites that tick every one of those boxes and then some.
Every website is different.
Public sector sites come with their own rulebook.
Commercial websites are built to convert. Public sector websites have a harder job. They need to serve everyone: a 78-year-old checking council tax, a parent finding school admission dates, a resident reporting a pothole at 11pm.
That diversity means every design decision matters more. Navigation has to be instinctive, language plain, accessibility built in from the start.
Clever Marketing designs and builds websites that genuinely serve your communities. Compliant with WCAG 2.2 AA standards, built for your internal team and designed to stay useful long after launch.
Everything needed to
deliver better public sector design.
Every design commission we take on is scoped to your specific needs. But across all of our public sector graphic design work, you can expect these things as standard.
1.
WCAG 2.2 AA Accessibility.
Built into every decision from first wireframe to final QA pass. Keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibilty and colour contrast are all considered from day one, not retrofitted.
2.
Clear, intuitive information architecture.
We bring order to years of accumulated content. Users should find what they need in two or three clicks, not after navigating departmental structures that made sense internally but baffle everyone else.
3.
Easy-to-use content management.
Your communications team should not need a developer every time they want to update a service page. We build on established CMS platforms including WordPress, Drupal and Umbraco, and can advise on the right choice during discovery based on your team’s needs, existing infrastructure and budget, configuring everything so your people can publish, edit and manage content with confidence.
4.
Mobile-first, every time.
A significant proportion of residents use mobile, often in difficult circumstances. Every site is designed for mobile from the outset.
5.
Security and data compliance.
We build with security throughout. Appropriate protocols, secure hosting and clear data protection that your governance team can work with.
6.
Ongoing support that actually helps.
Post-launch support and maintenance so your site stays secure, accessible and current.
7.
Accessibility testing.
Every site tested against WCAG 2.2 AA before launch. Keyboard navigation, screen readers, colour contrast and form accessibility across real devices. You receive a written accessibility statement and testing record.
A process built around your organisation, not ours.
Our process is built around the realities of public sector work: stakeholder sign-off, procurement requirements and internal review stages. Here is how a typical project runs.
1. Discovery
We start by understanding your audiences, common user tasks, pain points and publishing workflows. We do not skip this. What we learn here shapes every decision that follows.
2. Structure & Architecture
We map the information architecture around what users need to do, not how departments are structured. This is often where the biggest improvements happen.
3. Design
Wireframes and prototypes shared before a line of code is written. Everyone aligned early, expensive rework avoided.
4. Build
Built to specification, with accessibility and security tested throughout. Established platforms, clean code.
5. Testing & Launch
Before anything goes live we put it through proper quality assurance.
6. Training & Handover
Proper training and useful documentation. You should feel completely in control after handover.
We build websites for public sector organisations like these:
- Local councils and district authorities
- Combined authorities and devolved government bodies
- NHS trusts and integrated care boards
- Central government departments and executive agencies
- Emergency services and blue light organisations
- Housing associations and registered providers
- Universities, colleges and further education bodies
- Non-departmental public bodies and arm’s length bodies
We are GCA appointed and ready to engage.
We are listed on GCA frameworks RM6124 and RM6237. Website services can be procured through either, removing the need for a full competitive tender in many cases. Central government and ALBs should factor in Cabinet Office approval for AMC spend of £100,000 or over.
Why public sector organisations choose us to build their websites.
Public sector website design comes with constraints most agencies never encounter. We have built our approach around them.
We understand your sector
We work with public sector organisations every day. You will not spend project time explaining procurement, accessibility obligations or stakeholder sign-off processes to us.
We build for your team, not just your users
A site your comms team cannot update is a problem. We design the CMS experience with as much care as the public-facing one.
What our clients say
Businesses we've helped grow. In their own words.
Over the years we’ve worked with organisations of all shapes and sizes, from small independents to large teams with complex sign-off processes, across a lot of different sectors. Here’s what some of them say about working with us.
The next step
It’s time to be more clever with your marketing.
Ready for an honest look at where you’re at, what’s possible, and what it’d take to get there? The first conversation costs nothing, no obligation. If we’re the right fit, we’ll both know quickly.
On our discovery call we’ll cover:
- The campaign or service you need people to take up, and how uptake is currently measured.
- Where the website or brand is failing people who need to use the service.
- Accessibility obligations and where the current estate stands against them.
- Which framework route fits, and whether the timeline works against your budget cycle.
Fill in the form and we’ll be in touch to find a time that works.