GDS kicks off supplier 'observations'

Guinea pigs sought by government to take part in research of live procurement

The Government Digital Service (GDS) has begun observing suppliers when they apply for certain frameworks in a bid to improve the process.

It has taken steps to improve the process in recent months, cutting paperwork in some instances and simplifying the language used in official documents in others.

User-research sessions are carried out fortnightly in the GDS' so-called "usability lab", but now the body - which is in charge of G-Cloud and the new Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) frameworks - wants to get closer to suppliers.

"A better reflection of how people make an application to a framework is to see them doing it in a real-life situation," said GDS. "We believe that doing user research in the right place matters because it takes into account other commitments or pressures as well as technological constraints that affect how people use our service."

Observations are under way as suppliers apply for the new DOS framework before next week's deadline.

The GDS is looking to watch over a number of other suppliers as they apply before then, but insisted those it observes will not receive any special treatment.

"We're committed to running a fair and transparent procurement procedure for the DOS framework," GDS said.

"We are inviting suppliers to take part in our research [and] during the sessions we'll make sure that a minimum of two people from the Digital Marketplace team attend each session; explain that we're there to watch the participants use the service and that we can't give advice on the procurement or on the application; film the session, or where that's not possible, audio record it; [and] ask participants to sign consent forms to acknowledge these research principles and to make sure participants understand why we film or record the sessions."