Digital Government Scan of Slovenia

8. Service design and delivery

Abstract

This chapter considers Slovenia’s approach to service design and delivery in line with the OECD Recommendation on Human-Centred Public Administrative Services. It uses data from the 2023 and 2025 editions of the DGI to examine the country's progress to date and identify some remaining challenges that need to be addressed in delivering services that are more user-centred, accessible and trustworthy, reflecting people’s real needs rather than administrative processes.

Effective service design and delivery are vital to ensuring that public services are user-centred, accessible and trustworthy, reflecting people’s real needs rather than administrative processes. In line with the OECD Recommendation on Human-Centred Public Administrative Services, this means designing services that are inclusive, simple, seamless and responsive, enabling governments to provide high-quality, coherent and equitable experiences across all channels. To understand Slovenia's current approach to service design and delivery, this chapter will look at data from the 2023 and 2025 editions of the DGI to examine the country's progress to date and identify some remaining challenges that need to be addressed in building a more human-centred approach to the design and delivery of services in Slovenia.

Progress to date

The 2025 DGI highlights some concerns in Slovenia’s progress to date on service design and delivery. Between the 2023 and 2025 editions of the DGI, the country has maintained key policy levers around standard on service design and delivery, requirements to involve users in policy design, the availability of a service catalogue and the measurement of transaction costs. However, Slovenia’s overall score has decreased in contrast to the overall increase in the OECD average. This suggests that the country needs to refocus its efforts in creating more inclusive, user-centred services for all users – no matter the segment of the population that they represent or the service channels that they prefer to use.

Highlighting the strengths of Slovenia’s approach, there are five metrics in which the country scored 100% in both the 2023 and 2025 editions of the DGI. These include its:

• Availability of standards for public service design and delivery: with the development and continual improvement of guidance by the Ministry for Digital Transformation to support agencies in creating a more consistent approach to digital service delivery, including with the ‘Guidelines for the Development of Information Solutions’ and ‘Uniform standards for government websites’ (OECD, 2025[3]; NIO, 2025[58]; NIO, 2025[59]).

• Formal requirements to use digital government tools involving users in policy design: based on the legislative framework created through the ‘Resolution on Legislative Regulation’, ‘Decree on the provision and re-use of public information’ and the ‘Decree on the provision and re-use of public information’, as well as the requirement for all proposed laws to be published on the ‘eDemokracija’ platform for feedback from relevant stakeholders before they can progress through the legislative process (OECD, 2025[3]; PISRS, 2026[60]; PISRS, 2026[61]; PISRS, 2009[62]).

• Availability of a catalogue of services accessible to users: with an accessible and public-facing service catalogue available on the ‘GOV.SI’ website, which links the available services and the institution responsible for them (OECD, 2025[3]).

• Measurement of transaction costs of service channels and the availability of standardised mechanisms to measure these transaction costs: which are covered under Slovenia’s Standard Cost Model and supported by the ‘Costs of interactions between Government and Users’ guidance for agencies on how to approach this (SCM) (OECD, 2025[3]; NOI, 2025[63]).

Additionally, there were two metrics in which Slovenia scored strongly in both the 2023 and 2025 editions of the DGI but that still have some opportunity to enhance its approach. These include Slovenia’s:

• Formal requirement of standards for public service design and delivery: scoring 75% (compared to the OECD average of 65%) with Slovenia’s recommended ‘Guidelines for information solutions development’ and the mandatory ‘Uniform standards of State Administration Websites’ that are in place for government agencies in central government (OECD, 2025[3]; NIO, 2025[58]; NIO, 2025[59]). To improve on this metric, Slovenia could consider how to extend this to agencies at the sub-national level in its municipalities.

• Mechanisms in place to support the application of public service standards: scoring 75% (compared to the OECD overage of 63%) for having mechanisms in place for the approval or funding of new projects, the raising of awareness through campaigns or promotional activities, and for digital skills development through the Administration Academy (OECD, 2025[3]). To improve on this metric, Slovenia could consider including these as part of its legal and regulatory framework.

However, the overall results of the DGI highlights concerns over Slovenia’s progress on service design and delivery. While the OECD average increased from 52% in 2023 to 59% in 2025, Slovenia’s overall score decreased from 48% to 40% - pushing it even further below the OECD average. This was due to a change in the following metrics (OECD, 2025[3]):

• Scope of the standards for public service design and delivery: scoring 75% (down from 88% in 2023) compared to the OECD average of 78%. On this metric, Slovenia actually scored strongly due to the standards covering the need to understand user needs and expectations, interact with users in the design and delivery of services, use of technology and data to transform public services, and to increase the strategic use of data to transform public services. However, there was a change in 2025 as it was not clear that there was any specific inclusion of the need to implement an omnichannel strategy in the standards. To improve on this metric, Slovenia could consider including this in the standards, as well as the need to facilitate cross-border services, encourage public sector teams and their suppliers to follow a consistent methodology for delivering public services, encourage public sector teams and their suppliers to make greening efforts to the public sector, and to curate an ecosystem of scalable tools, practices and resources available for all teams.

• Groups engaged on the development of digitally-enabled government services: scoring 67% (down from 100% in 2023) compared to the OECD average of 73%. Slovenia achieved this score for the engagement with Ministries, agencies and/or public officials, with subnational governments, citizens, and civil society organisations. However, during the reporting period for the 2025 DGI, there was no clear evidence of engagement with businesses and academia in the design and delivery of digitally-enabled services.

• Characterisation of the service delivery channels: scoring 30% (down from 40% in 2023) compared to the OECD average of 63%. This was because of the face-to-face services that Slovenia provides through organisation-specific and national networks, independently of any digital presence. However, during the reporting period for the 2025 DGI, there was no clear evidence of national or subnational services provided through physical channels, but to improve Slovenia’s omni-channel approach, it could also consider consolidating all services into one digital location that can still be accessed via users’ preferred channels as an extension of the digital experience (see the following section for more on this).

• Initiatives available to include population groups in public services design: scoring 0% (down from 20% in 2023) compared to the OECD average of 65%. There was no clear evidence in the 2025 DGI reporting period of specific initiatives in the service design process to engage with indigenous communities, the elderly, illiterate people, low-income population groups, immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees, people living in geographically remote/rural areas, people with disabilities, women or young people.

• Tools used to engage users for co-designing government services: scoring 0% (down from 100% in 2023) compared to the OECD average of 92%. This was no clear evidence in the 2025 DGI reporting period of engagement with key stakeholder groups in for the co-designing of services via physical or virtual meetings, consultation platforms, advisory groups, proactive engagement strategies, informal consultation, ad hoc feedback (e.g. through user feedback sessions, social media tools), or via formal user research.

Therefore, while there are areas where Slovenia is strong and has been making good progress over time, the overall results in the 2025 DGI suggest that efforts are required overall to enhance Slovenia’s approach its design and delivery of more human-centred public administrative services, as outlined below.

Remaining challenges

There are several remaining challenges that Slovenia should address to uplift its design and delivery of more human-centred public administrative service. This is particularly important as public services are a primary point of contact between governments and the public, making their quality essential for trust and confidence in institutions. OECD evidence shows that satisfaction with services strongly shapes perceptions of government responsiveness. As digital technologies evolve, they offer significant opportunities to deliver more convenient, user-focused services that strengthen public trust (OECD, 2024[64]; OECD, 2022[65]). Delivering high-quality, accessible services requires a coherent, user-centred approach. The OECD Recommendation on Human-centred Public Administrative Services (see Box 8.1 highlights the importance of co-ordination, leadership, core enablers and continuous improvement to ensure integrated services that genuinely respond to user needs (OECD, 2024[66]).

Box 8.1. OECD Recommendation on Human-Centred Public Administrative Services

The Recommendation provides a policy framework for the development and implementation of services that put user needs at the centre of policy design and delivery. It has four pillars.

Pillar 1: Strategic vision, values, and rights

• Whole-of-government strategy: develop services aligned with government-wide goals.

• Human-centred culture: prioritise user needs and public engagement.

• Right protection: respect the rule of law, providing procedural guarantees and transparency.

Pillar 2: Core foundations

• Leadership and roles: clearly define leadership and co-ordination responsibilities.

• Skills and competencies: build public servants’ capacity to design and deliver services.

• Digital infrastructure: develop scalable, secure, and interoperable digital infrastructure to support service delivery.

Pillar 3: Seamless and accessible services

• User-centred design: based on user needs, ensuring inclusiveness and accessibility.

• Omni-channel approach: provide consistent, high-quality service across all channels.

• Simplified services: streamline processes, reduce administrative burdens, anticipate needs.

Pillar 4: Measurement, engagement, improvement

• Measurement of user experience: track user satisfaction and service performance.

• Data-driven improvement: use data and feedback to continuously enhance services.

• Public engagement: involve users in the co-design and evaluation of services.

Source: OECD Recommendation of the Council on Human-centred Public Administrative Services (2024[66]).

Across these pillars, the DGI highlighted four key areas on which Slovenia should focus, including its omni-channel strategy, enhanced service catalogue, greater user engagement and testing and application of the ‘Once-Only’ principle.

Omni-channel strategy

An omni-channel approach ensures that, regardless of whether individuals engage through digital platforms, telephone, in-person services or other channels, they receive a seamless and coherent experience rather than encountering service ‘siloes’. It preserves access to traditional channels for users with specific needs or preferences, while ensuring these channels operate as fully integrated extensions of the digital journey. This consistency and interoperability enhance the inclusiveness, accessibility and trustworthiness of public services, particularly for people with limited digital skills or those who prefer non-digital options (OECD, 2022[65]; Welby and Hui Yan Tan, 2022[67]).

While 53% of OECD Members have an omni-channel strategy to deliver public services, the 2025 highlighted that this is still a key gap for Slovenia’s approach to service design and delivery (OECD, 2025[3]). There is therefore an opportunity for the government to strengthen its service offering by developing a coherent omnichannel strategy that ensures seamless, inclusive and consistent user experiences across both digital and non-digital channels. Focusing on an effective omnichannel approach would also help safeguard universal access to public services, preventing digital exclusion and ensuring that all users can engage with government in the way that best meets their needs (OECD, 2024[68]).

For example, Portugal’s legal framework ensures that public service channels are integrated for an omni-channel experience, allowing citizens or companies to start the service through one channel and continue it on another channel according to their convenience, preference and type of service required – enabling a unified customer service experience regardless of the channel used. Similarly, in the Netherlands, services are designed and delivered on the basis of ‘no wrong door’ principle, which ensures that users access the help they need regardless of where they begin and do not have to repeat themselves as they interact with different staff across different channels. Furthermore, in Italy, for example, in-person services are protected in legislation in recognition of the social value that they provide, especially for the elderly (OECD, 2025[3]).

Enhanced service catalogue

A public service catalogue offers a clear, centralised reference of all services available, making it easier for citizens and businesses to discover what the government provides, regardless of which agency or level they deal with. By standardising service descriptions and metadata across administrations, catalogues support consistency, interoperability and transparency – helping to ensure more accessible services, reduced duplication within government, and a more seamless navigation across digital and non-digital channels for both internal and external users. As such, they form a foundational tool to deliver human-centred public administrative services that respond to users’ needs and expectations (OECD, 2024[69]; Welby and Hui Yan Tan, 2022[67]; OECD, 2022[65]).

While Slovenia has a service catalogue that outlines the services available and the institution responsible for delivering them, there is an opportunity to further enhance Slovenia’s approach by including additional information. For this metric, Slovenia scored 29% in the 2025 DGI compared with the OECD average of 45%. To improve this, Slovenia could look at expanding its service catalogue to include:

• performance of the services (e.g. usage by channel, time to process, time saved, satisfaction).

• any relationship between services and/or service providers, including through different channels.

• data captured in a service transaction provided to other public sector institutions.

• data reused in service transaction provided by other public sector institutions.

For example, in Canada, the Service Inventory provides a government-wide, standardised catalogue of all federal services, which includes key information around delivery channels, annual usage volumes, service standards, and performance results. This is supported with a data visualisation tool, which allows Canadians to track the performance of public services (Government of Canada, 2025[70]; Government of Canada, 2025[71]). In Costa Rica, the government provides similar information on its service catalogue, but also goes further to include the roadmap and status reporting for the improvement of each service, which is key to fostering transparency, accountability and trust (MEIC, 2025[72]).

Greater user engagement, testing and monitoring

User testing, engagement and performance monitoring ensure that public services are informed by real user needs and experiences rather than assumptions, leading to solutions that are more intuitive, accessible and effective. Involving users early and throughout the design process improves service quality, reduces the risk of failure and strengthens public trust by demonstrating responsiveness. By embedding continuous user engagement, governments can deliver more human-centred services that reflect diverse experiences and work well for all user groups. (OECD, 2024[69]; Welby and Hui Yan Tan, 2022[67]; OECD, 2022[65]).

Within Slovenia’s context, the 2025 DGI highlighted some areas that require attention in order to build a stronger approach to user testing, engagement and performance monitoring over the service lifecycle. These include its (OECD, 2025[3]):

• Methods available to test digital government services: scoring 43% compared to the OECD average of 50%. While Slovenia’s ‘Guidelines for information solutions development’ do include practices that cover design-thinking sessions, focus groups and public consultation, the DGI identified opportunities to also include ‘A/B’, ‘usability’, ‘first-click’ and ‘tree’ testing methods.

• Degree of measurement of user needs throughout the design and delivery cycle: scoring 0% compared to the OECD average of 51%. To improve this metric, the government could consider ways to standardise consistent user testing at all stages in the design and development of a service, including in its development, at its launch, and after the launch.

• Actors involved in testing digital government services: scoring 25% compared to the OECD average of 54%. This metric looks at whether the central government requires public sector institutions to test digital government services with the involvement of key actors. The DGI highlighted that this was recommended (but not mandatory) for testing with users, and neither mandatory nor recommended by the government for providers. In line with improvements required under other metrics, the government could consider standardising mandatory user testing and engagement with these actors throughout the service lifecycle.

• Assessment to understand the main barriers for co-designing services: scoring 0% compared to the OECD average of 40%. To improve on this metric, the government could consider undertaking an assessment to understand the barriers in co-designing services with citizens, business, and with public officials in central and subnational governments.

• Consultations on the impact of digital tools for improving government services: scoring 0% compared to the OECD average of 58%. To improve on this metric, the government could consider conducting government-wide consultations on the impact of digital tools/technologies for improving government services (digital or not).

• Metrics to measure performance of digital government services: scoring 0% compared to the OECD average of 39%. To improve on this metric, the Slovenian Government could consider implementing service performance monitoring based on the average time to complete a transaction, the rate of incomplete transactions, failure demand, and users’ overall satisfaction rate with the services being delivered.

For example, the UK’s Government Digital Service (GDS) requires all digital public services to be designed around real user needs, with user testing and engagement embedded throughout the entire service lifecycle. Agencies must conduct continuous user research – from discovery through to live operations – to understand users’ circumstances, test prototypes, identify pain points, and ensure accessibility for all, including those needing assisted-digital support. The GDS guidance mandates inclusive recruitment, evidence-based design decisions, and multidisciplinary teams with dedicated user-research capacity. This approach ensures government services are usable, equitable, and continually improved in response to real user feedback rather than assumptions (GOV.UK, 2025[73]).

Additionally, the GDS requires government services to continuously monitor performance using a clear set of metrics and analytical tools. The Service Manual specifies that teams must track four key performance indicators: user satisfaction, completion rate, cost per transaction, and digital take-up. Services are expected to implement real-time analytics, regularly review operational data, and combine quantitative insights with ongoing user research to understand why problems occur. These measures support proactive service management, enable early detection of issues, and provide an evidence base for iterative improvements. For major services, the GDS also operates dashboards and may require periodic service assessments to ensure performance standards are met and maintained (GOV.UK, 2025[74]).

Applying the ‘Once-Only’principle

The ‘Once-Only Principle’ is the idea that citizens and businesses should only be asked to provide the same information to government once, with public bodies responsible for safely reusing and sharing that data across services. Applying this principle therefore reduces administrative burden, eliminates repetitive form-filling, and creates simpler, more user-friendly interactions with government. By removing unnecessary friction, the principle contributes to more human-centred services that respect users’ time, support inclusivity—particularly for those who struggle with complex paperwork—and strengthen trust by demonstrating that government is committed to efficient, seamless service delivery (OECD, 2024[69]; OECD, 2024[75]).

In the 2025 DGI, Slovenia scored 0% for mechanisms available to consider the implementation of the ‘Once-Only Principle’ in new projects (compared to the OECD average of 46%) as this is not currently considered in the approval and funding of new projects, including it as a standard requirement in the value proposition or business case for new projects, or including it as part of the standardised delivery and management of digital projects.1 The government could therefore consider these mechanisms as potential areas where it could include requirements for the principle in the design and development of new digital projects, which would help raise awareness and drive adoption across Slovenia’s public administration. This should be considered alongside the recommendations in the chapter on ‘Data access, sharing and re-use’.

For example, in Korea, the Ministry of Interior and Safety (MOIS) works to ensure the application of the Once-Only Principle in the development of new projects. It starts with a strong legal basis in the Electronic Government Act, which mandates administrative data sharing and prohibits redundant data collection by public institutions. Compliance with the principle is enforced through budget reviews and mandatory pre-procurement consultations, where projects are assessed on their use of existing administrative data. Finally, the MOIS further ensures consistent application by reviewing project plans and providing corrective feedback (OECD, 2025[76]; Korean Government, 2022[77]; Korean Government, 2025[78]; OECD, 2025[3]).

Recommendations

Based on these findings, the government could consider the following recommendation in its approach to the design and delivery of more human-centred public administrative services:

Recommendations on service design and delivery

In its approach to the design and delivery of more human-centred public administrative services, Slovenia could clearly focus on creating more inclusive, user-centred services for all users – no matter the segment of the population that they represent or the service channels that they prefer to use.

• Recommendation 25:

  An omni-channel approach for accessible services. Develop a coherent omnichannel strategy that ensures seamless, inclusive and consistent user experiences across both digital and non-digital channels that safeguards universal access to public services, prevents digital exclusion and ensures that all users can engage with government services in the way that best meets their needs. This should be supported also by a more comprehensive service catalogue to improve the openness and accessibility of public administrative services.

• Recommendation 26:

  Greater user engagement in service design and delivery. Develop a more systematic and consistent approach to the engagement of all user groups through the service lifecycle, including with more comprehensive use of tools and testing approaches in the development and launch of a service, and the ongoing monitoring of data on service performance once it has gone live.

• Recommendation 27:

  Deliver more seamless services through the ‘Once-Only Principle’ by implementing mechanisms that promotes its awareness and adoption. This includes:

  a. Embedding the principle in the approval and funding process of new projects.

  b. Making it a standard requirement in the value proposition or business case for all initiatives.

  c. Integrating it into the standardised delivery and management framework of digital projects.

• Recommendation 28:

  Support more consistent service delivery by expanding the service standards created through the ‘Guidelines for the Development of Information Solutions’ and ‘Uniform standards for government websites’ and developing an ecosystem of scalable tools, practices and resources for the delivery of services at all levels of government and across borders.

Note

← 1.  It should be noted that Slovenia has, however, developed solutions to facilitate the technical implementation of the ‘Once-Only Principle’, including its Pladenj/Tray platform that facilitates data exchange.