Transforming the way we learn about DPGs. Introducing the new DPG Registry, Roadmap, Product and Member Profiles!

Author: Pelin Hizal Smines, Product & Experiences Lead

As part of the DPGA Secretariat’s efforts to ensure digital public goods (DPGs) are accessible, transparent, and discoverable, we embarked on a product improvement journey to enhance key products the DPGA Secretariat stewards including the DPG Registry, DPG profile pages, Roadmap and DPGA member profile pages. Today, we are excited to share that they are all now live and ready for everyone to use!

These tools are integral to facilitating a better understanding of DPGs and their potential impact. The DPG Registry serves as the sole list of products that have met the DPG Standard, and therefore can be considered digital public goods, offering a go-to resource for countries and organisations seeking impactful open-source solutions. Each DPG profile highlights how these tools meet the DPG Standard, ensuring transparency and readiness for adaptability and use. Supporting this, the DPGA Roadmap provides a high-level look at initiatives that DPGA members are undertaking to drive significant support for DPGs and the ecosystem, while member profiles spotlight the unique contributions of each organisation, strengthening collaboration and accelerating digital transformation worldwide.

As part of this launch, we want to share insight on the development process, explain why we are excited about these updates, and how they will enhance the discoverability and knowledge of DPGs, as well as highlight the activities members are undertaking to support them.

Discovery Phase: Identifying User Needs and Product Gaps
To start our journey we wanted to understand how well our existing pages were supporting users in discovering, evaluating, and engaging with DPGs and our member organizations. Through analytics, user feedback, and internal product audits, we identified several pain points:

  • The DPG Registry page needed a clearer structure to facilitate easier navigation and filtering of DPGs.
  • DPG profile pages needed more structure to easily show critical information for informed decision-making.
  • There was a need to create a dedicated space to showcase our members and their contributions effectively.
  • The Roadmap page needed better visualisation of ongoing efforts and priorities among DPGA Members.

User Interviews: Gathering Insights Directly from Users
To deepen our understanding, we conducted user interviews with a variety of stakeholders, including DPG product owners and DPGA members from various sectors. These interviews revealed critical insights:

  • DPG Registry page: Users desired an intuitive layout with filters and sorting options to easily locate DPGs by category, geography, or impact area.
  • DPG profiles: Users valued details on metrics, adoption data, and open source components to assess each DPG’s relevance and viability.
  • Roadmap page: Stakeholders found value in seeing a transparent roadmap with priority areas for each member.
  • Member profiles: Members expressed interest in having a distinct space to highlight their contributions, achievements, and goals.

This feedback became the backbone of our design requirements and guided us throughout the subsequent stages.

Design Sprint: Shaping the New Experience
To ensure we created products that were user centric and helped enhance data visualisation, the DPGA Secretariat, alongside design partners, conducted a design sprint to create rapid prototypes and validate concepts with real users. Together, we: 

  • mapped user journeys to clarify how each page could better serve user needs,
  • developed and tested wireframes for each page, gathering feedback on flow, layout, and features,
  • iterated on design elements to ensure clarity and consistency across pages.

Implementation: Building the Products
After finalising the designs, our development team began the implementation process. Key steps included:

  • Setting up the technical infrastructure to support new functionality, such as the member profile pages, DPG Registry, and Roadmap integration.
  • Integrating filtering and sorting options on the DPG Registry and Roadmap pages for enhanced discoverability.
  • Creating an adaptable layout for DPG profile pages to support diverse information needs.

The Rationale Behind Our Updates

Registry Page: By simplifying the structure and adding interactive filters, we aimed to equip users with the tools to find the DPGs relevant to their goals and challenges.

DPG profiles: These pages are designed to deliver transparency and accountability, showcasing vital information such as compliance with DPG Standard, project health metrics, and implementing organisations. 

Roadmap page: A visual, interactive Roadmap that allows us to showcase the efforts of DPGA members to support the DPG ecosystem

Member profiles: Our members are essential to our work, and these pages give them a platform to highlight their impact, contributions, and DPG-relevant goals. It also allows us to foster a stronger sense of community within the DPGA ecosystem.

This product development process has been a deeply collaborative effort rooted in our commitment to delivering real value to our ecosystem. Every phase—from discovery, to implementation—enabled our team to align closely around the unique needs of our users. Through cross-functional teamwork and continuous engagement with our community, we’ve developed pages that provide practical, impactful improvements. We’re excited to see how these enhancements will deepen engagement, support our members, and empower users within the digital public goods ecosystem.

Visit the new DPG Registry and new Roadmap.