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Alpha

This site is an alpha version and is still being developed in the open - your feedback will help us improve it. See the roadmap. Last updated: 14 October 2026.

Version in force: 0.3.0 (6 October 2026).

Using this site

How to find what you need, depending on who you are and what you are doing.

If you are...

Starting a new service

Follow Deliver a service for the guardrails, artefacts and evidence in each phase. In short:

  1. Map your service to the business capabilities.
  2. Check the technology capabilities for what to reuse.
  3. Start from a service pattern if one fits.
  4. Agree your service tier and pick your non-functional requirements.
  5. Read the guardrails and run the 10-minute self-assurance checklist.
  6. Use the decision check to find your governance route.

A delivery partner

Read working with us as a delivery partner, then the guardrails. They describe what we expect from any team building for Defra.

Making a design decision

Check the relevant guardrail, then record your decision as an ADR. If you cannot meet a guardrail, see exceptions.

Preparing for an assessment

Use the evidence checklist for your phase. Gather your ADR log, architecture diagrams and threat model, and check the Defra Digital Service Manual for assessment guidance.

Planning a portfolio

Use capability mapping to find duplication and gaps, and talk to the architecture team.

Must, should and could

Throughout this site, must means a requirement, should means a strong default you can depart from with a recorded reason, and could means a recommendation. See how to read a guardrail.

Searching

Press / or S to search. You can search for guardrail ids (such as GR-HOST-01) and business capability ids (such as BC05).

Using this site with tools and AI

The site is published in forms that tools, dashboards and AI assistants can read:

  • llms.txt - a short guide for AI tools to every page and data file
  • a Markdown copy of every page, at the page's address followed by index.md
  • guardrails.json - every guardrail and principle, with its statement, why, how to meet it, the evidence for each phase and its status
  • nfrs.json, capabilities.json and pages.json

Each page is marked as published, draft or prototype. Treat draft and prototype content as work in progress, not agreed policy. Cite guardrails by their id, such as GR-HOST-01, and the version you checked against.