New digital reader pilot

The way documents are read, used, and shared is changing and consumers now want information in portable, dynamic, feature-rich digital formats. Standards New Zealand has been exploring digital options for making standards more accessible to users and have launched a six-month trial of a new digital reader.

The pilot will run until September 2021 and help Standards New Zealand shape the future of how standards are consumed. A digital reader will allow users to carry standards in their pocket, no matter where they are and no matter how large or complicated the standard might be. Standards can be accessed on any web-enabled device, including smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers.

Why digital?

There are more smartphones than people in New Zealand and carrier data shows that almost all New Zealanders connect to the internet on mobile. Getting standards into formats that are phone and tablet friendly is essential to improving use and engagement metrics – and it will result in better outcomes across the board.

Digital allows you to carry standards in your pocket, no matter where you are and no matter how large or complicated the standard might be.  With special features that allow users to take notes inside the standards, enlarge and scroll through complex diagrams with a single click, search for anything inside the document, and tables that are shaped to fit your screen, the digital reader experience is vastly superior to parsing a print or PDF version, regardless of the device being used.

The workforce is changing and even digital immigrants (those born before 1985) have come to expect to find what they need online, in formats that work regardless of device or platform.

The digital reader pilot – which introduces standards as a service – is a first, important step by Standards New Zealand toward meeting that demand.

To learn more about the Standards New Zealand pilot standards, click here.