Making targeted improvements to NPS.gov: A case study from the National Park Service
NPS enhances user experience on NPS.gov by integrating Digital Analytics Program web analytics data and customer feedback from GSA Touchpoints.
News and Updates
Innovative work, news, and ideas from people and teams in government
Understand how search engines work, how people search online, and who is your audience — while recognizing language and cultural differences.
2024
Are social media influencers right for your digital media campaign?
Learn how to work with social media influencers to achieve your goals, while accounting for different budgets.
Building a culture of customer experience across government
The Life Experience teams contain lessons for establishing a culture of customer experience in government, shifting to a focus on organizational practices.
Uncovering impactful solutions through user research
Get an overview of what user research and user testing are in a federal context. Learn what policies apply and what resources are available.
Delivering a digital-first public experience: One agency’s plan
Learn how the U.S. General Services Administration is tackling the 100+ requirements of OMB memo M-23-22, Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience.
The U.S. Web Design System team will share their exploration of Web Component-based design systems and best practices.
2024
How our developers and accessibility specialists work together
Planning for accessibility is critical to creating more inclusive digital experiences. Discover how developers and accessibility specialists from USA.gov collaborate early in the development process to ensure that their government websites are accessible for everyone. By following established accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, USA.gov proactively reduces the need for later fixes.— via USA.gov
Data.gov launches metrics tools
New Data.gov metrics dashboard provides information on most visited datasets, most downloaded files, most clicked outbound links, top search terms, and more.
A revised and expanded guide for de-risking government technology projects
18F recently launched an updated version of the 2020 De-risking Government Technology Guide, offering a new section on vendor management, and combining the State Software Budgeting Handbook and Federal Field Guide into one unified resource. The guide offers practical methods for reducing risks in government tech projects, drawing from 18F’s experience and state employee input. This revision reflects the evolving needs of government agencies, providing key insights on custom software development, vendor collaboration, and performance-based contracting.— via 18F
How the Open Data, Design, and Development team implemented state and offshore region navigation pages with hallway testing
User feedback is key to creating great digital products, but limited resources can hinder research efforts. Hallway testing provides a quick, useful solution. By conducting informal interviews, the Open Data, Design, and Development team at the Department of the Interior gathered insights to improve navigation to state and offshore region pages on the Natural Resources Revenue Data website. After testing prototypes, the best option was implemented, streamlining access white minimizing resource use. The team’s next steps include monitoring performance, evaluating the addition of maps on select pages, and continued hallway testing.— via Office of Natural Resources Revenue
On USDC’s third anniversary, Fellows from all three cohorts reflect on their experiences
The U.S. Digital Corps (USDC), a two-year paid fellowship program for early-career technologists, launched in 2021. USDC achievements include hiring more than 150 technologists to support high-impact projects at 25 agencies. In honor of the third anniversary, six Fellows share their experiences and offer advice for those interested in combining their technological expertise with a focus on public service.— via U.S. Digital Corps
How multicultural research guides the USA.gov benefit finder
Discover how USA.gov tailors its benefit finder experience for both English and Spanish-speaking users through culturally nuanced content. Through dual-track language research, a bilingual support team, and A/B testing, USA.gov ensures that more users receive relevant, empathetic, and user-friendly content. The USA.gov team also identified and addressed recruitment challenges to interatively improve its ongoing research processes.— via USA.gov
How Login.gov uses roadmapping to build trust with its partners and the public
To increase transparency, the Login.gov team publishes a program roadmap that lays out their upcoming initiatives.
User research and the Paperwork Reduction Act
User research is an important part of customer experience transformation. Different types of research require different approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Through seven case studies, the U.S. Digital Service shows how agencies conducted valuable user research that did not require PRA approval and successfully integrated findings into their projects. Their work illustrates how thoughtful user research transforms delivery of services and helps agencies build trust in government.— via U.S. Digital Service
A journey of improvement: Creating a self-assessment for digital experience
Memo M-23-22 from the Office of Management and Budget provides guidance to federal agencies on delivering a digital-first public experience. To quantify its compliance with the memo, the Open Data, Design, and Development team at the Department of the Interior created and conducted a self-assessment of its digital products. The team used a scoring spreadsheet to measure compliance across categories like accessibility, design consistency, and mobile responsiveness. The results helped the team develop a plan to prioritize improvements and engage with leadership for support on other initiatives.— via Office of Natural Resources Revenue
The U.S. Web Design System team will answer community questions and give an update on their work developing web components for the design system.
2024
10 years of the U.S. Digital Service: Transforming government for the digital age
Over the past decade, the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) has collaborated with more than 30 federal agencies to create user-friendly, reliable, and seamless digital experiences. Their work prioritizing human-centered design and engineering includes improving services for veterans with Veterans Affairs, launching the Internal Revenue Service Direct File Pilot, and supporting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking ahead, USDS remains committed to building trust, fostering innovation, and scaling digital capacity across the federal government, ensuring better service for all Americans.— via The White House
Department of Justice recognizes anniversary of executive order to improve access for people with limited English profiency
The Department of Justice recently marked the 24th anniversary of Executive Order 13166, which aims to improve access to federal services for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). Its Civil Rights Division reviewed language access plans across federal agencies, emphasizing progress in hiring and staff training, improving language assistance services, and expanding multilingual content. The department is committed to eliminating language barriers in federal programs, improving communication and access for all communities.— via Department of Justice
IT warning banners: How GSA is working to stop unnecessarily frightening users
OMB Memo M-23-22 discourages the use of pop-ups and modals. GSA IT updated security policies so that IT warning banners are presented less intrusively to users.
