Content strategy

Make use of content strategy to deliver great digital experiences.

Content strategy involves planning, creating, delivering, and governing content that meets the needs of its users and achieves an organization's goals. Content strategy is an essential element of effective digital web services and communication for government agencies.

21st Century IDEA & M-23-22

21st Century IDEA & M-23-22

Content strategy: Essential knowledge

Content strategy events

Annual Gathering

Spring 2024 Community Summit

Digital service experts across the federal government will share case studies and best practices on delivering a digital-first public experience.
2024
Next steps in the U.S. Web Design System’s inclusive usability research

USWDS Monthly Call - November 2023

The USWDS team will continue sharing our progress to improve ongoing research, publishing results and addressing recent findings.
Watch Video
2023
Conducting user research with people with disabilities

USWDS Monthly Call - October 2023

This month, we’ll share progress and findings from our recent effort to improve our ongoing research practice.
Watch Video
2023

Content strategy news

18F project defaults

18F collaborated on 31 government digital service projects in 2024, including the IRS Direct File Pilot and Notify.gov. To streamline processes, they shared five default templates for other project teams to adopt and improve efficiency and transparency on their own projects.— via 18F

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Dec 05, 2024

Resources on Content strategy

Tools and Services

  • 18F

    We help government agencies fix technical problems, build products, and improve how government serves the public through technology.

  • PlainLanguage.gov

    Guidance on the use of plain language for government communications and training for federal employees.

  • Presidential Innovation Fellows

    We help government agencies fix technical problems, build products, and improve how government serves the public through technology.

  • The Guide to the Paperwork Reduction Act

    Get help with the PRA, planning and submitting an information request, and finding your agency’s PRA contact.

  • U.S. Digital Service

    We deploy small, responsive groups of designers, engineers, product managers, and bureaucracy specialists to work with and empower civil servants.

  • 10x

    Provides funding for new technology projects or products across government, from the TTS office of investments.

  • DotGov Registry

    We make it easy to register and manage a .gov domain for US-based government organizations.

  • Login.gov

    An identity management service that provides secure and private online access to participating government programs.

  • Open Opportunities

    Discover opportunities across government that will help you build and make connections.

  • Pages

    A publishing platform that helps federal partners launch, maintain and manage Government websites.

More News and Events on Content strategy

641 posts

18F project defaults

18F collaborated on 31 government digital service projects in 2024, including the IRS Direct File Pilot and Notify.gov. To streamline processes, they shared five default templates for other project teams to adopt and improve efficiency and transparency on their own projects.— via 18F

18f logo
Dec 05, 2024

Publishing federal sales data: how we used design studios and user testing to develop a user-centered dataset

The Open Data, Design, and Development team at the Office of Natural Resource and Revenue (ONRR) successfully added federal sales data to the Natural Resources Revenue Data (NRRD) platform using design studios and user testing to create a user-centered dataset. By involving subject matter experts and refining prototypes through feedback, the team delivered the project ahead of schedule while meeting user needs. Future plans included additional usability testing and expanding stakeholder engagement.— via Office of Natural Resources Revenue

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Nov 19, 2024

Simplifying manual accessibility testing: How plain language instructions drive compliance

Testing for accessibility ensures that digital services are usable for everyone. Explore how the Office of Natural Resources and Revenue (ONRR) streamlined their manual testing process with plain language instructions to create a more uniform testing methodology across their agency. By balancing detail with usability and continually updating resources, ONRR empowers both their small team and subject matter experts to meet Section 508 compliance.— via Office of Natural Resources Revenue

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Oct 07, 2024

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

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Aug 20, 2024

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

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Aug 12, 2024

Department of Labor, General Services Administration to centralize government benefits information on USA.gov and USAGov en Español

In September 2024, Benefits.gov will be discontinued, with its services and information moved to USA.gov and USAGov en Español. This change, which aligns with Executive Order 14058: Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government, aims to create a seamless, user-friendly experience for accessing government benefits in both English and Spanish. The new platform, with a focus on equitable access to information, will feature improved navigation and benefit-finding tools.— via General Services Administration

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Aug 07, 2024

Reassessing priorities: Adapting to additional work without additional resources

The Office of Natural Resources Revenue’s Open Data, Design, and Development (ODD) team is taking on management of a fourth website, despite being short-staffed. As a result, they have revisited and reprioritized their yearly goals. To do so, they utilized a prioritization matrix, developed a structured impact assessment, and laid out a transition plan. Their process ensured realistic workload adjustments, improved team morale, and highlighted the importance of practical goal-setting, especially when teams are short-staffed.— via Office of Natural Resources Revenue

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Jul 23, 2024

Introducing the Department of Homeland Security customer experience toolkit

The Department of Homeland Security’s Customer Experience Directorate developed a customer experience (CX) toolkit to help agencies implement CX strategies using a human-centered design approach. The toolkit offers resources to enhance service delivery, processes, and systems, following a “Ready, Set, Grow” framework for planning and implementation. It aims to serve as a reference for organizations bringing CX practices to their own agencies.— via Department of Homeland Security

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Jul 16, 2024

Designing for people with disabilities

The User Experience (UX) team at USA.gov’s Public Experience Portfolio recently conducted a study to analyze the experiences of individuals who access USA.gov through assistive technology. The team partnered with a local organization to gather insights from a diverse group of participants, many of whom are blind or deaf. The study revealed various habits and challenges faced by these users, such as a preference for mobile sites, difficulty with website carousels, and a reliance on clear headings and action-oriented descriptions. These findings can guide improvements in accessibility, such as clever link labeling and better navigation aids for assistive technology users.— via USA.gov

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Jul 16, 2024

Digital front door: Expanding access to VA

More Veterans are turning to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for healthcare and benefits, accessing these services online through tools like the VA Health and Benefits mobile app and VA.gov. With over 2.28 million app downloads and 17.8 million monthly visitors on VA.gov, these digital tools provide faster, easier, and more inclusive access to VA services. Learn more about how these technologies are often Veterans’ first interaction with VA by watching their latest video, Digital Front Door: Expanding Access to VA.— via U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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Jun 26, 2024