6 Ways Government Innovators Are Building Stronger Public Services

On August 12, 2020, 700+ innovation leaders across the U.S. federal government came together for the Impact Summit Series Kickoff, powered by Technology Transformation Services (TTS).

We gathered to discuss critical government modernization issues while learning from and teaching one another, sharing tools you can use today, and even having some fun (like learning that most attendees’ favorite tech invention of the 21st Century is online TV/video streaming).

Together, we recognized the importance of data privacy and design principles. TTS shared, through 6 sessions with our agency partners, that change is possible no matter the challenge. And we were reminded that our solutions truly scale when we center the public we serve. Below, we share the top six learnings from #GovImpactSummit. Let us know what you think!

Top 6 Learnings from #GovImpactSummit

1. DevSecEthOps is the path to responsible and scalable AI: The linear fashion of testing no longer works. Testing and evaluation (T&E) needs to be iterative, agile, and repeatable - and it must include ethics. As the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) shared, with security and ethical requirements built into algorithm development, we build better products. Learn how JAIC is partnering with TTS Centers of Excellence to accelerate the adoption of AI across the DoD.
2. Data drives mission success. To get there, proper data security and data storage are paramount. Our colleagues at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Department of Energy (DOE), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shared how rigorous testing and setting and widely sharing standards and guidance for data storage, access, and use are driving success for their programs. This includes moving to the cloud, which also enables data to be just as shareable as it is secure.
   • Learn how the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service worked with 18F to save time and improve data quality for their programs (PDF, 93 kb, 1 page).
   • Learn how NIH and the Presidential Innovation Fellows are driving health breakthroughs through diverse and accessible data (PDF, 204 kb, 2 pages).
   • Learn how HUD and the Centers of Excellence built a robust evidence-based tool to modernize application processes using advanced analytics (PDF, 181 kb, 2 pages).
   • Learn how the DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration and 18F protected nuclear materials through data strategy (PDF, 85 kb, 1 page).
3. Iterating improves experiences for the public and the federal workforce. When the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division relaunched their complaints portal, key factors that made this engagement and product such a success included organization-wide agile transformation, human-centered design, and working with an empowered product owner. Learn how the DOJ Civil Rights Division revitalized this web experience with 18F.
4. Identity management is more important than ever. By implementing login.gov, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) program has been able to support nearly 5.5K lenders and approve over 5 million loans helping small businesses keep their workforce employed during COVID-19. Learn more about the capabilities and services within login.gov (PDF, 101 kb, 1 page).
5. Over 15 products and services enable federal agencies to easily modernize digital experiences to meet today’s user needs. Using the TTS technology stack - the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS), Federalist, Search.gov, and the Digital Analytics Program (DAP) - the Office of Shared Solutions and Performance Improvement (OSSPI) maintains a site that’s flexible enough to meet the changing priorities of the administration. With these tools, they continue to make the site more engaging and informative for the public. Learn more about how OSSPI stood up performance.gov using the full TTS technology stack (PDF, 110 kb, 2 pages).
6. Increase trust with human-centered design (HCD) and customer experience (CX). By establishing an enterprise-wide Veteran’s Experience Office, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - one of the nation’s largest agencies - has transformed into a more Veteran-centered organization. Using a combination of qualitative/quantitative and public/private industry expertise with Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF), the VA saw a 25% increase in Veterans’ trust. Learn how the VA is leading the Cross-Agency Priority Goal of CX with industry best practices from PIF (PDF, 218 kb, 2 pages).

What’s Next?

The Impact Summit Series continues! Our next two events will cover how federal agencies are using cloud platforms and customer experience to improve and scale public services. You can find more information and registration for our next Impact Summit Series events on GSA’s TTS Impact Summit website. You can also watch the recording to learn more.

We hope to see you there.