How UX Effects Change in Government—One Test, One Customer Survey at a Time

Over the past few years, many agencies have learned how to do user experience (UX) with few resources. And while that’s still a problem at many agencies, many UX initiatives have been gaining momentum and attracting new stakeholders. Federal-wide efforts like the Social and Behavioral Sciences Team (SBST) and the U.S. Digital Service’s (USDS) promotion of good design principles, such as 18F’s recently-released Web Design Standards, show just how far this effort has come.

And while cutting through the flood of terms – CX, UX, service design, human-centered design, behavioral sciences-can be challenging, it can also be an opportunity to meet new colleagues. Engaging with departments such as procurement and CIO’s offices can benefit you in the future when technical needs ramp up.

For DigitalGov’s editorial theme this month, we’ll be looking at the state of UX across the federal government, including: a variety of user research initiatives across the government and a look at mobile and the user experience.