Annual Summit
2023 Government UX Summit
User experience (UX) experts across the federal government will share case studies and best practices during this virtual summit.
2023
Mobile
Mobile-friendly government websites improve access and user experience
People increasingly use their mobile devices to access critical information. Ensuring that government websites work well on mobile devices not only improves the overall user experience but also increases visibility of government services and information. Mobile-friendly federal websites are a part of digital inclusion, transparency, and accountability.
Related Policy
Connected Government Act
Mobile: essential knowledge
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Eight principles of mobile-friendliness
Use these eight principles of mobile-friendliness to greatly improve the mobile-friendliness of your websites.
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How to make a mobile paper prototype: A USA.gov case study
Learn how you can use a single piece of paper to make your mobile app work 20 percent better.
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Mobile development strategies
Learn about the most common mobile development strategies.
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How to track performance
A step-by-step guide to picking metrics and tools for tracking performance on your site.
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How to contract for mobile development services
Find out how to structure a Statement of Work (SOW) for the development of mobile products.
Mobile events
Our friends at Digital.gov will join us to talk through their experience migrating to USWDS 3.0.
2022
Highlights from the Air Force Materiel Command & 18F partnership and the importance of organizational structure, roles of the core team, and user outreach for military and government DevOps.
Watch Video
2020
Federal Crowdsourcing
Federal Crowdsourcing Webinar Series, Episode 11: Mobile Testing Program Makes Content More Accessible
Agencies optimize mobile experiences with help from federal testers.
Watch Video
2020
Learn how to improve the user experience of your website by following the ADAPT Model to enhance the performance of your content on cellular networks or mobile devices.
Watch Video
2020
Mobile news
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
Justice department to publish final rule to strengthen web and mobile app access for people with disabilities
On April 8, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland signed a final rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure the accessibility of web content and mobile applications for people with disabilities. This final rule clarifies the obligations of state and local governments to make their websites and mobile applications accessible. Learn more about this rule and why the Attorney General believes it will “break down barriers that have kept people with disabilities from fully participating in American Life.”— via Department of Justice
Designing with empathy
Discover the transformative power of empathy in design with USAGov’s benefit finder. From simplifying applications to a mobile-first approach, the revamped tool not only functions efficiently in two different languages and cultural contexts, but demonstrates the consideration for users in challenging situations. Explore how empathy turned a government service into a compassionate lifeline, creating a product that genuinely understands and meets people where they are.— via USA.gov
Why the American People Deserve a Digital Government
OMB released new policy guidance for government that includes a variety of actions and standards to help federal agencies design, develop, and deliver modern websites and digital services. Memo M-23-22, Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience, will make it seamless for the public to obtain government information and services online, and help agencies fully implement the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (21st Century IDEA).— via The White House
Judiciary Launches New Federal Ticket Processing Website
Individuals can now pay tickets for minor federal violations more easily, using a redesigned website for the Judiciary’s Central Violations Bureau. The website, officially launched in early May, leverages new technologies and best design practices to improve usability and accessibility across devices, including smart phones.— via Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Resources on Mobile
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Introduction to QR codes
What is a QR code and how can you create one? What are some alternatives to using QR codes? This introductory resource will help you explore your options.
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U.S. Web Design System
A design system for the federal government that makes it easier to build accessible, mobile-friendly government websites for the American public.
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Eight Principles of Mobile-Friendliness
Following these principles will help you make your site more usable and user-friendly.
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An Introduction to USWDS 3.0
A design system for the federal government that makes it easier to build accessible, mobile-friendly government websites for the American public.
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How to track performance
A step-by-step guide to picking metrics and tools for tracking performance on your site.
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Mobile Development Strategies
The following is a list of the most common mobile development strategies.
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A Guide to Creating Mobile-Friendly Websites
Based on a recent six-month study, this guide outlines the top five practices needed to improve the mobile-friendliness of federal websites: the optimization of JavaScript, CSS, and images, caching, and pop-ups.
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Connected Government Act
Resources to help your agency comply with the Connected Government Act.
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Mobile User Experience Guidelines
These mobile user experience guidelines were distilled from community feedback about mobile UX practices.
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Mobile SOW and Developer Qualifications
Structuring a Statement of Work (SOW) for the development or modification of mobile products should be similar to any SOW your government organization issues for IT products and services.
Tools and Services
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U.S. Digital Registry
An inventory of official government social media accounts and mobile apps.
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U.S. Web Design System
A toolkit of principles, guidance, and code that helps agency digital teams build accessible, mobile-friendly government websites for the American public.
More News and Events on Mobile
581 posts
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
Justice department to publish final rule to strengthen web and mobile app access for people with disabilities
On April 8, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland signed a final rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure the accessibility of web content and mobile applications for people with disabilities. This final rule clarifies the obligations of state and local governments to make their websites and mobile applications accessible. Learn more about this rule and why the Attorney General believes it will “break down barriers that have kept people with disabilities from fully participating in American Life.”— via Department of Justice
Designing with empathy
Discover the transformative power of empathy in design with USAGov’s benefit finder. From simplifying applications to a mobile-first approach, the revamped tool not only functions efficiently in two different languages and cultural contexts, but demonstrates the consideration for users in challenging situations. Explore how empathy turned a government service into a compassionate lifeline, creating a product that genuinely understands and meets people where they are.— via USA.gov
Why the American People Deserve a Digital Government
OMB released new policy guidance for government that includes a variety of actions and standards to help federal agencies design, develop, and deliver modern websites and digital services. Memo M-23-22, Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience, will make it seamless for the public to obtain government information and services online, and help agencies fully implement the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (21st Century IDEA).— via The White House
Annual Summit
2023 Government UX Summit
User experience (UX) experts across the federal government will share case studies and best practices during this virtual summit.
2023
Judiciary Launches New Federal Ticket Processing Website
Individuals can now pay tickets for minor federal violations more easily, using a redesigned website for the Judiciary’s Central Violations Bureau. The website, officially launched in early May, leverages new technologies and best design practices to improve usability and accessibility across devices, including smart phones.— via Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
Collaborate with the TTS Public Benefits Studio
The Benefits Studio is seeking feedback and collaboration as it explores texting as a tool to improve the public experience of benefits programs.
Our friends at Digital.gov will join us to talk through their experience migrating to USWDS 3.0.
2022
Policy
Go-Live Checklist for Federal Websites
Covering the breadth of federal web policy, the new downloadable checklist organizes policy requirements into nine categories and explains what your agency needs to do to meet each requirement.
Code.gov Better Know an Engineer: Rayvn Manuel
Code.gov Better Know an Engineer: Rayvn Manuel—We’re back with another installment of Better Know an Engineer. We are pleased to feature a friend of Code.gov and all-around amazing person, Rayvn Manuel; senior application developer and DevOps engineer at the Smithsonian Insitute's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).— via Code.gov
Highlights from the Air Force Materiel Command & 18F partnership and the importance of organizational structure, roles of the core team, and user outreach for military and government DevOps.
Watch Video
2020
Federal Crowdsourcing
Federal Crowdsourcing Webinar Series, Episode 11: Mobile Testing Program Makes Content More Accessible
Agencies optimize mobile experiences with help from federal testers.
Watch Video
2020
Learn how to improve the user experience of your website by following the ADAPT Model to enhance the performance of your content on cellular networks or mobile devices.
Watch Video
2020
Join Dan Williams, U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) product lead, in our monthly call as he walks through the design system and answers your questions.
Watch Video
2019
A New Version of the FRB’s Money Adventure App Helps Expand Digital Outreach
The Android version of the Federal Reserve Board’s first public mobile app, Money Adventure, is now available. See how market research led to its development, and how it differs from the iOS version.
Mobile
Building Trust with Users Through Open Communication and Feedback
A look at how FEMA responds to user needs and bugs in their app development.
Introducing USWDS 2.0
Today’s update introduces a powerful toolkit of new features to help make creating useful, consistent digital services faster, simpler, and more fun.
Deep Dive: Using Data Technology + Innovation for Lyme Disease
A 14-week sprint delivered digital tools that used federal open data to address Lyme and tick-borne diseases.
Using Augmented Reality to Teach Kids about Currency
The U.S. Currency Education Program used research, prototyping, and user-feedback to develop a mobile app to teach young students about money.
Deep Dive: How a Health Tech Sprint Pioneered an AI Ecosystem
Seven teams created digital tools that help in finding experimental therapies for patients, and for clinical trials to recruit new patients.
