To better connect the public with government services online, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has updated USA.gov and USAGov en Español. The refreshed sites help the public access the government information they need more quickly and directly. The experience on the websites reflects important user needs like getting help to apply for benefits or renew a passport and milestones in a person’s life that require interaction with federal services.
“These updates reflect our commitment to coupling smart, user-centered designs with robust data to deliver exactly what the American people need when they come to USA.gov, the federal government’s front door,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “It’s another great example of what our Technology Transformation Services (TTS) is doing to make government websites work seamlessly and intuitively while remaining as accessible as possible for all people who use these government services.”
Funded in part by the American Rescue Plan, the improvements are designed to bring website users information more quickly, ensuring a better experience in accessing government information.
The USAGov team focused on customer data and insights to provide a smoother, more direct path to answers for commonly asked questions, like how to report scams.
Another enhancement of the websites is how quickly users can look up their elected officials on the federal, state and local levels. Using the “Find and contact your elected officials” tool in usability testing exercises, users saved about five minutes compared with the previous version of the English and Spanish-language sites.
“We are building digital services for the people and by the people,” said TTS Director and FAS Deputy Commissioner Ann Lewis. “Optimizing these sites based on how and when the public interacts with government, and iterating on them over time as needs evolve, will deliver an intuitive digital experience for people, providing a more seamless government experience.”
Developed using the GSA-led U.S. Web Design System, the human-centered sites better incorporate buttons, visual cues, and user-friendly content. Information is accessible on multiple devices in English and Spanish. USAGov will continue to evaluate user feedback and data to address gaps, create more interactive features, and explore the use of accessible options, such as voice technology. They will also continue to work with other agencies to offer a streamlined user experience.
In Fiscal Year 2022, the public used USAGov more than 105 million times to seek information through USA.gov and USAGov en Español, social media, email, and webchats and phone calls to the USAGov Contact Center. Read the full blog post here.
