The first edition of this storytelling series explores the critical role of cognitive accessibility in digital government services through the personal experiences of a scholar and a mother navigating a complex bureaucracy.
How can governments use artificial intelligence (AI) to advance digital accessibility? During this roundtable, Andrew Merluzzi, AI Innovation + Incubation Fellow at the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation, shared some applications of AI in digital accessibility. Attendees discussed which applications are most promising, which seem too difficult or risky, and how their agencies could start experimenting with AI.
Usability testing offers the opportunity to observe and learn from real users, enabling governments to iterate design to meet user needs. In this session Rua Williams, Assistant Professor in the School of Applied and Creative Computing from Purdue University, shared more about their research and practical steps government practitioners can take to conduct more inclusive and ethical usability testing. Attendees discussed partnering with disabled users in ways that are respectful, effective, and sustainable.
Design systems are a foundational component of good government digital service delivery. This publication explores why design systems matter and includes a tracker of centralized design systems across U.S. states.