ACCESS NYC aims to increase the accessibility and convenience of discovering and enrolling in government benefits. These patterns support this work by defining the UI and behavior that New Yorkers experience as they use the site.
City of Saint Paul's website for community members to sign up to participate in paid research opportunities in order to test and provide feedback on the design of digital services and products.
In Austin, there are over 2,000 individuals without a safe place to sleep. There are many reasons a person can become homeless, and these reasons range from the lack of affordable housing to the loss of family and community. In 2017, the Innovation Office secured a three-year $1.25m grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to focus on the city's goal of ending homelessness. The grant funds an i-team to help the city identify the best ways for City Council, departments, and the community to collaborate towards a shared understanding of homelessness in Austin.
The SDCI User Research Participant Compensation Policy establishes guidelines for providing honoraria to user research participants, ensuring equitable, ethical, and inclusive engagement in SDCI’s UX research.
Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)
MyFile NYC is a digital platform that allows New York City residents experiencing homelessness to securely store, share, and manage vital documents with the Department of Homeless Services, streamlining the process of establishing eligibility for public benefits. This pilot, launched in 2022, aims to improve service access by reducing barriers like communication and documentation challenges, while allowing users control over their information.
beta.gouv.fr, a French government incubator, developed Mes Aides, an online benefits simulator launched in 2014 to help residents assess their eligibility for various social programs, addressing the issue of unclaimed benefits. The tool, built with open-source technology, enabled users to quickly estimate their potential benefits but was later integrated into a broader platform in 2020 following internal government disputes over authority.
