When people hit the moment in the HealthCare.gov sign-up process where they need in-person help, they’re likely frustrated and at risk of abandoning the process altogether. To help, Ad Hoc designers on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Find Local Help team extensively researched user pain points and used human-centered design to create a tool that respects the stress users may experience and delivers the information they need as quickly and simply as possible.
The U.S. Digital Response collaborated with a state workforce agency to develop a multilingual, user-friendly system for retroactive Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) applications, enhancing claimant comprehension and reducing administrative strain.
WIC enrollment has declined over the last decade, preventing millions of eligible low-income individuals from accessing its benefits. This report examines state WIC outreach pilots and discusses the effectiveness of text message outreach and key considerations when developing and launching targeted text outreach campaigns.
This award documentation from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) explains how agencies in Ohio used automation to support administration of public benefits programs.
National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO)
In our research announcement on theories of change (ToC) for digital government, the Digital Service Network shared our belief that all Digital Service (DS) teams should work to develop a ToC.
The Digital Services Network (DSN) spoke with Connecticut’s digital program manager, Max Gigle, and Director of Digital Government and Operational Excellence David Labbadia, to learn more about the team’s human-centered approach to developing Business.CT.gov as the first step on the path toward an “all-digital government.”
Propel describes how its mobile app outreach campaign helped millions of Medicaid enrollees navigate renewal during the post-pandemic “unwinding” by driving action through notifications, messaging, and in-app tools.
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.
This case study highlights a collaborative effort to enhance Nevada’s unemployment insurance (UI) program by simplifying claimant-facing communications and improving user experiences through behavioral science and human-centered design.
National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA)
This report examines Pennsylvania’s recent success in responding to concerns from citizens that it took too long for a business, nonprofit or individual to receive a permit, license or certificate they had applied for.
A case study documenting the creation, pilot, impact, and eventual sunset of a government text-messaging service used to improve how agencies communicate with the public.