mRelief recently completed a research study to investigate whether there are specific parts of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP; also known as food stamps) benefits application process that make it difficult to complete. We conducted interviews with mRelief users and SNAP outreach workers (individuals whose job responsibilities include providing SNAP application assistance in person or over the phone) in Illinois. We also conducted group interviews with SNAP outreach workers to collaborate with them to uncover findings and develop recommendations.
Building modular, open-source, human-centered software is necessary to create equitable government services fit for the digital age. Nava emphasizes addressing large scale digital service challenges by building and releasing small, modular software components that are loosely-coupled by well-defined APIs. This enables agencies to quickly and conistently deliver services that help people immediately, whilst also building a flexible foundation for long-term technical evolution.
Important considerations for understanding user needs to inform responsive design in rapidly changing contexts are discussed, including how context, threat perception, decision-making, and crisis affects disaster management and UX research.
A practical resource explaining how to choose and use different fidelity modes in rapid prototyping to align team understanding and streamline design iterations.
DSN Spotlights are short-form project profiles that feature exciting work happening across our network of digital government practitioners. Spotlights celebrate our members’ stories, lift up actionable takeaways for other practitioners, and put the examples we host in the Digital Government Hub in context.
A profile on FormFest speaker Karissa Minnich, a civic design manager with The Lab @ DC, whose innovative approach to redesigning government forms has transformed paperwork into a model of human-centered design.
A case study documenting how a human-centered claimant portal was developed for the New Jersey Department of Labor (NJDOL) to modernize unemployment insurance access using agile development and API technology.
An event recap from one of FormFest 2024's opening main stage featuring speakers from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, State of Maryland, Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation, and Code for America.
A blog post offering four distinct types of visualization maps that help digital project teams quickly build shared understanding and alignment when starting new work.
This report provides guidance on building equitable and user-friendly affordable housing portals, highlighting best practices from platforms like Bloom Housing and Housing Navigator MA.
A webinar presenting fresh data on how young adults aged 22 are faring in terms of poverty, employment, education, living arrangements, and access to public benefits.
The GetCalFresh team, the California Department of Social Services, and the California Secretary of State’s office worked together to create a simplified, accessible voter registration experience with clients. When people come to GetCalFresh.org, they are looking to apply for food assistance, so the state of California did not want voter registration to become an obstacle to the goal of getting food assistance. Thus, rather than directing clients to anther website, they offered to text clients a link to the CA Secretary of State’s voter website with directions on how to register.
