About

About ScanGov.

ScanGov

ScanGov is a government digital experience platform that helps public agencies monitor, improve, and maintain their websites. The service combines automated scanning with clear guidance to help government teams deliver better online services to the public through standards-based improvements.

Context

Government digital services face unique challenges that private sector tools don't address. Unlike commercial websites, government sites must serve everyone equally, follow strict accessibility requirements, and maintain high security standards while operating under budget constraints.

Digital experience teams and government leaders want to deliver great digital services to the public. However, there's a lot to understand and stay on top of when it comes to technical implementation. ScanGov was built by people who experienced this pain point firsthand. Even teams with years of experience building websites and applications may have blind spots. A seamless way to monitor progress across multiple sites and standards helps keep the team on top of all aspects of digital service delivery.

The problem

  • Citizens struggle with poor experiences
  • Government sites fail basic standards
  • Digital/IT teams lack holistic monitoring tools
  • Agencies focus on low-impact improvements
  • Manual audits are time-consuming

The solution

  • Automated scanning across eight key areas
  • Real-time monitoring with letter grades
  • Impact-based task prioritization
  • Pre-built bug reports and GitHub integration
  • Public dashboards for transparency

Why it matters

  • Better services mean easier citizen access
  • Standardized metrics enable data-driven decisions
  • Accessibility compliance ensures equal access
  • Security standards protect agencies and public
  • Performance improvements reduce costs

How it's going

The average government digital service receives a C grade with a 73% score across more than 1,100 monitored sites. This reveals significant room for improvement in serving the public effectively online.

Guidance

The ScanGov guidance draws from established public policy, web protocols, and industry best practices to create actionable standards for government websites. This evidence-based approach ensures that recommendations align with government requirements and proven methods rather than generic web advice.

Examples:

Standards

The ScanGov standards translate established guidance into specific, measurable requirements for government websites. These standards provide clear benchmarks that help agencies understand exactly what needs to be implemented to improve their digital services.

Examples:

Holistic digital experience

ScanGov indicators provide comprehensive measurement across eight essential areas that define effective government digital experiences:

  • AI-friendly: Content structured for AI systems
  • Accessibility: Standards for disability compliance
  • Content: Information organization and presentation
  • Domain: Proper domain configuration and security
  • Performance: Page loading and response speed
  • SEO: Search engine findability and indexing
  • Security: Protection against cyber threats
  • Social: Metadata for social media sharing

Key features

  • Multi-site management from single dashboard
  • Top-level overview dashboards
  • Status monitoring by indicator
  • Page-level analysis with detailed scanning
  • Prioritized task lists for high-impact fixes
  • Pre-populated bug reports for development
  • Alert system for critical issues
  • Change tracking across digital properties

Who it's for

Everyone responsible for serving the public.

Government leaders

  • Make data-driven decisions about digital services
  • Get clear metrics to prioritize investments
  • Track progress on citizen experience improvements

Digital service teams

  • Build better user experiences with insights
  • Identify accessibility barriers and performance issues
  • Find optimization opportunities across digital properties

Website managers

  • Streamline site management with automated monitoring
  • Track compliance and manage content quality
  • Coordinate improvements across multiple websites

IT staff

  • Monitor technical performance and security standards
  • Get alerts about issues before users affected
  • Maintain consistent infrastructure standards

Third-party vendors

  • Deliver services that meet government standards
  • Access clear requirements and benchmarks
  • Ensure solutions align with public sector needs

Hosting providers

  • Support government clients with specialized expertise
  • Understand compliance requirements and performance standards

Industry recognition

ScanGov supports the Center for Digital Government's GovX Awards, providing the data foundation for identifying leading digital government experiences. As one industry professional noted, the platform's unbiased metrics provide clear direction when prioritizing security and accessibility issues.

Multi-tiered approach

The platform operates on two levels:

Pricing accessibility

Plans range from free starter accounts to enterprise solutions, making the platform available to organizations of all sizes. The tiered structure allows agencies to scale their digital experience management as needs grow.

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