Government digital experience primer

An introduction to government digital experience.

About

Government digital experience is how people interact with public services online—from filling out forms to applying for benefits to getting answers. A strong digital experience means services are easy to use, fast, secure, and work for everyone, across all levels of government.

It ensures government online services are:

  • Accessible and usable
  • Based around user needs and tasks
  • Consistent in appearance
  • Securely hosted and connected
  • Original, not duplicating existing content
  • Searchable
  • Mobile-friendly

Problem

  • Outdated, hard-to-use websites
  • Too many paper forms and manual steps
  • Mobile-unfriendly services
  • Digital experiences lack accessibility
  • Inconsistent service delivery across agencies
  • No common standards or accountability

Solution

  • Design services based on real user needs
  • Adopt shared design, accessibility, and tech standards
  • Digitize forms and workflows, including e-signatures
  • Create mobile-first, accessible tools
  • Test with users and improve continuously
  • Coordinate across agencies for consistency

Why it matters

The public relies on online government services more than ever. These services must be accessible and secure for all people.

  • Improves access to essential services
  • Reduces costs and inefficiencies
  • Builds trust in public institutions
  • Expands equity and inclusion
  • Supports better policy through user data

Who it's for

  • Government executives and administrators
  • IT and cybersecurity teams
  • Policymakers and legal advisors
  • Digital service and delivery teams
  • Procurement and acquisition staff
  • Communications and outreach teams

Context

Public expectations for digital services have changed. People expect government to deliver the same kind of experience they get from banks, airlines, and online retailers. But many public-sector services remain hard to navigate, mobile-unfriendly, or reliant on paper.

The U.S. Web Design System, U.S. Digital Service Playbook, and Digital.gov customer experience resources offer proven frameworks to guide digital transformation. These emphasize user-centered design, mobile-first development, accessibility, and continuous improvement.

The 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (H.R. 5759) mandates that federal agencies modernize their public websites, digitize forms, and adopt secure, accessible, and mobile-ready solutions. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reinforced this in M-23-22, requiring agencies to deliver a “digital-first” public experience.

Meanwhile, ScanGov standards demonstrate how to go further by providing a holistic, consistent experience across content, design, development, privacy, and service performance. These standards—built by and for governments—can be adopted across federal, state, local, and tribal levels to deliver better, more coordinated services at scale.

This isn’t just a tech challenge—it’s a shift in how government operates to meet the needs of the public in the digital age.

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