The General Services Administration (GSA) has unveiled the Federal government’s new digital front door with the newly redesigned USA.gov and USAGov en Español websites.
The redesign comes after months of beta testing the new features, which make it easier and quicker for the public to access the government information they need.
“These updates reflect our commitment to coupling smart, user-centered designs with robust data to deliver exactly what the American people need when they come to USA.gov, the Federal government’s front door,” GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan said in a blog post.
“It’s another great example of what our Technology Transformation Services (TTS) is doing to make government websites work seamlessly and intuitively while remaining as accessible as possible for all people who use these government services,” she said.
According to the blog post, the USAGov team focused on how to provide a smoother experience to customers for commonly asked questions such as how to report scams or how to renew a passport.
Another new feature of the websites is the “Find and contact your elected officials” tool, which makes it easier for users to find their elected officials. In usability testing exercises, GSA said users save about five minutes compared to the previous version of the English and Spanish-language websites.
GSA developed the new websites using the U.S. Web Design System, incorporating improved buttons, visual cues, and other user-friendly content. The agency said it will continue to evaluate user feedback and data on the websites to address any gaps and add improvements. It is also exploring more interactive features and the use of accessible options, such as voice technology.
“We are building digital services for the people and by the people,” said TTS Director and Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Deputy Commissioner Ann Lewis. “Optimizing these sites based on how and when the public interacts with government, and iterating on them over time as needs evolve, will deliver an intuitive digital experience for people, providing a more seamless government experience.”
According to analytics.usa.gov, there were over six million visits to USA.gov in the last 30 days. In fiscal year 2022, GSA said the public used USAGov more than 105 million times, through USA.gov and USAGov en Español, social media, email, webchats, and phone calls to the USAGov Contact Center.
