The White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released new guidance late Friday that directs Federal agencies to design and deliver a “digital-first public experience” through improved websites and digital services as they continue to implement the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience (IDEA) Act.
The IDEA Act was approved by Congress in late 2018 and created a set of minimum functionality and security standards that all public-facing Federal agency websites and digital services must meet. However, critics have complained that Federal agency adoption of the requirements has been slow and uneven.
The new guidance memo – from OMB Director Shalanda Young – provides Federal agencies with a robust policy framework for the next 10 years, ensuring they have common standards for delivering online tools and experiences.
“The implementation guidance for the 21st Century IDEA contained in this memorandum builds on previous efforts to create a digital government by helping executive agencies further harness user-centered design and agile delivery practices to provide integrated digital experiences and interactions across agencies, services, and channels,” the guidance says.
The Federal government has a lot of work to do on the digital front in the next decade. According to Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) Clare Martorana, only two percent of government forms are currently digitized, 45 percent of websites are not mobile friendly, and 60 percent of websites are not fully usable by those who use assistive technologies.
“This is unacceptable. We can and must do better,” Martorana said in a blog post published alongside the new guidance.
The Federal CIO said the digital framework “will transform the way Federal government communicates with the American people digitally to ensure it is providing information that is easy to use, trustworthy, and accessible.”
Specifically, the guidance will require Federal agencies to use web analytics and participate in the government-wide Digital Analytics Program. Additionally, they will need to use automated website scanning tools to identify usability issues.
The White House is also requiring agencies to use .gov or .mil domains for Federal websites to establish greater online trust. OMB said it is also expanding Federal-wide website standards to include branding guidelines, and it is encouraging agencies to use the U.S. Web Design System for a more consistent visual experience.
Next on agencies’ to-do list is to implement an on-site search function (like Search.gov) for Federal websites and develop better search engine optimization (SEO) best practices. This way, the public can quickly and reliably find the information they’re looking for.
OMB said it is also “driving the development of new digital options to get government services, like completing and signing government forms as well as completing common tasks.”
“Many Federal agencies have already begun their digital modernization journey while others are just getting started,” Martorana said. “By identifying each agency’s progress, we will be able to target the right investments to support digital delivery, consolidate and retire legacy websites and systems, work with our private sector partners to implement leading technology solutions, maximize the impact of taxpayer dollars, and deliver a government that is secure by design and works for everyone.”
“This is an exciting time to harness the power of technology across the Federal Government to deliver a modern, secure digital government worthy of the American people,” she concluded.
