Trailblazers in Action

The team used human-centered design to inform development of an omnichannel network where borrowers now learn about, apply for and manage their federal financial aid. The new solution includes a single digital platform (Studentaid.gov), a modern marketing platform, a consolidated customer care platform and a dedicated virtual assistant—radically simplifying the student financial aid experience for more than 40 million students and their families.

A new version of the VA Loan Electronic Reporting Interface (VALERI) incorporates software-as-a-service capabilities for case management, workflow optimization and data analytics—enabling VA to serve veteran homeowners more efficiently and collaborate with industry partners. VALERI also incorporates customer relationship management best practices, enabling borrowers to see real-time, relevant loan information throughout the loan lifecycle.

With the launch of Farmers.gov, USDA consolidated seven digital platforms and 150 federal web resources into a convenient one-stop resource for farmers. Farmers.gov offers farmer-focused content, interactive tools and a business data dashboard—allowing producers more time to focus on their farms and less time filling out antiquated paper forms. Continuing improvement is built into the process based on ongoing feedback from USDA customers and employees.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed customer expectations forever. Industry and sector leaders have responded to these unprecedented changes with a slew of innovations that are reshaping digital services around fundamental customer needs. The opportunity for government is to embrace this imperative, build upon these advances and create new benchmarks for how it can empower Americans.

By tapping into service design and systems design via the Futureframe approach, you can build—and execute—a bold vision for the future. The Futureframe process yields important insights about where to direct resources, how to prioritize change, and the value of a dual focus on near-term impact and improvements alongside longer-term transformation.