Transforming government services through human-centered design

What happens when government services embrace Human-Centered Design (HCD)? In a world where outdated systems often hinder progress, HCD offers a transformative approach that puts people—not technology, not process—at the center of every decision.

Understanding human-centered design

Human-centered design is more than a methodology. It's a mindset that prioritizes understanding the needs, behaviors, and experiences of the people who use a service. In government, this means designing for the veteran filing a disability claim, the family navigating healthcare options, or the small business owner applying for a permit.

Traditional government IT projects often start with requirements documents written by stakeholders who may never interact with the actual service. HCD flips this approach, beginning with research—interviews, observations, and testing with real users.

Why it matters for government

Government services aren't optional. Unlike a consumer app that people choose to use, citizens often must interact with government systems to access essential benefits, meet legal requirements, or exercise their rights. When these services are confusing, slow, or inaccessible, the consequences can be severe:

• Veterans may give up on accessing benefits they've earned
• Families may miss critical healthcare enrollment deadlines
• Small businesses may struggle to comply with regulations they don't understand

HCD helps ensure that government services work for everyone—including people with disabilities, limited English proficiency, or limited internet access.

The HCD process in practice

At Agile Six, we follow a iterative HCD process that includes:

Discovery: We start by understanding the problem space through stakeholder interviews, user research, and analysis of existing data. This phase helps us understand not just what users do, but why they do it.

Design: Based on our research, we create prototypes—starting low-fidelity and increasing in detail. We test these prototypes with real users early and often, learning what works and what doesn't before writing any code.

Delivery: As we build, we continue testing with users. We measure not just whether the system works technically, but whether it works for the people who need to use it.

Iteration: Launch isn't the end. We continue gathering feedback, analyzing usage data, and making improvements based on what we learn.

Real impact

When we helped modernize VA.gov, we didn't start by rebuilding the technology. We started by talking to veterans. We learned about their frustrations with the existing system, their mental models for how things should work, and the barriers that prevented them from accessing services.

This research informed every design decision—from the information architecture to the language we used to the way we structured forms. The result was a site that veterans could actually use, leading to reduced call center volume and higher satisfaction scores.

Getting started with HCD

Adopting HCD doesn't require a complete overhaul of how your agency works. You can start small:

• Talk to users: Even informal conversations with people who use your services can reveal insights
• Test early: Show prototypes to users before you've invested heavily in development
• Measure what matters: Track outcomes that reflect user success, not just technical metrics
• Iterate: Plan for continuous improvement, not just launch

Human-centered design isn't just a nice-to-have. In government, where services affect millions of lives, it's essential. And when done right, it delivers services that are not only more effective but also more efficient—a win for both citizens and agencies.