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In a world where outdated systems often hinder progress, HCD offers a transformative approach to reimagine how public services can work better—for everyone. This article explores how HCD is putting people at the center, replacing assumptions with insights, and turning complex challenges into practical, actionable solutions. Our team highlights how HCD sits at the heart of problem-solving, showcasing its real-world impact in addressing complex issues and improving how these services meet the evolving needs of the people they serve.

Kiel McLaughlin, Senior HCD Researcher at Agile Six, shares, "The entire purpose of the Civic Tech movement is to improve digital services for the people. If you don't understand the people you're building for, how can you solve their problems? We need to talk to them, engage with them from the beginning, and have them at the table as part of the conversation. Human-centered design is at the heart of problem-solving because it helps us define the right questions by understanding users' needs. By putting users first, we can organize our strategies, write effective policies, and build products that truly serve their communities."

Empathy-Driven Design

Jenn McLaughlin, Enterprise UX Coach at Agile Six, brings over 20 years of experience in design and user research. Early in her career, when digital design was driven more by technical possibility than by addressing real human needs, she discovered that true innovation emerges when empathy guides every decision. Today, her work stands as a testament to the transformative power of an empathetic approach.

"When you build with people first, you’re not just designing a product—you’re crafting an entire experience that meets real needs, reduces friction, and improves lives."

Jenn’s experience underscores a critical truth: by centering user needs, we create solutions that go beyond basic functionality—they transform the user experience. Her insights reaffirm that HCD is not an optional extra; it’s the foundation for building systems that truly serve communities.

Designing With, Not For: Our Approach
Christine Rose Steiffer, Design Lead 

For Christine and her team, every project begins by asking the essential questions: Who are our users? What do they truly need? How can we design systems that address those needs at every level?

"Human-Centered Design means looking at problems from the micro, meso, and macro perspectives—considering individual experiences, support systems, and larger societal influences. It’s about designing with our users, not just for them. By engaging them as active collaborators, we create solutions that are deeply empathetic and truly effective in addressing real-world challenges."

This approach not only results in user-friendly designs, but also creates long-lasting, strategic solutions that align with the goals of both government agencies and the people they serve.

Stories of Transformation

A Rural Clinic’s Lifeline

Kiel recounts a key moment from the Quality Payment Program at CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services). During a user interview, an office manager from a small rural clinic revealed the dire consequences of an inefficient system: "I was near tears, worried that if we didn’t get this right, our clinic might close." Detailed user interviews showed that the reporting requirements were built on assumptions about the clinic’s capabilities that may not reflect the realities of many practices. As a result, the team has worked to improve the design of the program’s website and application interfaces by improving the findability of critical information, which help practices meet program requirements. 

Trauma-Informed Design

Through user research, Christine and the team uncovered that the forms required to apply contained confusing questions and insensitive language that created barriers for Veterans. These forms risked re-traumatizing Veterans who had experienced trauma in their lives. Christine’s team identified the emotional toll these poorly designed forms had on Veterans and took action.

To address this shortcoming, the team applied trauma-informed design principles by simplifying language, providing content warnings, and removing unnecessary questions, thus ensuring a more supportive experience for Veterans.

The design changes aimed to create a supportive and empathetic experience for Veterans. By collaborating with social workers and Veterans, the team ensured the redesign fostered dignity and minimized distress for those interacting with the forms. This approach made the application process more approachable and user-friendly, reducing emotional strain on the Veterans.

Reducing Unnecessary Disability Claims

Christine’s team focused on reducing unnecessary disability claims in the VA’s benefits process. They discovered that unclear guidance often led Veterans to submit claims even after reaching the maximum benefit limits, creating increased administrative burdens and slowing processing times. The team introduced an intervention that notified Veterans when they reached the maximum rating for a condition. Initially piloted for tinnitus claims, this intervention led to a 20% reduction in unnecessary submissions. After its success, the team expanded the intervention to cover all conditions, reducing administrative burdens, speeding up processing times, and improving the overall experience for Veterans accessing their benefits.

These improvements highlight HCD's broader strategic value, making government services more efficient, enhancing user experience, and delivering cost savings.

As we see, HCD isn’t just about improving user experience; it also plays a strategic role that influences the entire process—from initial discovery through design, testing, and beyond.

HCD as a Strategic Asset

HCD isn’t just an afterthought; it’s a strategic asset that influences every stage of the process—from discovery through design, testing, and beyond. Kiel explains, "Knowledge is a product. Design is a product. When HCD is treated as a product, our insights aren’t lost—they’re integrated directly into the program’s strategy."

By making HCD a central part of the process, we proactively address potential risks, streamline workflows, and minimize costly fixes later. This approach leads to more efficient and sustainable solutions that are not only empathetic, but also directly aligned with the needs of the people we serve.

The Heart of Problem Solving

At its core, Human-Centered Design is about solving problems by focusing on real human needs. As Jenn succinctly puts it:

"HCD is at the heart of problem-solving because it’s about meeting people where they are—understanding what they need, how they feel, and then designing solutions that genuinely improve their lives." By centering every decision on empathy and genuine user insight, each digital interaction becomes an opportunity to build trust, enhance access, and drive lasting, positive change.

At Agile Six, our commitment to putting people first and building better government services continues. Leveraging HCD enables us to transform deep user insights into measurable outcomes that drive meaningful change.

If this story piqued your interest in a career with Agile Six, explore our open roles.