Beyond Bureaucracy: How Digital Service Departments Are Modernizing Government

Why Digital Service Departments Matter Now More Than Ever

A department of digital services is a government unit that uses modern technology and design practices to improve how citizens interact with public services. These teams bring private sector expertise into government for term-limited "tours of duty" to fix outdated systems, simplify complex processes, and deliver user-centered digital experiences.

Key Functions of Digital Service Departments:

• User Research - Testing with real people to understand their needs

• Agile Development - Building and improving services iteratively

• Talent Recruitment - Bringing top technologists into public service

• Policy Advising - Guiding regulations on AI, accessibility, and digital experience

• Crisis Response - Deploying rapid solutions during emergencies

Too often, interactions with government services are frustrating. Outdated tools and complex systems cost citizens time, money, and trust. Digital service departments were created to solve this. Born from the 2013 HealthCare.gov crisis, they bring private-sector practices like user-centered design and agile development into government, putting people at the center of every decision.

The impact is measurable. Veterans' satisfaction with VA.gov jumped from 53% to 69%. The IRS Direct File pilot served 140,000 taxpayers with 90% satisfaction. During COVID-19, digital service teams delivered 749 million free tests and built vaccine finders that served 184 million visitors.

I'm Maury Blackman. With over two decades in mission-driven tech, including as CEO of Accela, I've worked with department of digital services teams to modernize government. My experience has shown that private-sector principles—user focus, rapid iteration, and transparency—can revolutionize public services.

What Is a Department of Digital Services?

A department of digital services was created to eliminate the frustration of navigating confusing, outdated government websites. At its core, it's a specialized unit bringing modern tech and design into the public sector. The goal is to make government interactions as simple as using a modern consumer app.

The United States Digital Service (USDS) is a prime example. Its teams use user-centered design, talking to real people to understand their needs before building or redesigning any tool. This approach is detailed in The Digital Services Playbook, a blueprint for modernizing government tech.

The Core Mission: Putting People First

The core mission is to put people first, a radical shift from traditional government IT, which often prioritized internal bureaucracy over user needs. This means designing with users, not just for them. Teams conduct research and usability tests with diverse citizens to identify pain points and simplify processes.

Iterative development is also key. Instead of building massive systems in secret, teams release small, frequent improvements, refining them based on user feedback. This agile approach ensures services evolve continuously. The constant goal is to make critical services work for the people who depend on them. When services are reliable and easy to use, public trust is rebuilt, a principle that also powers Building Consumer Trust in all sectors.

Guiding Principles and Values

Six core principles guide their work:

• Hire and empower great people: Recruit mission-driven technologists with empathy.

• Find the truth. Tell the truth.: Address underlying problems honestly, even when uncomfortable.

• Optimize for results, not optics: Focus on measurable improvements for citizens, not headlines.

• Go where the work is: Tackle the hardest, most entrenched problems in government.

• Create momentum: Build on small wins to inspire broader change.

• Design with users, not for them: Ensure every solution is informed and tested by real citizens.

The Genesis and Evolution of Digital Service Units

The department of digital services movement was born from a public failure. In October 2013, the launch of HealthCare.gov was a disaster, with crashes and errors preventing Americans from enrolling in health insurance.

The crisis became a turning point, exposing the gap between citizen expectations and government delivery. While ideas for reform existed, the HealthCare.gov failure created the political will for change. In response, President Obama established the United States Digital Service (USDS) in August 2014.

This new department of digital services was inspired by the successful UK Government Digital Service, which provided a blueprint for reform. You can learn more about how the HealthCare.gov failure kickstarted US government transformation.

A Response to Crisis: The Birth of USDS

The early USDS acted as a "trauma team" for government tech. Led by Mikey Dickerson, a Google engineer who helped rescue HealthCare.gov, the mission was to fix the broken website and apply those lessons elsewhere. 

The team brought Silicon Valley practices like rapid iteration and user testing to federal agencies. Early projects modernizing immigration and Veterans' benefits services reinforced the core belief that government services must work for the people.

The Movement Spreads: State and International Models

As USDS proved its value, states like Colorado, New Jersey, and Florida created their own digital service teams, including the Florida Digital Service. The movement also spread internationally. Canada launched its Canadian Digital Service in 2017, Germany created DigitalService.bund.de in 2020, and Denmark has its Agency for Digitisation. While adapted to local structures, the core principles remained: put users first, work iteratively, bring in outside talent, and focus on results.

Feature	USDS (United States)	UK Government Digital Service (GDS)	Canadian Digital Service (CDS)	German DigitalService
Primary Mission	Better government services through technology and design	Make government digital services simpler, clearer, faster	Advance Digital Ambition, improve service experiences	Digitalization partner for administration, build digital products
Establishment	August 2014 (post-HealthCare.gov crisis)	2010 (pre-dates USDS, inspired it)	2017	2020
Organizational Structure	Housed in Executive Office of the President, OMB (historically)	Cabinet Office	Part of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)	GmbH (limited liability company) owned by federal government
Key Projects	VA.gov, IRS Direct File, COVID-19 response, SSA.gov	GOV.UK, Verify, Pay, Notify	Various digital products for common service problems	NeuRIS (legal info), Digitalcheck, Elterngeldrechner
Talent Model	"Tours of civic service" for private sector technologists	Mix of permanent civil servants and private sector hires	Mix of permanent staff and external experts	Mix of permanent staff and external experts (fellowships)
Core Approach	User-centered, agile, iterative, "go where the work is"	User-centered, agile, "digital by default"	User-centered, agile, accelerate project timelines	Interdisciplinary, user-centric, agile, iterative, Open Source

What started as a crisis response became a global movement. The department of digital services model proved that government could deliver modern, user-friendly services when given the right tools, talent, and mandate to put people first.

Key Initiatives and Transformative Impact

The value of a department of digital services is measured in improved lives, not just code. The proof is in the data: Veterans accessing benefits without frustration, families getting faster tax refunds, and COVID tests arriving at doorsteps. The USDS 2024 Impact Report details these successes, which build robust systems that enable innovations like Automated Fraud Detection.

Case Study: Modernizing Services for Veterans

For years, VA.gov was a confusing maze for the 10 million people trying to access VA digital tools monthly. Working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, digital service teams rebuilt the site from the ground up based on Veterans' needs. The result was a dramatic shift: customer satisfaction jumped from 53% to 69%. Satisfaction and trust increased by over 20%, allowing Veterans to manage their benefits and healthcare with dignity.

Case Study: Simplifying Tax Filing and Benefits

The IRS Direct File pilot offered a free, simple alternative for tax filing. Over 140,000 Americans used it, with 90% satisfaction. Beyond taxes, partnerships with the Social Security Administration to overhaul SSA.gov led to a 15% rise in customer satisfaction, a 10% jump in task completion, and projected savings of $285 million.

Other initiatives had a direct human impact: ChildTaxCredit.gov contributed to a 25% reduction in food insecurity for low-income families, and work on the Affordable Connectivity Program helped enrollment grow by 130% to 23 million households.

Case Study: Responding to National Crises

During national crises, the department of digital services model proved its value. In the COVID-19 pandemic, teams helped deliver 749 million free tests, and built Vaccines.gov, which served over 184 million visitors. They also created data pipelines that saved 400,000 hours of work for public health departments.

During the 2022 infant formula shortage, their rapid response contributed to a 60% increase in in-stock rates. These examples show how nimble digital service teams can bring coordination to chaos when minutes matter.

How a department of digital services Operates: The "Tour of Duty" Model

The biggest challenge in government tech is often finding the right people. Traditional hiring is slow, and top private-sector talent is hard to attract. A department of digital services like USDS flips this script with the "tour of duty" model, inviting technologists for term-limited service of one to four years.

This model brings in private sector expertise and fresh perspectives, embedding technologists to foster collaboration with agencies and career civil servants. This talent recruitment strategy has brought over 700 top-tier technologists into government service since 2014, with over 100 staying in permanent roles. The lean organizational structure also champions procurement reform. If you're interested in this mission, see what's available at USDS Careers.

Recruiting Top Tech Talent for a "Tour of Duty"

Hiring professionals for these roles requires actively seeking top engineers, designers, and data scientists. The pitch is powerful: use your skills for term-limited service with massive public impact. Since its founding, USDS has recruited 700+ technologists, all subject matter experts vetted by their peers. The ideal candidates combine technical skill with empathy and a desire to serve. This model helps overcome hiring problems by moving faster and offering a compelling mission that attracts top talent.

A New Way of Working: Collaboration and Procurement

Technologists form small, empowered teams embedded within agencies, working alongside civil servants. This partnership combines modern agile practices with deep institutional knowledge, building solutions that are both technically sound and practical. This close collaboration with agencies also builds lasting capacity, as new skills and mindsets are shared with permanent staff.

Another key area of reform is agile procurement. Instead of rigid, multi-year contracts, digital service units advocate for iterative purchasing. This approach, guided by resources like the TechFAR Handbook, allows for testing and learning, preventing costly failures and ensuring taxpayer money is spent effectively. By buying in smaller chunks and focusing on outcomes, government can acquire better technology for less money.

Navigating Challenges and the Future of Digital Government

Modernizing government is challenging. Every department of digital services faces obstacles like legacy systems, slow bureaucracy, and political shifts that affect the pace of change.

Overcoming Bureaucratic and Technical Problems

The federal government spent $100 billion on IT in 2022, much of it maintaining outdated legacy systems. These systems are difficult to update, insecure, and divert funds from innovation. Compounding this technical debt is a risk-averse government culture where maintaining a failing status quo can feel safer than innovating.

The job of a digital service team is to challenge this by demonstrating success through small wins and scaling best practices. This work includes advising on digital experience, accessibility, and emerging tech like AI, with guidance available at AI.gov.

The Future of the Department of Digital Services

The future of digital government is shaped by political transitions, which bring both opportunity and uncertainty. For example, the 2025 reformation of USDS into the "United States DOGE Service" (Department of Government Efficiency) highlights how quickly the landscape can shift. However, real digital change is about continuous improvement based on user needs, not just cost-cutting.

Regardless of name or administration, the core mission remains: build better government through technology and design. This includes carefully embracing emerging technologies like AI to make agencies more responsive. Continuous innovation and addressing root causes are non-negotiable. The most critical element for the future is public trust. 

Trust is built on reliable, easy-to-use, and secure services. This commitment to integrity is similar to how companies approach Business Reputation Defense. The ultimate focus is empowering citizens through better digital services, a non-partisan goal for building a government that works for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions about the department of digital services

Here are answers to common questions about how digital service departments work, measure success, and recruit talent.

How do digital service departments measure success?

Success is measured by what matters to real people:

• Customer satisfaction rates: Did the experience improve? For example, VA.gov satisfaction jumped from 53% to 69%.

• Task completion rates: Could users achieve their goal? SSA.gov improvements led to a 10% rise in completion.

• Cost savings: Are taxpayer dollars being used efficiently? The SSA.gov overhaul is projected to save $285 million.

• User adoption: Are people choosing to use the new service? The IRS Direct File pilot attracted 140,000 users in its first year.

• Public trust metrics: Does the service build confidence in government?

How are digital service units different from traditional IT departments?

The distinction is fundamental. While traditional IT focuses on infrastructure and maintenance, a department of digital services obsesses over the user experience. Key differences include:

• Focus: User experience vs. infrastructure.

• Methodology: Agile vs. waterfall. Digital service teams release small, frequent improvements, while traditional IT often uses a long, sequential process.

• Mindset: A product mindset (continuous improvement) vs. a project mindset (a defined endpoint).

• Talent: Recruiting top talent from the private sector for term-limited tours of duty, bringing in fresh skills and perspectives.

Can I work for a department of digital services?

Yes. The "tour of duty" model is designed to bring private-sector engineers, designers, product managers, and data scientists into public service for one to four years. You don't need to be a career government employee; fresh perspectives are valued.

The importance of the civic mission is the main draw—the chance to use your skills to help millions of people. Since its inception, USDS has brought in over 700 technologists, with more than 100 staying permanently. If you are interested in using your skills to serve your country, visit USDS Careers to explore opportunities. The process values real-world skills and experience, seeking people who combine technical excellence with empathy.

Conclusion: Building a Government for the Digital Age

The emergence of the department of digital services marks a fundamental shift in how government serves its citizens. It has proven that public services can be intuitive, dignified, and effective, with results like a jump in VA.gov satisfaction to 69% and 90% satisfaction for the IRS Direct File pilot.

This progress is built on a foundation of transparency and trust. When services work reliably, trust in government grows. This principle is universal; in the $500 billion online review economy, companies like Maury Blackman work to restore integrity by empowering users to combat fraud and build confidence.

Innovation is essential for the future of public service. This means embracing technologies like AI with a human-centered focus, as demonstrated in projects like CityDetect. The vision is clear: a government that works for everyone, accessible to all, and worthy of trust. Digital service departments are making this vision a reality, rebuilding the relationship between the government and its people one digital experience at a time.