Sure! I led this project earlier this year, which was based on a great user research effort led by three @usdigitalresponse.org volunteers last summer and fall. Those findings are a good example of how to improve the user experience of reading RFPs.

🏆 The 2025 Digital Service Champions Awards are accepting nominations! We're celebrating government teams & civic tech individuals modernizing digital services. Know someone who: Built solutions helping multiple jurisdictions? Delivered impact at lightning speed? Innovated despite constraints?

See how government teams across America are modernizing the way they serve their communities through digital services 🏛️✨ www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQtz...

🚀 State governments: Applications open for Data & Impact State Action & Innovation Lab! Funding + training to build solutions that integrate health, human services & workforce programs 📆 Info webinar THIS Thursday Register: aphsa.zoom.us/meeting/register/KIuSIRP5Shy3L048FVbwPQ

During the Eaton Fire, Pasadena became the regional hub for emergency response. Their website needed to serve thousands of panicked residents. See how USDR volunteers helped transform their emergency communications and created a template for future crises. www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/wh...

If you’re with a state agency or legislature who needs help figuring out how you’re going to modify your benefits systems to deal with federally mandated changes (e.g. employment verification), contact us at @usdigitalresponse.org. We can help for free, thanks to grant funding. There’s no catch.

PDFs aren’t usually an exciting topic—but state and local governments have just 10 months to review every PDF on their websites. For GA, that's 50,000 PDFs on *one* website, and @codeforamerica.org says AI can help. Learn more from @colinwood.me 📽️ ⬇️ 📰 statescoop.com/code-for-ame...

In March, @usdigitalresponse.org and @nascio.bsky.social recommended that govt include a page at the front of their IT services RFPs, listing the info our UXR found vendors most need. This week, the NY Higher Education Services Corporation published an RFP using that! www.hesc.ny.gov/RFP2025-01

Join our next Civilla Chats with our CEO @thejuliadale.bsky.social and @usdigitalresponse.org's CEO Tina Walha on leading boldly in a shifting government. Register below!

Maybe the most important part of my job at @usdigitalresponse.org is teaching leadership in government agencies how software is built, so they can understand a) what's a fair price to pay and b) how long it should take to create. It's such a simple intervention, but wow it does a lot of good.

@usdigitalresponse.org has a new blog post: Raised hands, changed lives: five years of USDR volunteer impact. I started as a volunteer in 2020, and now I'm staff and still working on projects that spark joy while helping partners. Glad our volunteer program is still strong and many others can, too.

We're thrilled to announce that Tina J. Walha has been appointed as U.S. Digital Response's new CEO! As we celebrate our 5th anniversary of building government capacity, we're excited for this next chapter of impact under Tina's leadership. 🎉

USDR has officially transferred our federal grants tools to Nava🎉 After helping 530+ government agencies w/ grant discovery and reporting, we're thrilled these tools have found their perfect home More on this milestone and what it means for public servants www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/tr...

Hi! @usdigitalresponse.org just published a blog post on language access in unemployment insurance systems featuring the personal experience of a former colleague helping her Spanish-speaking mother navigate UI benefits during the pandemic. www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/th...

New research by USDR & Service Design Collective explores how technologists navigate the transition to civic tech and government roles. If you're hiring for civic tech or considering a career shift to public service, this is worth your time! www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/un...

Proud 2 be part of @usdigitalresponse.org as we celebrate 5 years! As tech becomes more critical 2 public services, USDR remains committed to helping governments deliver for all. Happy 2 have worked on a service resource hub 4 a large metro area last year + now on election admin platform #CivicTech

This week marks 5 yrs since USDR's founding. What began as an urgent response to COVID-19 has evolved into a sustainable model for strengthening government digital capacity Through nearly 600 projects nationwide, we've seen firsthand the dedication of public servants and their impact on communities

🚨 Tech professionals: Local + state government agencies need your skills, but their hiring process is... different. USDR's new blog shares expert advice on navigating public sector applications. Ready to make an impact? www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/bu...

📣 NEW RESEARCH: USDR + NASCIO found a simple fix for complex gov tech RFPs Our "summary sheet" puts critical info up front, helping vendors quickly evaluate opportunities & agencies get better responses. "This would be a dream," said one vendor. Read more: www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/im...

PA's Gov. Shapiro just signed an executive order directing agencies to prioritize the recruitment of federal employees, notably presenting all state positions in federal terms. Saying that an IT position is the equivalent of a GS-13 Supervisory IT Specialist is really helpful! pa.gov/content/dam/...

USDR's @waldo.net does a great job breaking down his group's recent research into state procurement here. I love simple solutions like this: statescoop.com/radio/waldo-...

Take a listen to @waldo.net on the research that led to a simple solution to make RFP's more actionable and understandable for vendors. As one participant said: "This is everything we look for - it's right here!"

🌟 Seeking gov partners! Learn how your agency can expand language access in benefits through AI solutions. 2 spots open for April 2024 - includes free workshops, tools & support. Join our info session w/ NJ DOL to learn more! usdigitalresponse-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

ICYMI: 2024 year was a huge year for USDR and our partners. Take a look at the highlights as we gear up for our 5 year anniversary this month:

Our government partners work tirelessly to serve their communities. We want to emphasize that USDR remains committed to supporting effective service delivery for all people. www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/su...

Government RFPs for big tech projects are famously awful. They're often hundreds of pages long, absolutely impenetrable, and it's hard to figure out what they're even trying to buy. Yesterday @usdigitalresponse.org and @nascio.bsky.social published a report about a simple intervention for this.

Interesting new work from NASCIO and USDR. It turns out that people don't like being confused and frustrated when dealing with government, so they came up with a simple solution for RFPs that a lot of people liked: statescoop.com/summary-shee...

📊 The Council of State Governments partnered w/ USDR to build a shared infrastructure for interstate licensing compacts that saves an estimated $1.1M per new system build 💡 Smart tech solutions = major cost savings for state governments Read how we did it: www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/bu...

How do residents actually experience city services? We worked with the City of Long Beach to find out, conducting user research that revealed powerful insights: 🎯 Simple changes → big impact 👂 Listen to residents first 🤝 Clear communication builds trust www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/li...

After 550+ projects across 50+ states and territories, USDR is seeking our next CEO to lead our next chapter of impact. Read why our founding CEO Raylene Yung is excited about this moment for government innovation: www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/lo...

Today, our CEO Hillary Hartley announced her transition from USDR. Under her leadership, we've grown to support nearly 600 projects nationwide, helping governments better serve their communities. Read her letter to the USDR community: www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/le...

Our 2024 Year in Review is live! What began as crisis response has evolved into a sustainable model for strengthening government capacity. This year alone, our volunteers contributed 50,000 hours helping governments tackle complex challenges nationwide. ⤵️ www.usdigitalresponse.org/resources/20...

Want to transform how government hires talent? U.S. Digital Response is looking for HR + recruiting professionals to volunteer their expertise Our volunteers have helped reimagine hiring practices, develop modern jds, & build inclusive recruitment strategies ➡️ www.usdigitalresponse.org/volunteer