Government agencies have been notorious in their inability to be transparent with their disclosure of information to the public. For this reason, many organizations are trying to correct this by providing timely website updates and ensure that constituents understand the logic behind choices being made. However, as seen by the massive failure of HealthCare.gov, even federal groups need help in their IT efforts. This demand has driven agencies to pursue IT infrastructure services to improve their website capabilities.
Downfall leads to reactive innovation
When HealthCare.gov debuted, it did so with many glitches and issues still attached, making it nearly impossible for users to sign up. With all of the revisions and problems still occurring, the site reached a total of $840 million to create as of July 2014, according to CBS News. This is a significant cost that could have been avoided if the website had been created correctly from the beginning, allowing government officials to devote that extra money to other efforts.
With this misstep on record, the Obama Administration deemed it necessary to recruit a team of tech experts named the U.S. digital service to help improve the overall function of these website resources. The government is expected to bring on about 10 members this year, with a $7 million budget set down for this initiative, according to Bidness Etc. In 2015, these numbers are set to grow to a 25-member team, supported by a $25 million budget. These professionals will bring significant advantages to government IT solutions.
“Most importantly, the existence of a team such as USDS will, with some luck, help the government avoid the debacles surrounding the miserable launch of HealthCare.gov,” Bidness Etc. stated.
USDS bolstering digital initiatives
The expert tech team will not only be servicing the websites, but will also be helping to create mobile applications for public use. These moves will help agencies better communicate information and improve their relationship with constituents. While some federal experts were cautious to accept this new effort due to contractor demands and procurement standards, the USDS will help to significantly bolster the current IT infrastructure due to their extensive subject matter expertise.
“There are so many things about the complexity of government work that really requires a much more disciplined, orderly approach to solving a technology problem,” BirchGrove Consulting President Ray Bjorklund told The Wall Street Journal.