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This article was originally published on HSToday on January 19, 2024. View the article here.
We used to live in the Information Age. Today, we live in the Experience Age.
Everything about modern life, from our personal to our professional lives, is dominated by technology experiences. The most valuable companies in the world, from Amazon to Apple, are “experience” companies that have separated themselves by developing the ability to use data to anticipate what individuals want.
Across the federal government, leaders are keenly aware of this shift, as they aim to rethink and reimagine how technology is utilized to meet this new reality.
This is especially evident within the Department of Homeland Security, as the agency’s recently released IT Strategic Plan for FY2024-2028 indicates. In the plan, DHS CIO Eric Hysen takes what has been described as a “less is more” approach to IT modernization, by prioritizing customer experience, integration of AI, and phasing out legacy IT systems in favor of agile, modern software solutions.
In late 2023, DHS formally launched a new, permanent CX office that will focus on delivering services that are simple to use, accessible, equitable, protective, transparent, and responsive for all DHS customers.
“The Department of Homeland Security interacts with more Americans, on a daily basis, than any other federal agency,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, as it’s estimated DHS interacts with more than 1 billion people annually.
It’s yet another indication of the ever-growing influence and importance of customer experience, as CX is the driving philosophy behind the modernization goals set forth by DHS. Through that CX lens, the IT teams at DHS can drill down on modernization priorities and fulfill its mission of delivering equitable, accessible services to the public.
The impact of improving CX is invaluable to federal agencies, as Office of Management and Budget (OMB)’s Loren DeJonge Schulman made clear at an event this fall.
“Making forms work better, making websites work better, [reducing] the number of hours people spent on hold, that is an incredible moment for our democracy,” she said. “I think things like websites written in plain languages and simpler forms are the love language of democracy.”
CX has been at the forefront of federal technology because of the power it holds to transform how agencies operate and how they provide information in a timely, effective manner to any key stakeholder. As DHS dives into digital transformation for mobile app development, keeping CX principles at the forefront ensures government forms and services are accessible to all citizens, whether via desktop or mobile phone.
DHS Chief Scientist Sam Howerton highlighted this imperative during the opening keynote of the GovAI Summit sponsored by Maximus on Dec. 5.
“The future of a human-centered DHS is when people forget about us,” he said. “Things work. It’s frictionless at speed and scale. The human-centered approach needs to take into account both our operators and our operators of the future.”
The alignment in the DHS strategic plan focuses squarely on the impact of CX, as a driver for the agency’s other top goals that include improving cybersecurity, integrating AI, reducing technical debt, and leveraging data more effectively. Each of these goals requires a strong understanding of CX principles, and DHS will likely turn to industry, as other agencies have, to turn these lofty goals into reality.
DHS acting director Dana Chisnell outlined the goals of CX across DHS agencies – including TSA, FEMA, USCIS, and CBP – to not only make their CX human-centered but determine exactly what that means per agency for individual customer interaction.
“What is the outcome that we want for the public? And the second one is, what’s the experience that we want them to have in getting there?” said Chisnell. “If you think about the holistic experience that somebody has with the government, that journey starts and ends with the specific touchpoints that people have with us.”
In short, Chisnell said DHS is on a mission to “CX all things” and that will direct all technology projects at homeland agencies in 2024 and beyond.