Fast growing North Carolina population expects high-quality digital services from the state, with a focus on enhanced customer experience. "Find it on the website", "Fill out this form online", "Complete the online training", "Download our app” … and many other common interactions with state services illustrate our new reality and the imperative for digital-first public interactions. These interactions reflect the evolving requirements for modern and efficient state services.
Six months ago, we had the unique opportunity to discuss the digital future of our state during the annual We are NC Gov event. Endorsed by the NCDIT Secretary Jim Weaver and inspired by incredible Jennifer Pahlka, author of Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better, the event emphasized the importance of making sure government is working for people in the digital age. The event highlighted the critical role of collaboration, ongoing improvement, and thoughtfully designed services to ensure seamless digital experiences for the public.
Creating a Seamless and Secure Digital Experience Across State Agencies
Now, we're further empowered by a new North Carolina Digital Accessibility and Usability Standard that sets a clear vision and requirements for providing digital-first public experiences across all state agency websites and digital services. This standard aims to create a unified, high-quality, seamless, and secure digital experience for all users across different agencies. The goal is to simplify user interactions with the state while maintaining a strong focus on security and ease of use.
1. Accessibility and Inclusivity
“All agency websites and digital services must strive from the start to maximize access and usability, aiming to cater to the broadest audience meaning to adhere to the official WCAG 2.1 (Level AA) compliance standards.
The W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) defines four principles:
- Perceivable - Information can be presented in different ways; for example, in braille, different text sizes, text-to-speech, etc.
- Operable - Functionality can be used in different modalities; for example, keyboard, mouse, sip-and-puff, speech input, touch, etc.
- Understandable - Information and functionality is understandable, for example, consistent navigation, simple language, etc.
- Robust - Content can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of browsers, media players, and assistive technologies."
2. User-Centered Design
State agency websites and digital services must prioritize user needs. This includes intuitive navigation, clear and accessible content, and responsive design that works across all devices. Agencies should leverage user feedback to continuously improve the user experience, provide information and services that are discoverable and optimized for search.
3. Unified Digital Experience
To create a seamless experience, state agencies should ensure consistent visual design, agency branding and functionality across all their websites and digital platforms. Leveraging mobile-first design that scales across varying device sizes. This unification helps users feel more at ease when interacting with multiple state services, reducing confusion and frustration.
4. Secure and Compliant
Security must be a priority in every aspect of digital services. Agencies should follow industry best practices to protect user data, including encryption, secure authentication, and regular security audits. State agencies must prioritize and safeguard personal information privacy throughout the information lifecycle on agency websites and in digital services.
5. Digitization of Forms and Services
Transitioning from paper-based processes to digital solutions is crucial for delivering the seamless digital experiences that people now expect. By designing and updating forms, services, and processes with digital service delivery in mind, governments can achieve the transformative benefits of a digital transformation. This approach leads to greater convenience for the public, reduced costs, and higher levels of satisfaction and trust in public services.
By adhering to these principles, state agencies can create a digital ecosystem that supports all users, providing a seamless and secure experience across the board. This approach not only improves the quality of state digital services but also fosters trust and confidence among users.
- Consistent Visual Design and Agency Brand Identity
- Authoritative Content that is Easy to Understand
- Information and Services that are Discoverable and Optimized for Search
- Secure by Design, Secure by Default
- User-Centered Design
- Mobile-First Design that Scales Across Varying Device Sizes
- Privacy
- Digitization of Forms and Services
- Customer Experience and Digital Service Delivery