New OMB Guidance Requires Digitizing Government Processes, Services

Federal agencies are required to improve their business processes and service delivery through digitization under the Office of Management and Budget’s newly issued guidance.  

The Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience guidance, developed under the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, said agencies should ensure their websites, web applications, digital services and mobile applications are accessible to “people of diverse abilities,” have consistent visual design and agency brand identity, and provide up-to-date and easy to understand information, FedScoop reported.

Clare Martorana, federal chief information officer, announced the new policy in a blog published on the White House website. She highlights the need for the public sector to adopt more digital capabilities, noting that only 2 percent of government forms exist in digital format, 45 percent of websites are not optimized for mobile devices and 60 percent of websites are not fully accessible for people who use assistive technologies.

Enhancing how federal entities interact with the public will help rebuild and increase trust in the government, Martorana added.

All agencies are required to comply with the guidance within 180 days following its publication. However, some requirements must be met in shorter time frames, including identifying a digital experience delivery lead, expanding resources on Digital .gov and establishing a Digital Experience Council within the CIO Council for interagency coordination.