The White House’s recent Executive Order, Improving Our Nation Through Better Design, marks a watershed moment in how government serves the public. With the creation of America By Design and the National Design Studio, the federal government is signaling a new standard: accessing public services must be not only effective, but also intuitive and inspiring.
This shift represents more than a bureaucratic reorganization. It reflects a growing recognition that the design of service delivery is inseparable from their success. A website, a benefits form, or even a call center script each shape how people trust and use government services.
Raising the Bar for Public Service Design
For nearly a decade, initiatives like USDS and 18F worked to modernize the federal digital experience. While progress was made in improving government websites, innovation in the private sector outpaced these improvements, creating gaps between audience expectations and federal user experience especially with the unprecedented acceleration of artificial intelligence.
The America by Design initiative represents a big leap forward. Rather than focusing narrowly on fixing broken systems, the initiative calls on federal agencies to deliver service experiences that are both usable and beautiful, which raises the bar for customer engagement and satisfaction.
Design for Human Centered Outcomes
Design in government is too often treated as an afterthought. Digital interfaces get layered onto outdated systems, leaving the public to navigate frustrating, inaccessible, or inconsistent experiences. The new federal direction makes clear: a compelling design is part of the service experience.
When a parent can apply for childcare benefits without confusion, when a veteran can find healthcare information without hitting dead ends, when a small business owner can register for programs in minutes instead of hours—that is design at work. And those moments build more than convenience. They build trust.
The Evolving Role of Government Websites
For most Americans, a federal agency’s website is not just a transactional tool, it is the primary brand expression of that institution. It communicates the agency’s values, sets expectations for service quality, and often determines whether the public perceives government as competent and trustworthy.
The Executive Order’s emphasis on design underscores this reality. With more than 26,000 federal websites, many outdated or inconsistent, the challenge is not just technical but reputational. Each site represents a touchpoint where citizens form impressions about quality, value, efficiency, and accessibility. A poorly designed website can erode confidence as quickly as a positive experience can strengthen it.
Looking forward, the role of government websites will continue to evolve. They are shifting from static repositories of information to dynamic service platforms that integrate AI-driven personalization and mobile-first design. They are becoming two-way communication channels; not just publishing tools, but spaces where government listens, adapts, and engages with the public in real time.
For federal agencies, this evolution raises the stakes. A website is no longer a support tool; it is the strategic hub of brand, service delivery, and citizen trust. Agencies that invest in better design will not only meet the 2026 mandate but also strengthen the enduring bond between government and the people it serves.
Urgency Creates Opportunity
The Executive Order sets a deadline of July 4, 2026, for agencies to demonstrate meaningful progress. This timeline creates urgency, but it also creates opportunity.
Federal agencies have a rare chance to reset expectations and set new benchmarks for service delivery experience and success. They will need expertise that blends digital transformation with communications, accessibility, and evaluation. Industry partners who understand both the technical and human dimensions of design will play a vital role.
Succeeding in the New Era of Design
Organizations that succeed in this new era of federal service delivery will be those that combine innovative technology with thoughtful design and storytelling and that embrace human-centered design as a core strategy, not an afterthought.
At Crosby Marketing, we are ready for this moment. With decades of experience helping federal agencies, nonprofits and healthcare organizations build trust through integrated marketing, digital design, and behavior change campaigns, we are well positioned to deliver services that are usable, beautiful, and trusted.
