Jen and I attended the Washington Digital Government Summit in Tacoma where we met with peers, partners and friends who are navigating the ever changing landscape of digital. It was great to connect, share ideas and learn about how state and local agencies are leveraging technology to bring people together and solve government problems.
In Washington state, the Governor’s executive order on customer experience has created a shift in how government approaches its online presence. At the center of this shift is a clear idea: government services should be shaped around people’s needs, not internal structures or long-standing habits. This mindset is changing how agencies think about their websites and the experiences they offer.
A major part of this work is bringing the customer’s voice into processes and programs. When agencies listen to the people they serve, they gain practical insight into what works and what causes frustration. Real feedback helps teams understand what people need to do, where they get stuck, and what would make the experience smoother. Instead of guessing, agencies can design with clarity and intention.
As customer insight becomes a regular part of decision-making, silos begin to break. Websites that once evolved separately can start to connect, share patterns, and create consistency. When agencies collaborate, residents benefit. The state begins to feel less like a collection of disconnected parts and more like a unified system that supports people across services.
Human-centered design is the engine for this transformation. It gives structure to empathy and encourages teams to test, learn, and refine. It turns assumptions into research and challenges outdated approaches. Most importantly, it shifts the question from “What do we need to publish?” to “What do people need to accomplish?”
This work is already happening across the region. SiteCrafting partners with pillar organizations such as the Puyallup Tribe, City of Tacoma, Washington State Fair Event Center and Metro Parks Tacoma to strengthen services through research and user insight. By understanding the real experiences of residents, these organizations are building more connected and welcoming digital services.
If your agency wants to understand your users more deeply and improve the experience you provide, explore the opportunity to work with Pierce County’s only user experience research lab at SiteCrafting.
