Summary
In this talk, Russ from 18F recounts the journey of the Presidential Innovation Fellows program, which began in 2012 to integrate top technologists into the U.S. government. By 2013, this led to the formation of 18F, focusing on enhancing government projects through agile, user-centered design with open-source practices. Russ highlights the importance of a distributed work culture, where talent is sourced across the country. He shares insights on managing demand for their services, developing a partnership playbook to clarify project collaborations, and emphasizes the critical role of content design in their projects. Russ showcases successful initiatives, including the 'Every Kid in a Park' program, which aimed to increase national park accessibility for fourth graders. Throughout, he underscores the importance of defining shared terminology and fostering inclusivity among team roles to drive effective teamwork and innovation in government service delivery.
Key Insights
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The Presidential Innovation Fellows program laid the foundation for 18F.
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18F's mission is collaborative: enhancing government by partnering with agencies.
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The organization emphasizes user-centered, agile, and open-source development methodologies.
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Success can often be attributed to one impactful project or partnership, as seen with the Federal Elections Commission.
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Creating a clear partnership playbook helped manage expectations and clarify their capabilities with agencies.
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Mobile and remote work flexibility allows 18F to tap into talent nationwide.
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Content design is crucial; it simplifies communication and enhances user understanding.
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Establishing a common design language improves team efficiency and agency partnerships.
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User experience designs must work for governmental systems internally before serving the public effectively.
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The 'Every Kid in a Park' initiative exemplifies successful content strategy to reach target demographics.
Notable Quotes
"We are federal employees, not contractors."
"Our mission is to work with smart people at great government agencies."
"We wanted to find a way that helped us focus in on how we wanted to work."
"We need our partners to have their own dedicated product owner."
"We are users of this system too, and it has to work well for us first."
"Content wasn’t something that could be done in four to six hours."
"We started with this idea to create common government UI patterns."
"We created mood boards based on what we saw across top-level government websites."
"This initiative was all about getting kids into parks and connecting them with nature."
"By focusing on fourth graders, we could reach a large population with clear messaging."
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