The Best (and Easiest) Way to Impact Citizen Experience

Citizens need and want access to critical government services when they need them and where they need them. It is really that simple. The flexibility, speed and convenience of self-service capabilities goes beyond the moment of the transaction to building a more trusted relationship with the organization. The technology to support these needs is widely available and commonly used in many other industries. As such, we have all become accustomed to using these solutions in every other part of our lives. The age of digital government is here now and has only recently been accelerated due to public demand and other changing dynamics in the public sector.  

In December of 2021, the White House issued an Executive Order (EO) on “Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government”. This EO specifically outlined 36 customer experience improvement commitments. Among others, these improvements are intended to reduce barriers to services for people in poverty. Enhancing citizen experience for vulnerable populations goes far beyond transactional satisfaction (such as in the commercial or retail world).  

In the United States alone there are over 294 million smartphone users. This is 85% of the population. In considering vulnerable populations (e.g., people living in poverty, people in rural locations, homeless, older youth), it is much more likely that these individuals have a smartphone than a computer, a car, or childcare. In human centered design, when we talk about meeting people where they are, that is it: on their phone, in their home, or wherever they may be is where they need access to critical government services. The best way to do that is through a mobile app. 

By putting service enablement into clients’ hands with a citizen self-service solution, the organization can improve service delivery, satisfy client needs, and reduce costs. Organizations providing Child Welfare, Child Protective Services, Foster Care, Adult Services, SNAP, TANF, and other programs can now empower the people they serve with vital information to ensure children, parents, and families get the help they need.  

The citizen experience and opportunity to start the relationship on a positive note begins the moment someone needs to engage with a government entity. Making it easy to apply for and track services can be the first impression a citizen has of an organization in their time of need. Sometimes citizens are in crisis mode, making it even more important that the solution is accessible, intuitive, and effective in providing service. This builds trust and active engagement in what can be a difficult time in a person’s life, one that may extend over a period of time.  

Diona Self Service is an intuitive, user-friendly mobile solution that helps citizens always know where they stand through a unified view of their interactions with the organization and important notifications and messages delivered instantly. Essential features such as applying for benefits, uploading documents, and managing appointments provide empowerment and control that improves in the moment experience and longer-term service satisfaction.  

A common trend in government technology modernization has been to build the big hairy parts of the solution first and then to add-on mobile solutions at the end. This means that it takes a long time to get to the visible and most valuable aspects of impacting the citizen experience. If a primary goal is to enhance citizen experience and get needed services to them quickly, wouldn’t it make sense to consider how to do that first?  

This is where Diona comes in. By using a technology agnostic solution like Diona, organizations can quickly leverage modern technology to achieve rapid results, without compromising privacy or security. With a thorough and proven approach to configuration and integration, organizations can be up and running in a matter of months. Diona solutions are systems of engagement that are designed to integrate with existing systems of record, such as case management, document management, and authentication systems. Leveraging the capabilities of the device and operating system provides a native mobile solution that further enhances the citizen experience.  

In addition to providing significant operational efficiencies for the organization, a  “mobile first” strategy offers many benefits from a citizen experience lens. Those benefits are further expanded when using Diona, a health and human services specific commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solution. They include: