Delivering Modern Government Services
Key Questions Agency Leaders Can Ask About Customer Experience
Agency leaders are expected to deliver programs and services that, either directly or indirectly, affect the public. The public — the federal government’s “customer” — deserves effective programs and services delivered with reliable technology, data and design. The Customer Experience Executive Order released in 2021 significantly raised expectations for agencies to design and deliver “services with a focus on the actual experience of the people whom it is meant to serve.” Under this executive order, agency leaders are directed to reduce administrative burdens, simplify and streamline processes for both internal employees and external customers, and empower the federal workforce to solve problems.
The Tech Talent Project and the Partnership for Public Service have identified a set of questions to help agency leaders make sure that their teams have the skills, support and resources necessary to provide convenient and accessible public services. These questions are built on a foundation of work, including the U.S. CIO’s Digital Services Playbook, the Defense Innovation Board Detecting Agile BS guide, and reinforced by the Partnership for Public Service’s and Accenture’s Government for the People: Designing for Equitable and Trusted Customer Experiences.
This report is a living guide. If there are questions not listed that should be, contact the Tech Talent Project here.
Developed in collaboration with Partnership for Public Service. This document is in progress

QUESTION
01
WHO TO ASK IF YOU DON’T KNOW
• Customer or User Experience Researcher
QUESTION
02
Are we addressing the whole customer experience from start to finish? Is the experience simple and intuitive for our customers?
WHO TO ASK IF YOU DON’T KNOW
- Customer/user experience researcher and/or direct access to a service website
RESOURCES
QUESTION
03
Are our services being improved frequently? Do they adapt to changing customer needs regularly?
WHO TO ASK IF YOU DON’T KNOW
• Program leads
• Chief information officer (CIO)
• Chief technology officer (CTO)
• Senior Advisor for Tech & Delivery (SADel)
• United States Digital Service (USDS) team
• Chief data officer (CDO)
• U.S. Office of the Federal CIO (OFCIO)
QUESTION
04
Are our budgets and contracts structured to deliver services effectively and adapt to changing customer needs?
*Our federal government has a technical certification for procurement professionals. The Digital IT Acquisition Professional Training (DiTAP) program runs for approximately six months and provides trainings and a network of tech-certified procurement professionals.
WHO TO ASK IF YOU DON’T KNOW
DiTAP Certification
- Chief acquisition officer and USDS
Tech Procurement Strategy
- CIO, CTO, senior advisor for tech & delivery, USDS team, CDO, U.S. OFCIO
Software Procurement and Deployment
- CIO, CTO, senior advisor for tech & delivery, USDS team, CDO, U.S. OFCIO
TMF Fund
- CIO, U.S. OFCIO
QUESTION
05
How are we supporting and empowering teams experienced in modern digital services?
WHO TO ASK IF YOU DON’T KNOW
• Chief information officer (CIO)
• Chief technology officer (CTO)
• Chief human capital officer (CHCO)
• Senior Advisor for Tech & Delivery (SADel)
• United States Digital Service (USDS) team
• Chief data officer (CDO)
• U.S. Office of the Federal CIO (OFCIO)
RESOURCES
QUESTION
06
How is our agency using data on programs and services to drive decisions that improve our customer’s experience?
WHO TO ASK IF YOU DON’T KNOW
• Chief data officer (CDO)
• Chief information officer (CIO)
• Chief technology officer (CTO)
• Senior Advisor for Tech & Delivery (SADel)
• United States Digital Service (USDS) team
• U.S. Office of the Federal CIO (OFCIO)
RESOURCES
QUESTION
07
Are we using the most effective technologies and tools for our needs?
WHO TO ASK IF YOU DON’T KNOW
• Chief information officer (CIO)
• Chief technology officer (CTO)
• Senior Advisor for Tech & Delivery (SADel)
• United States Digital Service (USDS) team
• Chief data officer (CDO)
• U.S. Office of the Federal CIO (OFCIO)
RESOURCES
• The Digital Services Playbook, Play 12
• US CIO, Clare Martorana Congressional Testimony
QUESTION
08
How is our agency managing security and privacy through reusable processes?
WHO TO ASK IF YOU DON’T KNOW
• Chief information security officer (CISO)
• U.S. Office of the Federal CIO (OFCIO)
QUESTION
09
Do we have one or more trusted leaders who can answer these questions and feel empowered to reach out directly if they see blockers stopping them from being able to deliver?
Consider your CIO or senior advisor for tech and delivery; ask for support from OFCIO or USDS.