For too long, government services have required citizens to navigate outdated systems, repetitive steps, and confusing forms. That wasted “time tax” doesn’t just slow things down; it chips away at trust and confidence in how government works.
This October, the GovCX Collective hosted a panel of customer experience and design leaders to unpack what Executive Order 14338, America by Design, means for the future of CX and service delivery. The order makes CX and human-centered design a strategic priority across government, with measurable results expected by 2026 and updates planned for the U.S. Web Design System. It’s more than a compliance exercise; it’s a call to reimagine how the government feels to the people it serves. Something we’ve been excited about for a long time.
Our panel included Savan Kong, the first Chief Experience Officer for the Department of Defense; Leanna Miller of Mo Studio and former Product Lead at the VA; and Tanya Flagg of NuAxis, who has led CX programs at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Labor, and Small Business Administration. Together, they shared what this new era of design leadership means for agencies ready to act.
The discussion was both passionate and practical, offering insights any CX leader can apply when planning for the implementation of Executive Order 14338. Here are four key lessons that stood out:
Lesson 1: Start with internal capacity, not just external deliverables.
Panelists emphasized that agencies must build the ability to contract, manage vendors, and evaluate design work, not just purchase it. Without this backbone, efforts become one-off projects rather than enduring transformations. Agencies need flexible contracts, iterative vendor relationships, and internal teams equipped to shape and steward service experience.
Lesson 2: Invest in continuity and institutional knowledge, not one-off efforts.
Too often, short-term teams deliver a project then leave, taking institutional knowledge with them. The result: fragmented efforts, lost memory, vendor lock-in, and weak ownership. Effective service redesign requires stable teams, permanent career paths in design and product management, and long-term accountability to iteratively improve services.
Lesson 3: Use AI thoughtfully, with a focus on real customer needs.
Emerging tools like large language models and AI-driven automation hold real promise for reducing the “time tax.” But without a clear purpose, these tools can easily miss the mark. Panelists cautioned that agencies often deploy chatbots or automation because they’re trendy, not because they solve a specific problem, leaving citizens still unable to complete critical tasks.
This is where DevSecCXOps can make a difference. By embedding the customer directly into the process of designing and building solutions, DevSecCXOps ensures that AI tools serve genuine user needs. It helps teams identify meaningful use cases, align technology with desired outcomes, and use automation to enhance, not replace, human-centered design.
Lesson 4: Collaboration beats compliance.
The session underscored that cross-agency governance structures like the National Design Studio should be sure to enable change, rather than just police. A platform-style approach (think: toolkit, community, shared standards) can bring more progress faster than heavy-handed enforcement. Equally, public–private collaboration matters: government can learn from industry’s agile processes and talent practices, while industry must appreciate government’s accountability constraints. Structured forums, clear bridges, and inclusive outreach extend the reach of CX transformation.
The Future with America By Design
For federal leaders, EO 14338 represents both a challenge and an opportunity. Clear guidelines emerge for leaders who can:
- Focus on building internal capacity: equip your teams to shape and own experience outcomes.
- Commit to continuity: create roles, structures, and career paths that outlast a single project.
- Align technology investments with real user needs: avoid shiny objects without impact.
- Treat CX transformation as a collaborative endeavor: partner across agencies, sectors, and industry in ways that build community and mutual learning.
In the ever-changing landscape of government, we should all remember that delivering services that simply work for people – minimizing friction, restoring trust, and driving efficiency – is the mission. EO 14338 signals that design is now central to making that vision a reality. With the right approach, government can feel less like a maze and more like an experience built around the people it serves.
