The document provides an overview of conducting user experience (UX) work for the US Federal Government. It discusses some key rules and regulations that govern UX work, including the Paperwork Reduction Act, which requires government agencies to obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget before collecting information from the public. The Act establishes both a traditional clearance process that takes 6-9 months as well as a faster "Fast-Track" clearance process. It also outlines best practices for recruiting participants and providing incentives for usability studies while complying with federal rules.

1. So you
want to
be a GOV
UXer…
A(n updated) primer for anyone interested in doing user experience work for the US Federal Government.
Jeffrey Ryan Pass @ UMD iSchool, INST362 User-Centered Design, 2023.04.24 Harold Lang photo of Pentagon construction, ~1941.

2. A note on the design and theme of this presentation
To work in the Public Sector is to perform public work.
Whether your do CS, CX, DS, DT, DX, HCI, IA, DPMO, UCD, UX,
etc., the work of GOV UXers is crucial to (and often at the
vanguard of) digital GOV/democracy.
Given this notion and the topic of this presentation, most
imagery and illustrations used depict public work projects and
artworks.
Most of these were commissioned and funded by the New Deal
ear Works Progress Administration (WPA) and date back to the
1930s and 1940s.
Selections were made to reflect maximum diversity and
inclusion given the era and limited image options.
The Works Progress Administration logo (1936).
See additional notes on the design of this presentation in Appendix 1: Colophon.

3. Agenda
● Some GOV UX stats that might surprise you
● A brief history of Federal rules/regs affecting UX
● Agencies, actors, and influencers to know
● Federal web culture fundamentals
● Usability testing rules and regs
● Citizen engagement goals and techniques
● Resources and communities for GOV UXers
● Appendices:
1. Colophon
2. References & Citations
3. Image Citations
But first some quick background on your presenter; a.k.a., why this guy?

4. Jeffrey Ryan Pass
In 25+ years on the front lines of US Federal GOV UX I’ve:
● Worked for dozens of federal agencies on hundreds of
projects, including some of the highest profile
government sites, applications, and initiatives.
● Been involved in key research, policies, organizations,
and teams that have shaped US digital government.
● Organized and supported regional, national, and
international industry conferences, as well as DMV- area
UX events and communities of practice (COPs)
I’ve even taught UX and IA fundamentals courses using the
LEGO®SERIOUS PLAY®methodology.
LEGO® self portrait, 2016.
Feel free to contact me via
LinkedIn: jeffreyryanpass

5. Some GOV UX stats that might surprise you
Carol Highsmith photo of Anton Refregier WPA Mural, 2012.

6. How many is too many?
In 2011 there were almost 2,000 separate Federal Government websites.
This prompted Macom Phillips, then director of Obama’s Office of Digital Strategy, to
create the TooManyWebsites.gov campaign.
● The effort produced an inventory of all government sites and helped reduce the
number of sites significantly (through consolidation, elimination, etc.).
● It was abandoned by the next administration and has not yet been fully embraced
by the current administration.
● There currently is not a published listing of all Federal Government websites
(inclusive of .gov, .mil, and related domains) managed by federal executive branch
agencies.
○ USA.gov maintains a listing of all U.S. government department and agency websites, but
departments and agencies are not required to list any additional domains, sub domains, etc.

7. Federal website traffic
APIs (application programming interfaces) from NOAA,
USPS, and other agencies power weather reports, package
tracking, and countless other tools and applications
around the world accounting for immeasurable traffic.
Additionally...
● 14B sessions and 38B page views of federal websites
in 2019 (GSA, 2021)
● In 2021 that’s grown to 5B+ visits every 90 days;
5.54B over the last 90 days (Analytics.usa.gov, 2023)
● USPS and IRS web domains typically top the Federal
website list and appear among the top 100 US-based
websites (by traffic), often appearing in the top 50
(Alexa, 2022; Similarweb, 2023)
Analytics.USA.gov (1 hour ago).

8. Federal government workforce
● 5.5M Fed GOV employees ~evenly split
between military and civilian (CBO, 2023)
● ~10 million GOV workers including civil
servants, postal workers, contractors, and
grantees. (Brookings, 2020)
● Contractors typically make up ~50% of
government workers (Brookings, 2020)
● There are more than 10,000 federal jobs open
today (USAJobs.gov), including:
○ 248 tagged “user experience”
○ 16 tagged “user-centered”
● And many more federal contract jobs open
Nicolai Cikovski WPA mural, “Irrigration”, photographed 2011.

9. A brief history of Federal rules/regs affecting UX
Carol Highsmith photo of Mitchell Jamieson WPA Mural, 2011.

10. Rules, regs, and limitations affecting UX work (1 of 3)
The following provides a high level listing of notable milestones, rules, and
regulations that directly affect day-to-day life as a GOV Uxer.
1968: Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968
1973: Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehab Act)
1980: Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
1990: Americans with Disabilities Act
1991: Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG)
1996: Telecommunications Act of 1996
1998: Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines
2000: Section 508 Standards
2002: E-Government Act of 2002
2004: The Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines
2005: Report of the Citizen Services Levels Interagency Committee CSLIC
2006: The Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines (Update)
2008: - Federal Web Managers Council White Paper: Putting Citizens First: Transforming
- Online Government
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0

11. Rules, regs, and limitations affecting UX work (2 of 3)
2009: - Open Government Directive
- Freedom of Information Act Memo
2010: - Social Media, Web-Based Interactive Technologies, and the Paperwork Reduction Act
- Plain Writing Act of 2010
- OMB M-10-22, Guidance for Online Use of Web Measurement and Customization
Technologies
- Final Rule – 41 CFR Part 102-173 Internet Gov Domain
- Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act
2011: OMB M-11-26 – Fast-Track Process for Collecting Service Delivery Feedback Under the
Paperwork Reduction Act
2012: - 2012 Digital Government Strategy (Federal Digital Strategy)
- Executive Order 13571, Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service
- Executive Order 13576, Delivering an Efficient, Effective, and Accountable Government
2014: US Digital Services Playbook
2015: - United States Web Design System
- Policies for DotGov Domain Issuance for Federal Agency Public Websites

12. Rules, regs, and limitations affecting UX work (3 of 3)
2015: Executive Memorandum M-15-13, Policy to Require Secure Connections across Federal
Websites and Web Services (The HTTPS-Only Standard)
2016: - OMB M-17-06, Policies for Federal Agency Public Websites and Digital Services
- OMB Circular A-130, Managing Information as a Strategic Resource
- Executive Memorandum M-16-21, Federal Source Code Policy (FSCP)
2017: - Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Communications Act
- (updated)
- Executive Memorandum M-13-13, Open Data Policy-Managing Information as an Asset
2018: - Connected Government Act
- 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA)
2020: Executive Memorandum M-21-07, Completing the Transition to Internet Protocol Version 6
(IPv6)

13. Agencies, actors, and influencers to know
Carol Highsmith photo of Edgar Britton WPA Mural, 2011.

14. U.S. Government:
● 18F (GOV digital service bureau, part of GSA) - https://18f.gsa.gov/
● Access Board (disability equality) - https://www.access-board.gov/
● Directorate for Digital Services (DDS), (digital service for the Department of Defense)
- https://www.dds.mil/
● Federal Chief Information Officers (CIOs) Council (CIO Council + CIO.gov) -
https://www.cio.gov/
● Federal Web Managers Council - https://digital.gov/resources/federal-web-council/
● United States Digital Corps (a GSA administered 2-year fellowship program) -
https://digitalcorps.gsa.gov/
● United States Digital Service (USDS) (part of the Executive Office of the President) -
https://www.usds.gov/

15. Foreign counterpart and non-governmental organizations:
● Australian Digital Transformation Agency - https://www.dta.gov.au/
● Gov.UK - https://www.gov.uk/
● UK Government Service Manual - https://www.gov.uk/service-manual
● New Zealand Digital Government - https://www.digital.govt.nz/
● Netherlands Digital Government - https://www.nldigitalgovernment.nl/
● Netherlands Digital Government Agenda -
https://www.nldigitalgovernment.nl/digital-government-agenda/
● OECD Digital Government (Office of Economic Cooperation and Development) -
https://www.oecd.org/gov/digital-government/
● OECD Digital Government Toolkit - https://www.oecd.org/governance/digital-
government/toolkit/

16. Federal web culture fundamentals
Carol Highsmith photo of Clarkson S. Fisher Building WPA Mural, 2010.

17. As a new GOV UXer you
may feel like you want to
REDESIGN
EVERYTHING!
And that’s the right idea, but…

18. You will encounter frictions:
● The value/importance of UX is not
universally recognized, and…
● Even when it is, it is not always
prioritized or funded, plus…
● UX and design are often brought in
late, sometimes as an afterthought
Conrad Albrizo WPA fresco of Louisiana industries, ~1939.

19. Often UXers are Firefighters:
● We are often brought in after the fact
to fix problems
● Or inherit antiquated designs,
architectures, and content strategies
that we’re expected to maintain while
improving while redesigning
● We’re often called upon to provide
front-end solutions to back-end
problems
1938 Ernest Fiene WPA mural of firefighters fighting a blaze.

20. Frontend
solutions for
backend
problems...
Image: HealthCare.gov Waiting Room, October, 2013.

21. Federal government agencies are all different and...
● Are often decentralized; agencies and operating divisions (op divs) have their own
culture, rules, regs
● Tend to organize (and share) information based or organizational structure or
internal ‘domain’ knowledge
● Struggle with the classic IT vs. communications vs. marketing dilemma with regard
to digital domain ownership, management, and funding prioritization
● Have longer project runways and implementation and maintenance timelines
Plus, they have a tendency to pay lip service to Agile, SCRUM, and other methodologies
(as well as UX best practices) that are frequently diluted or perverted when applied
within a government agency bureaucracy.
(But really, isn’t that everywhere?)

22. And agencies are subject to...
● Both federal and agency-specific regulations that are often more vigorously
monitored and enforced than in the private sector
● Continuing resolutions (CR) and other budget uncertainties (including sequestration
and shut-downs) not present in the private sector
○ In all but 4 of the last 40 years, Congress has passed CRs to keep agencies running between budgets
● Politicization of agency budgets, scope, operations, etc.
● Federal and agency inertia and fiduciary obligations to the public that result in an
aversion to risk and that can make innovation difficult
But they are also committed

23. Still, they are committed to their missions and the public
As UX (and Citizen Experience) become less of an afterthought, the roadblocks to doing
UX work have become fewer and farther in between.
● Many agencies (and all Cabinet-level agencies) have embraced the value of UX and
usability testing and have reduced impediments to UXers.
● PRA exceptions better understood and PRA Clearance Officers are increasingly savvy
about helping facilitate usability studies.
● Many agencies have their own usability testing labs, that are often available to other
federal agencies, though COVID has temporarily (hopefully) shuttered many of these
labs.

24. So, all that said, if you are interested in positively impacting the lives
of Americans, government work is an...
AMAZING
OPPORTUNITY
...to work with some great people and make a real difference!

25. Usability testing rules and regulations
Carol Highsmith photo of Anton Refregier WPA Mural, 2012.

26. The Paperwork Reduction Act
As it relates to usability studies

27. The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995
● Established to reduce the amount of paperwork burden imposed on citizens and
private businesses
● Requires U.S. federal government agencies to obtain Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) approval before collecting most types of information from the public
● Includes two processes for obtaining clearance through OMB:
○ Traditional Clearance (6-9 months)
○ Fast-Track Clearance (~5-days per request, but qualifying takes 6+ months)

28. The PRA Applies
● To any data collection vehicle involving 10 or more participants and utilizing
standardized questions
● To any type of respondent (individuals, organizations, states, etc.)
● Regardless of form or format (interview, survey, etc.)
● Regardless of collection method (in-person, telephonic, electronic)
But PRA does not apply to:
● Direct observation and non-standardized conversation (5 CFR 1320.3(h)3)
● Direct tests of knowledge or aptitude (5 CFR 1320.3(h)7)
● Federal employees (including their contractors on an agency-by-agency basis)

29. Federal Agencies and PRA
● Agencies are required to have a PRA Clearance Officer
○ This role is often combined with other compliance roles (e.g., the FOIA Liaison)
○ If you are at an Operational Division (Op Div), Commission, or sub-agency organization, your PRA
Clearance Officer may sit at the parent agency-level
● Never start work on a Traditional Clearance request before confirming whether the
agency is Fast-Track approved
● If your agency does not have Fast-Track, work with your PRA Clearance Officer to
pursue it
○ The level of effort (LOE) is comparable to securing a Traditional Clearance, but once attained,
individual clearances can be achieved quickly and with a low LOE

30. PRA Traditional Clearance
● Used for individual collection requests
● Typically takes 6-9 months, including:
○ 60-day* and 30-day** public comment periods
○ 60-day OMB response periods following each public comment period
Four step process:
1. Prepare/publish requirements in the Federal Register*
2. Prepare Information Collection Request (ICR) package
3. Publish ICR and Supporting Statement to in the Federal Register**
4. Submit proposed collection to OMB and publish in Federal Register**
Followed by individual request approval/rejection

31. PRA Fast-Track Clearance: Eligibility
Only available for a subset of collection activities:
● Focus groups
● One-time panels and discussion groups
● Usability studies
● Post transaction surveys, and online surveys
To be Fast-Track eligible, collections must:
● Be voluntary
● Involve no significant burden to respondents
● Not require extensive statistical analysis
● Not involve public dissemination of results

32. PRA Fast-Track Clearance: Generic Clearance
Fast-Track Clearance is a two-part process:
● Securing Generic Clearance
● Securing clearance for individual Information Collection Requests (ICRs)
There are 7 steps to securing generic Fast-Track clearance:
1. Prepare a generic draft ICR
2. Review/revision/approval by PRA Clearance Officer
3. Submit 30-day Federal Register Notice
4. Finalize draft, review/revision/approval by PRA Clearance Officer
5. PRA Clearance Officer sends ICR to OMB
6. OMB review/revision/approval
7. OMB issues a Notification of Action (NOA: approve, disapprove, withdrawal)

33. PRA Fast-Track Clearance: ICR Clearance
Once Generic Clearance is secured, individual ICR clearance request can be submitted.
There are 5 steps to securing each individual ICR clearance:
1. Prepare ICR using short form
2. Review/revision/approval by PRA Clearance Officer
3. PRA Clearance Officer sends ICR to OMB
4. OMB has 5 days to review the ICR
5. OMB issues an NOA (approve, disapprove, withdrawal)
(OMB failure to review within 5 days = automatic approval)

34. PRA Clearance: Statutory Requirements
Once Traditional or Fast-Track PRA
clearance has been granted, the collection
must include/display the following
clearance documentation:
● OMB control number
● Expiration date
● Expected burden
● Public protection clause

35. Recruiting & Incentives
For Usability Studies

36. Discussing Recruiting & Incentives
Because of various federal rules and best practices, we must be careful how we discuss
recruiting and incentives (especially incentives).
● Incentives: we use the words “incentive” and “stipend” to describe compensation
for participation in a usability test, focus group, or other, similar activity
● We do not use words/phrases like: “pay,” “payment,” “reimburse,” or
“compensate”
● Reasoning: recruiting incentives do not require W9s or formal invoicing in the way
that payments (and similar compensation-related transactions) do; therefore it is
important to avoid such language

37. Third-Party Partners for Recruiting
More often than not, federal agencies and their primary contractors do not undertake
recruiting activities or the management of recruiting for usability studies and related
activities due to PII concerns related to recruiting, data collection, and data maintenance.
Instead, they use third-party partners to perform recruiting activities, including:
● Developing and maintaining recruiting databases
● Recruiting, vetting, and scheduling test participants
● Providing incentives to participants after test completion

38. Handling Incentives
For federal agencies:
● Developing and maintaining recruiting databases
● Recruiting, vetting, and scheduling test participants
● Providing incentives to participants after test completion
For contracting organizations and contractors:
● Ability and budget must be stipulated in the client contract, or...
● Expressly allowed as an acceptable use for ODC (Other Direct Costs) budgets
● Must follow all contractual and IRS requirements regarding recording and
disclosure, including the possible issuance of W9s

39. When You Don’t Need a Third-Party Partner
There are several exceptions to the third-party partner recruiting rule:
● When ‘anonymous’ recruiting can be performed via client social media
○ E.g., inviting Facebook followers to anonymously opt-in to an unmoderated, online usability activity
like a card sort or tree test
● When the client has a listing of ‘opted-in’ participants
○ E.g., client site visitors that volunteered to participate in usability studies when completing a voice-of-
the-consumer survey
○ E.g., federal employees of the client agency (no incentives may be provided)
● When you are performing “guerrilla testing”
○ E.g., when performing ‘impromptu’ testing at a client site, conference, mall, etc.
● When you are only testing Federal Government employees
○ Federal Government employees are exempt from receiving incentives to participate in usability
testing activities

40. Citizen engagement goals and techniques
Carol Highsmith photo of Cohen Building WPA Mural, 2008.

41. Citizen engagement is required
The Obama White House’s Federal Digital
Strategy required that all Federal Government
websites be “customer-centric” and that they
“offer easy paths for feedback to ensure we
continually improve service delivery.”
Therein lies one of the best mechanisms for
engaging citizens in UX work.
Obama Administration Federal Digital Strategy; quotes and cover (2012)

42. Engage/recruit where users are
● Many federal digital customer feedback surveys
include an opt-in for respondents to allow that
agency to contact them by way of follow-up
and to engage them in surveys, user research,
etc.
● Most agencies have a social media presence,
often including accounts on numerous
platforms and frequently for top-level
departments and op divs within the agency.
● Numerous agencies have blog or syndicated
communications.
All are fertile ground for recruiting.
Obama Administration Federal Digital Strategy; quotes and cover (2012)

43. Opt-in recruiting
Email list blasts, social media posts, direct responses
to customer feedback, and similar methods can be
used to allow would-be participants to opt into
studies.
Respondents are typically directed to a recruiting
screener/survey that:
● Collect the minimum required PII for recruitment
● Use general demographic questions to allow for
data segmentation without unnecessary PII
collection
WPA study group registration poster (1936-1941)

44. Guerrilla Usability Testing
Many agencies offer services at locations around
the country providing an excellent opportunity to
engage users where they transact in-person.
● When the client has a listing of ‘opted-in’
participants
● When you are performing “guerrilla testing”
○ E.g., when performing ‘impromptu’ testing at a
client site, conference, mall, etc.
WPA Federal Writers’ Project book cover (1937)

45. Resources and communities for GOV UXers
Carol Highsmith photo of Cohen Building WPA Mural, 2008.

46. ● Overarching Policies
● Accessibility / Section 508
● Analytics
● Coordination During
Incidents of National
Significance
● Copyright
● Customer Experience
● Design
● Domains
● Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
● Governance
● Information Quality
● Mandatory Content
● Mobile
● Multilingual Websites
● Open Govt./Data/Content
● Paperwork Reduction
● Performance Measurement and
Reporting
● Plain Writing
● Privacy and Identity
Management
● Prohibition on Advertising
● Records Management
● Search
● Security
● Technology Standards
● Third-Party Services/
● Social Media
Digital.gov requirements for federal web & digital services
The GSA (U.S. General Services Administration) website Digital.gov (https://digital.gov/) is an invaluable
resource. It contains THE requirements checklist for Federal Websites and Digital Services (which is
updated frequently): https://digital.gov/resources/checklist-of-requirements-for-federal-digital-
services/. Curated listings of resources are organized by topic, including:

47. ● 21st Century IDEA
● Accessibility
● Agile
● Content
● Content Strategy
● Crowdsourcing
● Customer Experience
● Data
● Design
● Governance
● Metrics
● Mobile
● Multilingual
● Open Data
● Performance
● Plain Language
● Policies & Regulations
● Privacy
● Product Management
● Project Management
● Research
● Security
● Social Media
● Strategy
● Training
● Usability
● User Experience
● User Research
● Web Design Systems
● And much more!
Digital.gov guides and resources
The GSA is also one of the best resources for information, guides, resources, tools, and
services: https://digital.gov/resources/. Curated listings of resources are organized by
topic, including:

48. 18F resources
The GSA’s 18F is another important collection of resources and products:
https://product-guide.18f.gov/.
Product management in government:
● Guide to product management
● The importance of GOV product
management
General:
● 18F / TTS Handbook
● Getting started at TTS: Your first 90 days
● 18F Project Catalogue
● 18F Project Resources Library
● 18F Methods
● Checklist of requirements for federal
government websites
● USDS Playbook
Guides:
● Project Start Guide
● 18F De-risking Government Technology
Guide
● 18F User Experience Design Guide
● 18F Content Guide
● TTS Engineering Guide Front-end practices
● 18F Analytics standards
● 18F Accessibility Guide
● Agile Principles and 18F Practices
● Before You Ship: TTS guide to launching
software

49. Government COPs (communities of practice)
The Federal Government has many digital-focused COPs listed at
https://digital.gov/communities/ and including:
● Agile/Lean
● APIs
● Artificial Intelligence (AI)
● Blockchain
● Challenge & Prize
● Cloud and Infrastructure
● Crowsourcing & Citizen
Science
● Customer Experience
● DevOps
● Federal Communicators
● Federal Leadership and
Professional Development
● Federal Technology
Investment Management
● Government Contact Center
Council (G3C)
● Innovation Adoption
● IT Accessibility/Section 508
● Mobile
● Multilingual
● Open Data
● Open Source
● OpenGov
● Plain Language
● Results-Oriented
Accountability for Grants
● Robotic Process
Automation (RPA)
● Social Media
● U.S. Web Design System
● User Experience
● Video Production Pros
● VR & AR
● Web Analytics and
Optimization
● Web Managers

50. Important Federal Government sites/resources (1 of 2)
While some of these show up in the Digital.gov Accessibility Resources page, each is worthy of
top-level placement in any listing of GOV UXer resources:
● Accessibility.gov (508/accessibility) - https://accessibility.gov/
● Analytics.USA.gov - https://analytics.usa.gov/
● API.Data.gov (API management service for agencies) - https://api.data.gov/about/
● Benefits.gov (state and federal employee benefits) - https://www.benefits.gov/
● CIO.gov (Federal Chief Information Officers forum) - https://cio.gov/
● Data.gov (gov open data) - https://www.data.gov/
● Digital Analytics Program (DAP) - https://digital.gov/guides/dap/
● Digital Government: Building a 21st Century Digital Government (Obama Whitehouse Archives) -
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/egov/digital-government/ digital-government.html
● Digital.gov Events - https://digital.gov/events/
● Digital Services Playbook (United States Digital Service) - https://playbook.cio.gov/
● Federal Communities of Practice (Fed COPs) - https://digital.gov/communities/
● Federal Register (the gov daily journal) - https://www.federalregister.gov/
● Federal Tools and Services - https://digital.gov/services/

51. Important Federal Government sites/resources (2 of 2)
● General Services Administration (GSA) - https://www.gsa.gov/
● IT Dashboard (Federal IT Investment performance) - https://www.itdashboard.gov/
● Office of E-Government & Information Technology - https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/management/egov/
● Office of Personnel Management (OPM) - https://www.opm.gov/
● Official U.S. Executive Branch Websites (Library of Congress-managed listing) -
https://www.loc.gov/rr/news/fedgov.html
● Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines (Usability.gov, HHS, and GSA sponsored) -
https://www.usability.gov/sites/default/files/documents/guidelines_book.pdf
● Plain Language.gov (plain writing) - https://www.plainlanguage.gov/
● Regulations.gov (review and comment on regulations) - https://www.regulations.gov/
● Section508.gov (508/accessibility) - https://www.section508.gov/
● TechFAR Hub (digital service acquisition best practices) - https://techfarhub.cio.gov/
● Usability.gov - https://www.usability.gov/
● USA.gov (search the Federal Government) - https://www.usa.gov/
● U.S. Access Board (508/accessibility) - https://www.access-board.gov/
● USAJobs.gov (Federal jobs and applications) - https://www.usajobs.gov/
● U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) - https://designsystem.digital.gov/

52. We are family. Won’t you come join us?
Carol Highsmith photo of Cohen Building WPA Mural, 2008.

53. GOV UX Jobs:
● 18F: Join 18F - https://18f.gsa.gov/join/
● DDS: Join Us - https://www.dds.mil/join
● DOL: CareerOneStop:
○ American Job Center Finder - https://www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/AmericanJobCenters/find-american-
job-centers.aspx
○ Resources site - https://www.careeronestop.org/
○ State Job Bank - https://www.careeronestop.org/JobSearch/FindJobs/state-job-banks.aspx
● USA.gov:
○ State government websites - https://www.usa.gov/state-governments
○ Where to look for a job - https://www.usa.gov/job-help
● USAJOBS:
○ USAJOBS - https://www.usajobs.gov/
○ How to filter results by security clearance - https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/search/filters/security-
clearance/
● USDC: Apply - https://digitalcorps.gsa.gov/apply/
● USDS: Apply to USDS - https://www.usds.gov/apply
● Also look to individual agency websites; USA.gov maintains a list here:
https://www.usa.gov/agency-index

54. Questions & Discussion
Carol Highsmith photo of Cohen Building WPA Mural, 2012.

55. Thank You.
Please see appendices for colophon,
references, and citations.
Jeffrey Ryan Pass
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyryanpass/
UMD iSchool
INST362 User-Centered Design
Guest Presentation, 2023.04.24
Bureau of Reclamation photo of Hoover Dam construction, 1936-1946.

56. Appendix 1: Colophon
Fonts
Franklin Gothic: Used of headings and body content in this presentation.
Franklin Gothic consists of 5 styles designed by Morris F. Benton and issued
by ATF between 1904 and 1913. Whedon Davis added a Condensed Italic
and John L. Renshaw a Wide.
Book Antiqua: Used for image captions, notes, and citations in this
presentation. Book Antiqua is Monotype’s copy of Palatino. Palatino
was designed by Hermann Zapf in 1948 and cut in metal by August
Rosenberger at D. Stempel AG. Released in 1950 and adapted for the
Linotype machine.
Font histories adapted from Fonts In Use (https://fontsinuse.com/):
● https://fontsinuse.com/typefaces/35/franklin-gothic
● https://fontsinuse.com/typefaces/31553/book-antiqua
● https://fontsinuse.com/typefaces/3361/palatino
Imagery
This presentation leverages the theme of “public work” and makes
extensive use of New Deal ear Works Progress Administration-
funded projects and artworks as well as historical photographs of
the National Capitol, National Capital area and Federal work
projects and sites.
Photographic documentation of public works are taken from public
domain image repositories, especially those belonging to the
Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution. Mini citations
are provided on each slide containing such imagery and both the
notes for those individual slides and Appendix 2: References &
Citations contains full citations. Any image cropping or other
manipulations are noted.
A note on diversity, equality, and inclusion: Consistent with
the era, males are depicted disproportionately (especially
white males), however, every effort was made to ensure that
imagery and illustrations are as inclusive as the sources and
subject matter allowed.

57. Appendix 2: References & Citations (1 of 3)
Individual slides include mini-cites for imagery and informational graphics. The notes for each slide contains full
citations for that slide (download from https://www.slideshare.net/JeffreyRyanPass). This compiled listing of
references and citations excludes links provided Resource section unless also referenced/cited elsewhere.
18F. 2023. “18F Product Guide.” https://product-guide.18f.gov/.
18F. 2023. “Fundamentals: Foundational methods for practicing design research” (section on Testing and Privacy).
https://methods.18f.gov/fundamentals/privacy/.
18F. 2023. “Validate: Test a design hypothesis - Usability Testing.” https://methods.18f.gov/validate/usability-testing/.
Alexa Internet. 2022. Survey of Alexa.com. Site discontinued on May 1, 2022.
Analytics.USA.gov. April 24, 2023. Landing page. https://analytics.usa.gov/.
Coccaro, Kasie. July 13, 2011, accessed 2023. “Campaign to Cut Waste: .gov Effort to Improve Federal Websites.” The Obama White House
Archives (U.S. National Archives): https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/07/13/campaign-cut-waste-gov-effort-improve-
federal-websites.
Congressional Budget Office (CBO). 2023. “Federal Personnel.” https://www.cbo.gov/topics/employment-and-labor-markets/federal-
personnel.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Archives. “Overview Of the Privacy Act Of 1974 (2015 Edition).
https://www.justice.gov/Overview_2020/download.
Digital.gov. 2023. “Checklist of Requirements for Federal Websites and Digital Services.” https://digital.gov/resources/checklist-of-
requirements-for-federal-digital-services/.
Digital.gov. 2023. “Communities of Practice.” https://digital.gov/communities/.
Digital.gov. 2023. “Guidelines and Resources.” https://digital.gov/resources/.
Digital.gov. 2023. “Guidelines and Resources.” https://digital.gov/topics/policy/.
Digital.gov. 2023. “PRA Digital Guide.” https://pra.digital.gov/do-i-need-clearance/.

58. Appendix 2: References & Citations (2 of 3)
Digital.gov. U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Last updated March 13, 2023. https://digital.gov/resources/21st-century-
integrated-digital-experience-act/.
Executive Office of the President of the United States (Obama Administration). May 23, 2012. “Digital Government: Building A 21st Century
Platform To Better Serve The American People.” https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/egov/digital-
government/digital-government.html.
FontsInUse.com. 2023. “Book Antiqua.” https://fontsinuse.com/typefaces/31553/book-antiqua.
FontsInUse.com. 2023. “Franklin Gothic.” https://fontsinuse.com/typefaces/35/franklin-gothic.
FontsInUse.com. 2023. “Palatino.” https://fontsinuse.com/typefaces/3361palatino.
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Published: Feb 06, 2018. Publicly Released: Feb 06, 2018. GAO-18-368T: “Budget Issues:
Continuing Resolutions and Other Budget Uncertainties Present Management Challenges.” https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-18-
368t.
Harrington-Rosen, Kate. Northwestern University Office of Equality. 2021. “Progress Flag Initiative.” (Referenced in designing Progress Flag-
inspired text treatment.) https://www.northwestern.edu/equity/about/initiatives/progress-pride-flag-initiative.html.
HealthCare.gov. 2023. “Create Account” screen. https://www.healthcare.gov/marketplace/b/create-account/.
Hoffer, David. McKinsey & Company. 2021. “Redesign Everything.” (Tee shirt design used for design inspiration.)
https://cottonbureau.com/products/redesign-everything#/4293455/tee-men-standard-tee-vintage-black-tri-blend-s.
Light, Paul C. October 7, 2020. FIXGOV (series) “The true size of government is nearing a record high”.
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/10/07/the-true-size-of-government-is-nearing-a-record-high/.
Phillips, Macon. June 13, 2011. “TooManyWebsites.gov.” From the Obama White House Archives (U.S. National Archives).
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/06/13/toomanywebsitesgov.
Similarweb. 2023. “Top Websites: United States.” https://www.similarweb.com/top-websites/united-states/ .
The Count. 2023. “The Healthcare.gov Waiting Room.” http://thecount.com/wp-content/uploads/healthcare.gov-waiting-room-image.jpg.
Usability.gov. 2021. “Fast-Track Clearance Process for Information Collection.” https://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-
tools/guidance/fast-track-clearance-process.html.

59. Appendix 2: References & Citations (3 of 3)
Usability.gov. 2023. “Information Collection and Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) Overview.” https://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-
tools/guidance/pra-overview.html.
Usability.gov. 2023. “Traditional Clearance Process for Information Collection.” https://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-
tools/guidance/traditional-clearance-process.html.
USAGov. 2023. “A-Z index of U.S. government departments and agencies.”
https://www.usa.gov/agency-index.
USAGov. 2023. “Where to look for a job.” https://www.usa.gov/job-help.
USAJobs.gov. April 22, 2023. Search for all jobs (no filters or search parameters). https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?l=&k=all.
USAJobs.gov. April 22, 2023. Search for jobs containing “user experience.”
https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?l=&k=user%20experience&p=1.
USAJobs.gov. April 22, 2023. Search for jobs containing “user experience.” https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?l=&k=user-
centered&p=1.

60. Appendix 3: Image Citations (1 of 3)
Executive Office of the President of the United States (Obama Administration). May 23, 2012. “ Digital Government: Building A 21st Century
Platform To Better Serve The American People (strategy cover). Accessed August 2021.
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/egov/digital-government/digital-government.html. Note: cover
image used with no manipulations.
Federal Writers' Project, Sponsor. Who's who in the zoo Illustrated natural history prepared by the WPA Federal Writers Project: On sale at
all book stores, zoos, and museums. New York, 1936. [NYC: Federal Art Project, or 1937] Photograph.
https://www.loc.gov/item/98514973/. Note: image used with no manipulations.
Healthcare.gov (10.2013). Healthcare.gov Waiting Room [screenshot]. Retrieved 10.03.2017 from:
https://www.healthcare.gov/marketplace/b/create-account/. Use: PD. From a screenshot taken/posted on The Count:
http://thecount.com/wp-content/uploads/healthcare.gov-waiting-room-image.jpg. Note: screenshot cropped for presentation; no other
manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. "New Deal" WPA art, Clarkson S. Fisher Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse, Trenton, New Jersey. New
Jersey United States Trenton. Trenton, 2010. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2010719733/. Note: image cropped for
presentation; no other manipulations.
You’d be bananas not to include citations!
Image: Stacy Surla, 2016
Individual slides include mini-cites for imagery and informational
graphics. The notes for each slide contains citations for that slide
(download from https://www.slideshare.net/JeffreyRyanPass). Image
and graphic manipulations are noted.
Analytics.USA.gov. April 24, 2023. Analytics.USA.gov landing page. Accessed at 9:30 am
(EST). https://analytics.usa.gov/. Note: screenshot cropped for presentation and
alert bar removed; no other manipulations.

61. Appendix 3: Image Citations (2 of 3)
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. "New Deal" WPA art, Clarkson S. Fisher Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse, Trenton, New Jersey. New
Jersey United States Trenton. Trenton, 2010. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2010719733/. Note: image cropped for
presentation; no other manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. History of San Francisco mural by Anton Refregier at Rincon Annex Post Office located near the
Embarcadero at 101 Spear Street, San Francisco, California. United States California San Francisco. San Francisco, 2012. Photograph.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2013630281/. Note: image cropped for presentation; no other manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. History of San Francisco mural "An Early Newspaper Office" by Anton Refregier at Rincon Annex Post
Office located near the Embarcadero at 101 Spear Street, San Francisco, California. United States California San Francisco. San Francisco,
2012. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013630286/. Note: image cropped for presentation; no other manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. History of San Francisco mural "The Waterfront" by Anton Refregier at Rincon Annex Post Office located
near the Embarcadero at 101 Spear Street, San Francisco, California. United States California San Francisco. San Francisco, 2012.
Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013630294/. Note: image cropped for presentation; no other manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. Mural "An Incident in Contemporary American Life," by Mitchell Jamieson at the Department of Interior
Building, Washington, D.C. Washington D.C. United States, 2011. September. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013634545/.
Note: image cropped for presentation; no other manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. Mural: "Fighting Forest Fire," by Ernest Fiene at the Department of Interior, Washington, D.C.
Washington D.C. United States, 2011. September. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013634333/. Note: image cropped for
presentation; no other manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. Mural: "Irrigation," by Nicolai Cikovsky at the Department of Interior, Washington, D.C. Washington
D.C. United States, 2011. September. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013634335/. Note: image used with no manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. Mural: "Replanting the Wasteland," by Ernest Fiene at the Department of Interior, Washington, D.C.
Washington D.C. United States, 2011. September. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013634332/. Note: image used with no
manipulations.

62. Appendix 3: Image Citations (3 of 3)
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. Mural: Petroleum Industry - Distribution & Use, by Edgar Britton at the Department of Interior,
Washington, D.C. Washington D.C. United States, 2011. September. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013634345/. Note: image
cropped for presentation; no other manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. History of San Francisco mural by Anton Refregier at Rincon Annex Post Office located near the
Embarcadero at 101 Spear Street, San Francisco, California. United States California San Francisco. San Francisco, 2012. Photograph.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2013630281/. Note: image cropped for presentation; no other manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. One of four immense frescoes by Conrad Albrizio representing the industries of south and north
Louisiana in the north portico of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport. United States Louisiana Shreveport, 2020. -10-28.
Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2020744249/. Note: image used with no manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. WPA mural, Cohen Building, Washington, D.C. Washington D.C. United States, 2008. December.
Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2010720418 . Note: image cropped for presentation; no other manipulations.
Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. WPA mural, Cohen Building, Washington, D.C. Washington D.C. United States, 2008. December.
Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2010720416/. Note: image cropped for presentation; no other manipulations.
Lang, Harold, photographer. Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia. Construction. Work site. Workers. Virginia Arlington County, 1941. [or
1942] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021640383/. Note: image cropped for presentation; no other manipulations.
Pass, Jeffrey. 2016. Self Portrait in LEGO®, 2016. Photograph.
Register now - informal study group WPA Workers Education Project, Henry Street Settlement. New York, None. [N.Y.C. federal art project,
between 1936 and 1941] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/98514515/. Note: image used with no manipulations.
Surla, Stacy. 2016. “Googlelyed Banana.” Note: image provided by photographer and used with permission.
United States Bureau Of Reclamation. Three construction workers putting a coat of paint on a slanted wall of riveted-steel plates on the
Hoover Dam spillway. Hoover Dam Nevada Arizona, None. [Between 1936 and 1946] Photograph.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2008676666/. Note: image used with no manipulations.
Works Progress Administration, artist unknown - National Archives and Records Administration, Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62418412. Note: image used with no manipulations.