USDS head Mina Hsiang wants Big Tech’s best minds to help fix the government
The US Digital Service has a fascinating structure: it comprises nearly 250 people, all of whom serve two-year stints developing apps, improving websites, and streamlining government services. You could call USDS the product and design consultancy for the rest of the government.
The Obama administration launched the USDS in 2014, after the disastrous rollout of healthcare.gov and the tech sprint that saved it. USDS administrator Mina Hsiang explains to Decoder how it all works, and what she hopes it can do next.
Links:
Here’s Why Healthcare.gov Broke Down (2013)
Obamacare's 'tech surge' adds manpower to an already-bloated project (2013)
Decoder: Barack Obama on AI, free speech, and the future of the internet
Jeff Bezos Confirmed the "Question Mark Method"
A comprehensive list of 2023 tech layoffs
Tech to Gov
U.S. Digital Corps
Presidential Innovation Fellows
AI.gov
United States Digital Service
Transcript: https://www.theverge.com/e/23761681
Credits:
Decoder is a production of The Verge, and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Today’s episode was produced by Kate Cox and Nick Statt and was edited by Callie Wright.
The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Our Executive Producer is Eleanor Donovan.
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What happens when a Silicon Valley technologist works for the government | Matt Cutts
What if the government ran more like Silicon Valley? Engineer Matt Cutts shares why he decided to leave Google (where he worked for nearly 17 years) for a career in the US government -- and makes the case that if you really want to make an impact, go where your help is needed most.
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The Director's Cutts
For many years Matt worked on defending the quality of Google's web search results, and you may know him as the creator of the first version of SafeSearch.As Paul noted on the show, he was seen as one of the few people with whom ordinary folks could communicate about the often inscrutable world of Google search results and rankings. You can read his blog here.
In 2016 Matt joined USDS, initially at the Department of Defense. Since 2017, Matt has served as the USDS Administrator and is responsible for setting the overall direction and strategy for projects. He has worked on everything from Healthcare.gov to online services for veterans to fraud prevention at the IRS.
Topics discussed on this episode:
The 1993 comedy film Dave, in which Kevin Kline plays a presidential body double who manages to fix government and melt the steely heart of Sigourney Weaver.
Open source as an ever growing trend, even inside of big government.
Which organization has more meeting and process, Google, or the US federal government?
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Recode Decode: Matt Cutts
Matt Cutts, the acting administrator of the U.S. Digital Service, talks with Recode’s Kara Swisher about how his team is trying to modernize government agencies and make services like Medicare and veterans’ benefits more user-friendly. Cutts spent nearly 17 years working at Google before he joined the USDS under President Obama, but says that the organization’s mission has not changed under President Trump, and its work has remained nonpartisan. He explains how even simple technological tweaks — like a progress bar or web forms — can make a huge difference for the beneficiaries of the USDS’s work, and shares his pitch for an ambitious goal that would make everyone’s life easier: “Get rid of the paper.”
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