Have you ever wondered how your State government is spending your tax dollars? Or what types of public programs you could benefit from as a student? You are not alone. From the citizen who needs to find local food banks, to the journalist looking for salaries of elected officials, to the business owner comparing information on commercial real estate prices; citizens have the right to use public information to improve their lives, but too often face government websites that are outdated, scattered, and difficult to use.

In partnership with this State government, the SAP Design and Co-Innovation Center team designed a portal to provide citizens with a one-stop-shop that helps them find and use public information, and ultimately restore their trust in their government through increased transparency. The SAP DCC team approached this project in a highly consultative process, developing relationships with citizens representing various user groups as well as State government employees. As such, the portal was designed while listening to their inputs and using them to test, iterate, and improve the final solution. Through various participatory workshops, the users themselves determined what information to include, and what navigating the portal would feel like.

The result is an easy-to-use portal that allows for the personalization of publicly available information based on identifying, at the onset, the type of user that is seeking it. Once identified, the content and information architecture of the portal are tailored to fit the needs and usage patterns of the user, using big data and machine learning-based technology, making it easier for citizens to find the information that is most relevant to them. The team has also focused efforts into making this information as actionable as possible: the user has the ability to use filters, add or remove layers and granularity of data, and customize the visualizations and guides shown so as to meet their specific expectations.

This citizen-centric portal represents a powerful and easy-to-use channel for the State* government to engage with its citizens and regain their trust, as well as a proof-of-concept for other government entities and agencies to transform and improve their digital presence.

The one-stop-shop characteristic of the portal unifies the scattered sources of information of the State government, irrespective of the internal organization of the different agencies responsible for the different data streams. In addition, the flattened information architecture, coupled with user interaction models and patterns catering to personalized content, allows users to easily and intuitively access relevant information. Finally, the minimalist design of the portal is responsive across desktop, smart phones and wearables, accommodating the various user groups involved.

By working alongside the government representatives responsible for this project, the SAP DCC team used a number of design thinking and user-centered design tools and methodologies, which the State government has committed to implementing in their work moving forward. Beyond the solution itself, this project contributes to pushing the boundaries of how government figures are expected to engage with their citizens, online and offline.

*State not disclosed for confidentiality reasons.