What Do You Think of USA.gov?

Be one of the first to post an idea for improving USA.gov, the official portal of the U.S. government.
Here’s what others are saying:

  • Make USA.gov pages shorter and more focused
  • Expand to other languages besides English and Spanish
  • Widgetize content so it can be re-used on other websites
  • Use USA.gov’s Facebook page to answer questions from citizens

Vote for these ideas and provide your own suggestions. We’ll post new dialogs regularly, so come back often to rejoin the conversation!


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Dec 2nd, 2009
  1. johnny56
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 21:41 | #1

    Like the page but need to put more easyer ways to find Grants for people Disabled and in there forties and fifties as there not a thing out there an less you are 65 or older…

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    • 42usc1983
      Dec 16th, 2009 at 03:45 | #2

      Links to appropriate representatives to voice our desires to start or expand programs for such disabled person or any person who feels the government could improve the effectiveness of its role to provide resources for the people represented.

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  2. neilcacci
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 20:46 | #3

    USA Jobs could make the tests easier to understand and utilize considering most government jobs are relatively easy.

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  3. davebrigg
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 20:11 | #4

    Because I am disabled, I would like to see an easy way for disabled people to access Grants for starting small businesses. I am struggling to do it by myself and I need help!

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  4. viet nam vet
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 19:51 | #5

    I’m a newcomer to this site. As far as language, ENGLISH ONLY. If you want to live here, learn the language, or, go back to where you came from. Get the illegals out of our country. Build the fences that were already approved by our Senate and Representatives.

    I wish to comment on a statement made by another responder, keep the Electoral College, in fact, expand it. Give each County an Electoral vote. Whichever candidate wins a County gets the vote. That makes for a more even field of play. That will keep the “Commiecratic Party” from just concentrating on the major population centers to win an election.

    I wish to comment on another statement made by that same person. As far as the WAR, keep fighting. Perhaps this person wants the WAR here, in our Country. However, I would have a different approach. Instead of the politicians trying to fight the WAR, let the military handle it. Go back to the mentality of WW II. Wipe them out, rebuild them as we did Japan and Germany. We’ve never had any problems with them since then. Our President, NOT MINE, is sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. The only problem is, he’s tying the hands of our Troops behind their backs. You can’t shoot, unless shot at; if civilians are present, YOU CAN’T SHOOT. To HELL with COLLATERAL DAMAGE, you are there to win a WAR, not have our Troops get killed because of dumb rules of engagement. I’ve seen first hand how politicians can screw-up a WAR. I’m a PROUD VIET NAM VETERAN. The Libs keep telling us we lost in NAM. Wrong!!! We won every major battle, the politicians lost the WAR, not us TROOPS.

    One more thing, our so called President. Obama should prove he’s eligible to be President, provide your original BIRTH CERTIFICATE. He received his College education as a FOREIGN STUDENT. That right there should tell you something, he’s not a naturalized citizen, making him ineligible to be our Commander in Chief. His entire Cabinet and /or Czars are corrupt, idolizing Socialism/Communism. He’s has more Czars than Russia ever had. Need I say more. IMPEACH the entire Administration.

    I’ll close for now.

    Viet Nam Vet.

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  5. Dec 15th, 2009 at 19:48 | #6

    Greetings to you all, and many thanks to Joanne who invited me to this dialogue.

    Ok, this text might be a little extended but I hope it worth your attention.

    USA.gov is THE rooting web service directory of America. Yes, has to be like this static classic and formal appearance at first place withholding all the right gateway exit links to the rest of the government services and directories but it can be also be more visual and vibrant without losing the importance of its status at all. For this purpose it might worth your attention to have a look at the White House Web Site. It is a pure paradigm of excellence concerning the web layout status of simplicity, withholding the top of the list information & web links of the Nation. So, you have in a way the form layout web structure to support the web layout style for the USA.gov.

    Concerning the structural design changes that you may decide to adopt, keep in mind to include support for people with disabilities. Whenever it is possible you may use a voice page reader or to dedicate a special section for this cause as well. I am sure that it would be appreciated a lot from these persons.

    Concerning the content layout page topology you may add some multimedia modalities like: how to apply to a procedure in a short video format, to fill a form, ect.

    You may also advertise and internally the services promoting a multimedia learning message like the service of the day! So people to be apprentice and to be encourage to remember more easily the kind of access they need in the future.

    Government news – relative subject mode brief – is a very good topic that would be also a reason to increase – in a degree – the visiting circulation, so yes; it is supplementing issue for this site for sure, but also a supplementary modality expression for interaction to increase the interest and the depth of use upon the first level root pages with relevant linkages as well, making the surfing of the pages also more pleasant.

    Also some links like in the States web page section selection may be used in a more multimedia introductory pace. . i.e: a pop up block flag of the state with a warm welcome from the Governor. This will increase the image and the unity of a span service. You can do this without change the basic colors of the USA.gov keeping always in a very tide status format.

    Because really beautiful things depend also in details, here’s one that might worth your attention too. The reference explanations sentences underneath some links should be rooted following the generalization term of the meaning of the word down to a more specific one. In case of the Government Information Topic in the front page, in the section link: Health and Nutrition you may proceed for the underneath description sentence as: Health, public health, health care, insurance, diet, food stamps, fitness..And so on, instead as it is already written today. This directory reading will help the visitor to root himself more easily and to distinguish faster among other shortage linkages.

    Last but not least, The USA Flag must be more visible without the necessity to be repeated half in the corner. It is the USA.gov, The Official Web Page Flag Ship of the Nation and the best representation governmental mandate impression also abroad.

    PS: I just read the History fountains for the institution of the USA.gov. No need to say more about how much is worth the Bill Clinton Presidential legacy.

    I wish to you all, my very best Season’s Greetings and even a better success for the USA.gov

    Gabriel

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  6. billhampton
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 19:43 | #7

    I can’t believe the government is acting in a way that I always wished it would. Do you really care what America’s saying? Don’t power, money, and the self-annointed call the shots? Do you really care what I think? I hope my president and Congress will follow their ethical paths when making decisions without regard for their personal welfare. If we can’t trust ourselves and each other to react ethically in return, then democracy is an experiment in living together that is doomed to fail. Go forward America, firmly and bravely. We’ve got your back.

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  7. charlee52249
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 19:35 | #8

    Select our interests and type of grants we need, and then receive emails when those come available.

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  8. maverickrider
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 19:29 | #10

    First of all i’m DISABLE.White and 51years old. I Can’t receive help.That I need.I’ve lost my travel trailer.I was living in. And my truck. To Rita.I was unable to get that SBA Loan.? Because i didn’t have enough income.Because I am on a set in come. ALL I WANT WAS TO GET ENOUGH MONEY TO REPLACE MY TRAILER AND TRUCK? So I’LL HAVE MY ON PLACE AGAIN. And be Happy?FEMA is giving trailers away cheap? I can’t get one. My Sister an LAZY AS_ husband that don’t work. And ISN’T DISABLE got a Full size trailer house for $5.oo??? WHAT”S UP WITH THAT??? I don’t understand???I living some place i don’t won’t to be.Right now.I just want a small trailer again. So i can live with the comfort i’m use to. These other people get all these FEMA trailers for CHEAP.. And selling them for alot of money. There’s one down the road from where i’m for $11’000.oo. I don’t want to make money off of a trailer. I want my home back. Even if it’s a travel trailer. It was MY HOME and I WAS HAPPY in it… THankyou for Your time : James

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    • maverickrider
      Dec 16th, 2009 at 14:41 | #11

      Just what i thought.. No one wants to hear from the POOR and Disabled.Let them do without help.? So the Rich and CREEDY can have more. It’s a Sorry thing of the goverment. You ether have’t to be Rich or Black. To get anything help from the goverment. I work my as_ off. And PAID TAX’S. To this goverment. Then i get disabled. NO freaking Help???????????? Ya’ll send Help for our enemy’s ? To rebuild and give them FOOD and a ROOF over their heads? But You CAN’T HELP THE PEOPLE HERE?? Or HELP THE PEOPLE THAT FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY. So what do I THINK about this goverment ? It SUCKS…. How can You be Proud of somthing that THREATS YOU like CRAP?? Or TRUST them . LET me Know??

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  9. vmpick59
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 19:09 | #12

    I have been using this site weekly for more than a year to engage my employees on EEO issues in my weekly team meetings. I constantly refer people to this site. The fact that one can utilize it for personal and/or business use is great! You always have the most wonderful holiday reminders and interesting facts to share.
    The information for parents/grandparents/siblings has come in handy numerous times.
    As a Federal employee; the link to Employee Express is extremely helpful from my home computer. You provide government resources that we (as Federal employees) can access at home.
    Your government information and links whether it be Federal or State is wonderful. It is so nice to have all of that information in one place. Not all of us enjoy Googling!
    I truly cannot think of anything that I would want to see changed and I apologise for not telling you his before. Keep up the great work!!!

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  10. dwighthines
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 18:52 | #13

    Conduct focus groups on how people categorize government services by function, not by name of organization. So, reporting criminal dumping could start in a half dozen different locations but the locations would end up after going through different steps of q & a to get to the same answer.

    Thus, for illegal dumping, a person could state this concerns the environment or a person could state this is about criminal activity or a could person could state something is killing the fish, or something is making people sick and so on.

    Basically, you could us the old animal, vegetable, mineral start categories, realizing that the superordinate categories are going to differ depending on a person’s interests.

    Dwight Hines
    P.S. Going to your webpage tonight before I wrote this comment, I tried your search engine and then tried browsing your webpage and finally I gave up and went to google and typed in “Coast Guard hot line” and picked the link to the National Response phone number for reporting envirionmental spills. Hey, hotlines need to be easy to find.

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    • mmurphy
      Dec 15th, 2009 at 19:20 | #14

      Interesting post. I think that people don’t necessarily care–or need to know–which agencies/departments offer particular information or services. They just want to get an accurate and authoritative answer without jumping through too many hoops.

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    • karentrebon
      Dec 16th, 2009 at 12:30 | #15

      “Hotlines need to be easy to find.” Couldn’t agree more! I think it is a requirement that all federal government websites have a “contact us” page. It is a link from the home page that provides hotlines, mailing address, email address, etc.

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    • Dec 18th, 2009 at 23:24 | #16

      usa.gov hides it slightly, but if you click on the word “phone” at the top of all usa.gov pages, you are taken to http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Directories.shtml where you would see:

      * Call 1 (800) FED INFO (1-800-333-4636) for any Question about Government
      * Elected Officials – Governors, President, Representatives, Senators, State Legislatures
      * State and Territorial Contact Directory
      * Congressional Directory
      * Contact Links Organized by Topic
      * Contact Links Organized by Agency
      * Toll Free Numbers, by Agency
      * Federal Employee Phone Directories, by Agency
      * Congressional Pictorial Directory
      * Military Personnel Locators
      * Overseas Citizen Locator

      Taking that page to contacts by topic (http://www.usa.gov/Contact/By_topic.shtml) takes you to a link to report environmental crimes.

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  11. surfboy
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 18:36 | #17

    USA.gov is a prolific and proficient website for government news, documents and publications.

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  12. jgtea
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 18:08 | #18

    First this site uses pass words that are really dumb as a rock. Let people choose their own pass word please.
    Tell DC we must get out of Afghanistan, Iraq and stop bombi8ng other countries in the ME and threatening Iran. We should not be the worlds war mongers.
    And as for this health plan, well if you intend of screwing all elderly Americans that is doing it as we speak I would say. If you want a plan that works just steal o9ne from another country that works well, that is usually our speed in doing things I would say.
    One other thing, get rid of the electoral college so only those who get the popular vote can win in presidential contests from here on out not jsut a few will decide but only those the people of America want in our white house.
    I know most Americans are not the brightest but heck we do deserve something for our efforts and or tax money other than being screwed by DC.
    Thank You
    Mrs Jude Garner
    I hope someone will actually read this and give it some consideration before they eliminate me for being a nuisence to government.

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    • Dec 16th, 2009 at 11:28 | #19

      Your participation on this site is appreciated. However, the goal of this specific dialog is improving USA.gov, the official web portal of the U.S. government. Your comment, unfortunately, is not on topic. Please continue to participate, but please keep your comments related to the purpose of this dialog. This site is not intended for any other purpose. We are trying our best with this site to improve the publics internet access to the government and look forward to hearing what the public has to suggest to help.

      By the way, you may change your password by clicking on “My Account” at the top of the screen and scrolling to the bottom of your account page to select a password of your choosing.

      Thank you.

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  13. astridremus
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 18:04 | #20

    Dear President Please,
    One of our kids died from cancer October 17th. Austin Renne. He plaid baseball in The Lindsay Lyons, in Humble Tx. Please just please do something for us.
    Maybe I am another crazier mother than want to see my kids and all the kids around in USA succeed in their hopes too, but in an atmosphere clear without any kind of contamination.
    I am out of your town, in a suburb in Humble, Tx. We have a Sport Facility next to a dumb trash. This was a Donation Land from the Government since 26 years ago.
    The builders did and are doing constructions and Subdivisions around that area without paying attention about our kids.
    With a jail and Training Police Department because it was a Donation, Why next to our kids?
    The only public and accessible Sport Facility is called Lindsay lyons humble tx sport Facility in Atascocita Rd with Ignacio Rd. Really pretty from the internet, but the reality is another. During the weekends in tournaments you could smell everything.
    Every morning and during the afternoon the Dumb area sprays some insecticide to control the insects and the bad odor. You could see birds trying to get some trash. During Summer Season it is depress and depressed just seeing our kids playing in this area. The smell goes around 20 miles approximately.
    I came to this Country from Caracas, Venezuela 6 years ago, with a lot of dreams, my 3 kids and I just got divorced.
    I need to do something well, and maybe it is a wonderful reason to begin in my new life. All my family are here in USA , my parents and my siblings. It is no way to go back with the crazy government from my Country. I cry, but I never give up my dreams and I think something better is going to happen.
    I am not afraid to talk or to write something that is going to please maybe in both directions when it comes from a humble heart.
    My oldest daughter 14/y (Michelle) plays tennis, my second daughter (Nicole) 13/y plays Softball and my son 11/y (JP Jean Paul, Dynasty Select team) plays Baseball. I got an Accounting Degree and CPA from Venezuela, but I don’t have work experiences in this Country which it is hard to compete in this word. Like me, maybe too many, but could it be, they did not have the courage to send this letter or if they did I would try it again. My dreams is to see a new facility, with different areas for, Tennis, Softball, Baseball, Football, Basketball, Volleyball, etc where kids could get there without drugs, contaminations and unsecured plays where they could get there by free bus.
    I will please ignore my poor vocabulary just see my illusions in a dream, and the future in a community that does not have another chance.
    Thanks for all your intentions and I look forward to hearing from you some day. Thanks my Lord.
    Astrid Remus
    4606 Flower Bridge Ct.
    Humble Tx 77396
    832 340 1905.

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  14. astridremus
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 17:59 | #21

    Dear President Please, PLEASE
    Another of our kids died from cancer October 17th. Austin Renne. He plaid baseball in The Lindsay Lyons, in Humble Tx. Please just please do something for us.
    Maybe I am another crazier mother than want to see my kids and all the kids around in USA succeed in their hopes too, but in an atmosphere clear without any kind of contamination.
    I am out of your town, in a suburb in Humble, Tx. We have a Sport Facility next to a dumb trash. This was a Donation Land from the Government since 26 years ago.
    The builders did and are doing constructions and Subdivisions around that area without paying attention about our kids.
    With a jail in the backyard and Training Police Department because it was a Donation, Why next to our kids?
    The only public and accessible Sport Facility is called Lindsay lyons humble tx sport Facility in Atascocita Rd with Ignacio Rd. Really pretty from the internet, but the reality is another. During the weekends in tournaments you could smell everything. TRASH,DEATH ANIMALS…..
    Every morning and during the afternoon the Dumb area sprays some insecticide to control the insects and the bad odor. You could see birds trying to get some trash. During Summer Season it is depress and depressed just seeing our kids playing in this area. The smell goes around 20 miles approximately.
    I came to this Country from Caracas, Venezuela 6 years ago, with a lot of dreams, my 3 kids and I just got divorced.
    I need to do something well, and maybe it is a wonderful reason to begin in my new life. All my family are here in USA , my parents and my siblings. It is no way to go back with the crazy government from my Country. I cry, but I never give up my dreams and I think something better is going to happen.
    I am not afraid to talk or to write something that is going to please maybe in both directions when it comes from a humble heart.
    My oldest daughter 14/y (Michelle) plays tennis, my second daughter (Nicole) 13/y plays Softball and my son 11/y (JP Jean Paul, Dynasty Select team) plays Baseball. I got an Accounting Degree and CPA from Venezuela, but I don’t have work experiences in this Country which it is hard to compete in this word. Like me, maybe too many, but could it be, they did not have the courage to send this letter or if they did I would try it again. My dreams is to see a new facility, with different areas for, Tennis, Softball, Baseball, Football, Basketball, Volleyball, etc where kids could get there without drugs, contaminations and unsecured plays where they could get there by free bus.
    I will please ignore my poor vocabulary just see my illusions in a dream, and the future in a community that does not have another chance.
    Thanks for all your intentions and I look forward to hear from you some day. Thanks my Lord.
    Astrid Remus
    4606 Flower Bridge Ct.
    Humble Tx 77396
    832 340 1905

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  15. lgadrn1990
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 17:41 | #22

    Hello,

    Please listen to the American people who you are working for. Go by the Constitution. Please put Mr. Mc Cain, A Democrat, and an Independant on a committee to eliminate all pork barrell spending I mean all of it in any legislation that is passed. It’s time that all of this is stopped. No wonder we are broke and don’t have any money to run things right. It’s time to put an end to it all.
    Also check everyone in the polotical areas if they owe any taxes make them pay them. It’s nothing but right. The little person has to pay and we wouldn’t get by with it either like some of the politicians have.
    It’s time everyone up there came back down to earth like the rest of us and see how the real world is. About 30 years ago my family had to live on $39.00 per week unemployment and we made it. Some of you all don’t have any inkling of an idea how some people have to live. So come off of those HIGH HORSES and see how the real world lives for a change.
    We all have so much to be thankful for to live in the United States and not a third world country.
    This is about as plain I can tell the truth about things. Please listen to us????????
    Merry Christmas TO ALL AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    • Dec 16th, 2009 at 11:38 | #23

      Thank you for your participation, however the goal of Your Voice Matters is improving USA.gov. Your comment, unfortunately, is not on topic. We really appreciate comments that help us to improve the publics access to the government. Messages in this dialog not about improving USA.gov distract from the important work that we are trying to accomplish for you. Please continue to participate, but please keep your comments related to the purpose of our site. Thank you and happy holidays to you too.

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  16. o5johnr
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 17:20 | #24

    Do not spend one penny of taxpayer money publishing in anything but the English language!

    We have enough trouble deciphering what the government is saying when it uses English. Rather than waste money on multiple interpreters, work more on plain talk and simplifying what our overactive politicians and bureacrats have spent so much time making very confusing in their feeble attempts to cover up their inherent ineptness and malfeasance. Different languages will not help, as the problem is the basic content of the message. Just keep the information short and to the point.

    Get rid of the security warnings that require a double negative response each time you enter a new area. Yes, it is a ‘governmet’ site, but this is overkill. Once we are in, and have opted in or out once, that should be enough.

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  17. seymour silver
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 17:15 | #25

    congress must pass a health plan now, and fine tune it over the com-

    ing years. a public option must be kept on the table. cymbersilver@juno

    .com

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  18. linda english
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 17:15 | #26

    I find the search function cumbersome to use. It would be nice to be able to search on numerous levels: i.e. subject & dept. & closing date

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  19. rodney willms
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 17:07 | #27

    It should only be in English as that is our national language

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  20. marybritt
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 17:04 | #29

    I like the USA.gov site. Can it be improved yes it can but at least we are getting information on a lot of items. I like the information at a glance and can open for more information if interested.

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  21. kfjohnson
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 16:59 | #30

    I like the format that the e-mails are sent to me. It gives me enough information to determine if I need to go to the webiste for further details.

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  22. samuelnieuwenhuis
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 15:38 | #31

    Let me receive a loan for this.

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  23. bcoffin
    Dec 15th, 2009 at 15:33 | #32

    Have a list of agencies using new/social media that allow/encourage citizens to interact

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  24. candi harrison
    Dec 11th, 2009 at 15:49 | #34

    Sorry – this is long. But I’m hoping we can use this opportunity to talk about more than incrimental improvements. I think it’s time for a major re-think of the purpose of USA.gov…before it becomes obsolete. And it’s good that this discussion involves the whole web manager community because I think it has to be a cross-government effort – not just a GSA effort.

    When USA.gov was born, a central links directory was a huge asset. Now, citizens turn to Google for lists of links. But there’s still a huge role for USA.gov – a void that needs to be filled. We need a one-stop government service center. We need a place where citizens can go and find everything we need to know about the most used, most important government services, written in terms we understand, with as few steps between getting to the site and leaving the site a satisfied customer, as possible. We need one place to draw the very best advice and service that government has to offer, synthesized so that citizens don’t have to go from link to link, agency to agency, trying to figure out what their options are. We need content that says, “start here” and “have you thought about this?” We need decision trees…is this your situation? Go here. Is that your situation? Go there.

    How do you do that? Turn USA.gov into a CONTENT site – not a links site. Focus on top tasks – starting with the things that citizens are most worried about today…how do I find affordable housing? How do I keep my home? How can I put healthy meals on the table when I don’t have much money? How can I send my kids to college? I just lost my job – where can I find a new job, and what can I do to keep a roof over my head and feed my family until I get that new job? I’m a Boomer and was planning to retire – what are my options in this economy?

    Turn the USA.gov staff into content leaders. Convene teams from across agencies, around the services citizens want most. Include agency web managers and web writers, but also subject matter experts. Involve plain language experts. And for Pete’s sake, get some usability experts involved from planning through execution and evaluation. Get citizen involvement – don’t sit around and second-guess what makes sense to citizens. And make that involvement routine, to keep the content fresh, focused, and on target. Use new media to tell citizens about this new content. Make that part of the strategy. Cycle experienced agency web managers through GSA to help with the effort. Give the USA.gov staff editorial responsibility – we need someone who can say, “no, we’re not going to use that junk” and “yes, you DO need to re-write that content to make it more citizen-friendly.”

    Start small and build. Don’t wait until you get it all together and then roll out a new USA.gov website. Get a couple of services together and put it up. See what works, what doesn’t; and then do more. Call it a pilot, to get started.

    Add a human component. Use that wonderful online chat service that USA.gov already has to assist citizens through these services. Bring in subject matter experts who can actually answer citizens’ questions – not just refer them to more links. Many years ago, I talked about the need for governmentwide “ombudsmen” – government employees with broad knowledge about a variety of government services whose job is to just work with citizens – online – to help them navigate government processes. Maybe it’s time to give that idea another look-see.

    Use this as an opportunity to start downsizing the inventory of government websites and consolidating government web content. Write MOUs with the agencies, getting them to agree that – when the content is absorbed into USA.gov – they’ll pull it off the agency site. Eventually, experiment with consolidating services through layers of government, so citizens don’t have to know whether what they need is federal, state, or local.

    OK – that should be enough to spark an interesting discussion. You may agree or not. But here’s the bottom line: I’m convinced it IS time to come up with a new paradigm for USA.gov. Since GSA has opened this for discussion, let’s really think big.

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    • mmurphy
      Dec 15th, 2009 at 07:56 | #35

      I agree with Candi’s suggestion to provide a one-stop service center, particularly for the most common tasks. Also, consolidating government web content seems critical to simplifying the public experience–when you find multiple government sources on the same topic, a simple search for information can quickly become complicated.

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    • cibacher
      Dec 15th, 2009 at 17:25 | #36

      One thing that I didn’t find on USA.gov was no way to really get sense of the breadth of the government, where it “sits” physically, etc. Instead of a straight links site, a mapping combo a la the ARRA money tracker.

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    • pg
      Dec 17th, 2009 at 11:53 | #37

      Agree with Candi on “government service center” approach. However, there is still a unique need for a trusted, official gateway to official US gov websites – a browseable gateway that winnows out the billions of non-gov sites in the unbrowseable indexes of general search engines. But, as Candi said, ‘links directory’ need not be USA.gov’s only role.

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  25. Dec 7th, 2009 at 16:07 | #38

    Great new Feedback blog here. First suggestion: Make the “Share” widget pop up instead of losing this window. People will forget where they were and go on to other things.

    While the traditional Red/White/Blue is good, some softer edges and modular colors would be nice. Like the ones in this blog. For content, I really like the direction of http://apps.gov. ;-)

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  26. sarahroper
    Dec 7th, 2009 at 14:28 | #39

    I’d really like to hear from our colleagues in other agencies about look and feel choices. It seems that more and more websites are moving away from the traditional “official” color palettes and into design schemes that are much more pleasing aesthetically. At USA.gov we chose the red, white, and blue color scheme as a way of reinforcing the idea that we’re a government website — but I think it may be time to re-evaluate that choice. These days, the color scheme looks outdated and incongruent with industry standard.
    What do you all think? Can/should we move away from the red, white, and blue? Any advice from webmasters who have done so?

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    • rachelgsa
      Dec 11th, 2009 at 11:31 | #40

      I like the ‘red, white & blue’ for USA.gov. Those are the colors on our flag, and USA.gov IS the official home page for the US Govt. Makes me feel patriotic whenever I visit the site. :)

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      • candi harrison
        Dec 12th, 2009 at 19:18 | #41

        I agree with Rachel. I think citizens expect red, white, and blue. But here’s the thing…I think we have much bigger fish to fry than worrying about the colors. In fact, I think – at this point – design is the least important thing. The important thing is: what IS USA.gov? I think we have to address the identity before we worry about what it wears. (Uhh…I hope that didn’t come across too snarky because I really didn’t mean it that way.)

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    • laura godfrey
      Dec 14th, 2009 at 19:25 | #42

      I agree that today’s trend is to move away from the traditional red, white and blue flag colors. Government sites such as whitehouse.gov, hud.gov, cdc.gov, fema.gov (to name a few) chose a softer palette – blue and white, which I think has two advantages:

      It’s easier on the eyes, and
      May help unify a government look

      I recently observed participants during a usability test on a government webiste, and the unanimous comment on this new type of site and color scheme was that it was very appealing, clean, and official. I do think it’s time to reconsider the colors and maybe achieve an official, softer, clean and immediately recognizable look for government websites.

      I agree with Candi that we need to address the identity of USA.gov, that is very important. But part of our identity as government sites is our look, not just our content – I do not think of those two things as mutually exclusive.

      just my 2 cents :-)

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    • cibacher
      Dec 15th, 2009 at 17:18 | #43

      The current site is nice, but it would be good to mix it up. Doing something like the Bing front page on Holidays or once per month.

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  27. rsmudde
    Dec 2nd, 2009 at 16:50 | #44

    Make USA.gov pages shorter and more focused

    Pages on USA.gov are rather long, and can be hard to navigate. I think we should focus on the absolute best links on a given topic, and then move the rest to a child page (perhaps based on faceted navigation, as suggested in another idea). That way a user can access the health page, for example, and easily get to Medline Plus and other key sites without having to find them on a page with dozen’s of links. These links should then have a detailed description (maybe with a mini-screenshot?). Other, more granular links can then be found on one-or-more child pages (such as “more health links”) to ensure the long-tail is taken care of.

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    • karentrebon
      Dec 9th, 2009 at 17:13 | #45

      This is consistent with joint market research we conducted with Forrester. In a survey of over 5,000 citizens, 41% said “place most frequently requested information at the top of the page” was one of the improvements most needed on government web sites.

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  28. rsmudde
    Dec 2nd, 2009 at 16:49 | #46

    Expand to other languages besides English and Spanish

    Some agencies, like EPA and CDC, provide information in other languages. Maybe under the “For Visitors to the U.S.” there could be links to various languages, written in the corelating characters.

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  29. rsmudde
    Dec 2nd, 2009 at 16:49 | #47

    Widgetize content so it can be re-used on other websites

    It would be cool if relevant/timely/useful content on USA.gov and GobiernoUSA.gov could be widgetize so individuals and other sites could grab and post on their own sites, blogs, igoogle pages, etc… For example, making the Features box on USA.gov/GobiernoUSA.gov a widget would be a great way to continue making our content more shareable.

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  30. rsmudde
    Dec 2nd, 2009 at 16:49 | #48

    Use USA.gov’s Facebook page to answer questions from citizens

    If we’re reaching out to people already on FB and Twitter, why make them come to usa.gov/gobiernousa.gov, ask them to send an email with their questions/comment or make a phone call if they can connect with us from where they are and where they found us. Right now, we’re mostly pushing information via social media channels but I would love to see us answering questions, interacting with people and engaging in a true dialogue right on Facebook and Twitter. For that we could leverage the expertise of the NCC, invite key people from other agencies to participate in certain discussions, and have people from the usa.gov/gobiernousa.gov team become community managers of these channels.

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    • jedsundwall
      Dec 15th, 2009 at 15:52 | #49

      I love this idea!

      It’s time that we dedicate resources to answer people’s questions directly, where they’re asking them, in public forums (like our FB and Twitter channels), and in plain language. We’re planning to pilot this very soon.

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      • Dec 18th, 2009 at 23:31 | #50

        Wishing you well in the effort to answer questions in FB and Twitter. Hope you’ll put some of those answers in your great FAQ engine when warranted.

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  31. Dec 27th, 2009 at 08:22 | #51

    Although we appreciate your interest in improving the federal government, our role with this dialog website is only to help improve the public’s access to government information through USA.gov. Your comment is not on topic for the purpose of this site. Feel free to review USA.gov and to comment again on how we can change it to help meet your needs. Thank you.

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