How 18F Remodeled Authorities Expertise and Why It...

The outcome was 18F, an in-house digital providers consulting company that introduced Silicon Valley experience to authorities, difficult many years of outdated procurement practices and introducing a radical new strategy to constructing digital public providers.

Based on March 19, 2014, by Presidential Innovation Fellows, 18F was housed inside the Technology Transformation Services division of the Basic Companies Administration, or GSA. The title 18F was derived from the deal with of GSA headquarters: 1800 F Avenue. On March 1, 2025, just some weeks shy of 18F’s eleventh anniversary, the Trump administration eliminated the agency and laid off its employees.

As a researcher who studies public administration and technology, I’ve noticed the transformational position 18F performed in authorities digital providers. The unit’s elimination raises the query of what the way forward for these providers will seem like.

Affect of 18F

18F served a singular position as an in-house digital consultancy for the U.S. authorities, drawing on progressive methods to enhance public service by way of know-how. Inside 18F, groups consisting of designers, software program engineers, strategists and product managers labored along with federal, state and native companies to not solely repair technical issues however to construct, purchase and share know-how that helped to modernize and enhance the general public’s expertise with authorities providers.

Over practically 11 years, 18F constructed a powerful portfolio of profitable digital initiatives that reworked how folks work together with the U.S. authorities. Even when the typical individual is unfamiliar with 18F, the percentages are fairly excessive that they’ve no less than encountered one in every of its many services or products.

For instance, 18F supported the Inner Income Service in creating IRS Direct File, a free on-line tax submitting instrument that gives taxpayers with a simplified submitting course of. As of as we speak, IRS Direct File is available in 25 states and is expected to serve 30 million eligible taxpayers through the 2025 tax submitting season.

18F has been pivotal in modernizing and securing digital methods to assist create extra streamlined and safe consumer experiences for the general public. As an illustration, Login.gov is a safe single sign-on platform that simplifies entry to a number of authorities providers for customers.

Maybe probably the most notable of 18F’s modernization efforts that touches practically each facet of presidency as we speak is the U.S. Web Design System. The great design system was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Digital Service in 2015. It helps help dozens of companies and makes nearly 200 websites extra accessible and attentive to consumer wants.

How 18F labored

What set 18F aside was its strategy. Fairly than spending years on large info know-how contracts that always didn’t ship, 18F championed agile development. Agile and lean methodologies have been fashionable in Silicon Valley startups and software program corporations for many years as a consequence of their flexibility and deal with fast iteration.

By making use of agile growth rules, 18F targeted on breaking down giant initiatives into manageable items with incremental enhancements based mostly on frequent consumer suggestions. This strategy allowed steady adaptation spurred by consumer suggestions and altering necessities whereas lowering danger.

One other cornerstone of 18F’s progressive strategy was its deal with user-centered design. By specializing in the wants of the individuals who truly used authorities providers, 18F was capable of transcend merely satisfying technical necessities to design digital merchandise that have been extra accessible and user-friendly. The thought was to grasp the tip customers and the issues they encountered to be able to successfully design merchandise and options that addressed their wants. It additionally aimed to offer a constant consumer expertise and earn the customers’ belief within the providers.

By prioritizing open-source growth and collaboration, 18F additionally helped to make authorities IT extra reasonably priced. Making undertaking code clear meant that companies may reuse the code and scale back the price of duplicate growth efforts throughout companies and ranges of presidency.

18F additionally had a hand in serving to companies develop their very own know-how capability, whether or not by educating them easy methods to construct software program utilizing open-source growth and agile methodologies or by educating companies easy methods to rent and oversee know-how distributors themselves. This mannequin was particularly helpful for state and native companies following 18F’s expansion in 2016 to offer providers to state and native authorities companies that obtain federal funding.

Finish of an period

The elimination of 18F marks the tip of an period, elevating issues about each present and future know-how initiatives. As of now, there doesn’t look like a succession plan, leaving many federal companies without ongoing support for his or her digital transformation efforts. Critics additionally argue that the lack of 18F means the loss of significant technical expertise inside the authorities.

These adjustments come at a time when companies are experiencing substantial personnel shifts, rendering digital providers doubtlessly much more crucial. As companies brace for extra personnel cuts, the general public could have to rely extra on digital providers to fill the hole amid rising staffing shortages.

Because the information was introduced, present and former 18F crew members in addition to advocates of the unit have taken to social media platforms, together with X (previously Twitter), Bluesky, and LinkedIn, to share tales of its successes, honor its legacy and share 18F resources.

Kayla Schwoerer, Assistant Professor of Public Administration & Coverage, University at Albany, State University of New York

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