In most cases, governmental websites are not easy to navigate. But that is what the state of Pennsylvania intends to change for its citizens, as they announced that they would create a new digital services office. Its main objective will be to enhance the digital alternatives, moving away from paperwork. Here is what we know about this new service, at this point in time.
Trying to solve Numerous Difficulties for Pennsylvania Residents
The governor of Pennsylvania acknowledged, during his press conference announcing the creation of CODE PA, that there were still many barriers for the residents in his state, when it comes to the services that they offer. One of the main reasons is that there is still too much paperwork involved when applications could and should be available online. In fact, trying to obtain certified or legalized documents can still be quite complicated, which is why it is easier to go through a company offering apostille services in Pennsylvania, in order to get them rapidly.
Those difficulties are quite varied. It starts with accessibility. In a time when you can basically be efficient 24 hours a day, thanks to the internet, residents of Pennsylvania often have to be in touch with their state, in regards to their services, during daily opening hours. Also, the language that is used in communication relating to the services, is still too complex. The new employees of the digital services office will need to find a way to make it more comprehensible to all. To that purpose, they will also need to provide translations, for those who are not entirely fluent in English. Finally, the design of the websites for PCs and mobile phones needs to be improved, in order to make it easier for visitors to find what they are looking for, without wasting time on endless searches. In other words, the digital services of the state of Pennsylvania should soon be user-friendly, thanks to CODE PA.
Who will be part of CODE PA’s Team?
It is a well-known fact that the director is the person that will dictate the way a service is run. To make sure that everything would go smoothly, Pennsylvania state has called upon Bryanna Pardoe to take on the task of managing the new team at CODE PA. Her experience as director of web and digital experience at Main Line Health, based in Philadelphia, should ensure that the new office should reach its objectives in a short-term. Since her focus was on improving accessibility and simplifying patients’ appointments in her latest job, we can assume that she will continue in this direction.
Her role will be to lead a team made of data scientists, user experience (UX) designers, software engineers and product managers. Applications for these jobs were made available until May 10 and are now closed. There are six manager jobs to be filled as well, which are: head of user experience, head of front-end development, head of back-end development, head of operations and procurement, head of product management, as well as head of quality, analytics and infrastructure.
