Usability in Government Systems

Chapter 1

A Brief History of User Experience in Government Systems

Laura L. Downey¹* and Sylvia Rosales^†

Fairfax, VA, USA*

Vienna, VA, USA^†

“I was taught that the way of progress is neither swift nor easy.”

— Marie Curie

Introduction

In the early days of user experience (UX), government participation occurred as a result of a specific government need, or with government organizations providing funding for research and innovation. In later years, government and those that did business with the government also realized the tangible benefits of UX in government systems. Benefits were often related to safety, accuracy, and productivity. From cockpit design and battle systems to sophisticated interactive training and information systems — military ...