Trump Signs Executive Order to Enhance Government Design

On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order with the intention of enhancing both the usability and visual appeal of the spaces serving the federal government, both online and offline.

This signing took place during a Closed Door Signing Session, meaning the media weren’t invited. The order kicks off an initiative termed “America by Design.” According to a fact sheet from the White House, this includes the establishment of a National Design Studio.

• This order defines the roles of National Design Studios and Chief Design Officers, focusing on design improvements within federal spaces, both digital and physical.
  • The National Design Studio aims to minimize redundant design costs, utilize standardized designs, and significantly enhance the public’s interaction with government services.
  • The Chief Design Officer is tasked with attracting top-tier designers from the private sector to aid this initiative.
• The order instructs agency heads to collaborate with the Chief Design Officer to launch American-specific design initiatives across agencies.
  • This includes refining websites and physical interfaces, as well as updating the US Web Design System (USWDS) to ensure compliance across 21 government sectors.

In the executive order, Trump pointed out that “the government is falling behind in both ease of use and aesthetics” and highlighted “the necessity to address digital gaps across the nation.”

As per the White House, there are around 26,000 federally managed websites in the country.

It was noted that “legacy government systems are notoriously costly to maintain, causing time and resource waste for Americans,” and that “poorly designed digital and physical interfaces diminish public trust in essential federal service providers.”

According to the fact sheet, Americans have already seen improvements from the Trump administration’s initiatives to modernize federal services, with notable reductions in veteran backlogs, now decreased by 37%. Similar improvements have also been observed in Social Security Services, as stated last week by Trump and the White House.