How states procure benefits software, and why modernization projects run over budget
How public agencies buy benefits software, and why legacy systems, frozen requirements, and slow procurement push modernization projects over budget.
Civictech
Benefits portals, identity systems, case management platforms and agency data reviewed for usability, accessibility, procurement cost and past failures.
A beginner's guide to civic tech: how to join a project and build for the public good
Civic technology runs on volunteers. Here is how newcomers find a project, pick a first task, and contribute without breaking anything.
What is Login.gov, and why do some government websites require it?
A look at the federal sign-in system used by USAJOBS, Global Entry, and other agencies, and what auditors have found about how it's run.
How government benefit-finder tools match you to programs
Answer a short questionnaire about your life situation and the government's benefit finder returns a list of programs you may qualify for — here is how that matching works and what it does not do.
What data.gov is, and what agencies must publish on it
Data.gov is the federal government's public catalog of datasets, and since 2019 a law has required agencies to publish their data there in machine-readable, open formats.
What the Plain Writing Act requires of government documents
The 2010 law obligates federal agencies to write public documents in clear, usable prose — and it comes with a training mandate, a compliance page, and an annual report to Congress.