We work hard to ensure that the state’s information and services should be easily accessible for all Georgians. That means content is written in Plain Language. It means we support the most recent accessibility standards to ensure those with disabilities have an easier time using our products. A major focus of our outreach efforts to agencies is about accessibility – both because it’s the law and because we believe strongly that everyone who is entitled to state services should be able to get them. This emphasis on accessibility is tied directly to GTA’s 2025 IT Vision statement.

Our values are also evident in our design and development of the state’s official website, Georgia.gov. The site showcases the capabilities of our flagship product, GovHub, and contains the breadth of state government in one place. For many Georgians, it’s their starting point for state information and services. We provide clear, SEO-friendly information on top tasks and continually create new content that anticipates constituent needs, such as for the midterm elections, Covid, and cash-assistance cards. In addition, we post timely information on Georgia.gov’s Twitter and Facebook channels and respond to every constituent message.

Innovation is one of our tenets. We are not afraid to experiment and tackle problems with appropriate solutions. We take a methodical approach to trying new things until we find the right answer. This is how we built and continuously improve GovHub and how we tackle new work. We’re members of a larger civic tech community around the world that believes open digital government can improve efficiency and outcomes. Our client agencies rely on us to be abreast of trends, and we teach others what we learn through quarterly webinars, our Digital Academy program, annual GovTalks conference, blogs, and other training classes.

At the beginning of the Covid pandemic, we quickly piloted a chatbot on Georgia.gov, DPH, and DOL to help quell call center volume by providing answers to the most common questions from panicked constituents. We continued to improve the bot and tested several other vendor platforms to find a more long-term solution that complemented GovHub. For every initiative or engagement, we take the same disciplined approach. Our process ensures efficiency, transparency, and repeatability.

“DSGa guided our internal data team toward best practice coding and assisted us with setting up some testing…which was exactly what we needed to do to be able to assess the impact of changing design and approach.”

Malenka Warner,
Director of Communications,
Governor’s Office of Student Achievement

Nothing gets to the heart of digital services more than our commitment to putting the constituent first. When envisioning a new Georgia.gov, we engaged IDEO, a consultancy that is known for its human-centered approach to solving problems. That work became foundational to how we think about the products we build and the people we serve. Unlike in the private sector, people often don’t have a choice about whether to interact with government websites. By having a full understanding of who, how, and why Georgians use our products, we can make those experiences as frictionless as possible.

One way we do that is by testing. Our team of UX and content strategists maps user journeys through our websites to make sure people are able to complete their tasks quickly and with confidence. This builds trust and makes their experience with the government as painless as possible. At the start of every agency engagement, we dive deep into the audience before attempting to offer a technology solution. At every turn, we measure our performance. To say this is uncommon in state government is an understatement. But Georgia is not like other states. The Georgia Analytics Program (GAP) leverages our third-party Siteimprove product to provide agencies with real-time data to ensure content quality, increase accessibility, and improve SEO. Through our GAP Consultation, we teach agencies to use data to drive their decision-making.