GOVTalks Spring 2025

On May 13th, we hosted our 18th GOVTalks event with the day's theme centered on digital accessibility and compliance with the Department of Justice's 2026 deadline. Here’s a recap of each session, along with resource links. 

Video recordings will be available soon.

The Next Iteration of GovHub: Progress & What’s Ahead

Jasmyne Epps, Director of GovHub

Over the past year, GovHub has continued to grow and evolve as Georgia’s trusted digital publishing platform. Product Director Jasmyne Epps shared that her team launched five new government websites and saw millions of visitors engage with online services and content — most of them finding information through search engines. GovHub also handled huge volumes of web traffic with ease, thanks to strong infrastructure and security. Editors across the platform have been working hard to improve content quality, while users have become more tech-savvy and expect government websites to be just as easy to use as commercial ones.

Looking to the future, the GovHub team is planning big improvements. This next phase — called GovHub 2 — will focus on making it easier for agencies to manage content, meet accessibility standards, and keep up with technology like AI and modern tools. Outdated features will be phased out, and new ones will be added based on research, feedback, and testing. One major focus is accessibility: agencies will get better tools and support to make sure their sites work for everyone. The team is also preparing for future updates to the platform, like the move to Drupal 11.

GovHub 2 isn’t being built in a bubble — agency partners are deeply involved through advisory committees and regular feedback sessions. The roadmap for the next few years includes accessibility improvements, easier editing tools, and smarter technology that aligns with state standards. Agencies are encouraged to get involved in shaping the future of the platform, whether by joining working groups or participating in user research. GovHub’s message is clear: it’s built for you — and with you — to help agencies serve the people of Georgia better online.

Taking It to the Next Level: Advanced Goal Setting in Siteimprove

Amanda de Zayas, Lead Content Strategist

Amanda de Zayas explained how each site receives a GAP score, which reflects performance in accessibility, SEO, and content quality. During consultations, her team helps agencies set SMART goals based on analytics, user needs, and pain points. The goal isn’t just to raise the score, but to improve the overall user experience by focusing on what really matters to people using the site.

To do this well, it’s important to look at the full picture. Amanda emphasized that numbers alone don’t tell the full story — you need to understand the context behind them. Metrics like bounce rate, traffic sources, and popular pages help reveal patterns, but agencies also need to think about how content is structured and how people actually use the site. She encouraged teams to prioritize quick, high-impact fixes, and to remember that improving accessibility and usability benefits all users.

The session wrapped up with practical resources and ways agencies can get help. Tools like the Siteimprove Help Center, DSGa’s knowledge base, and user testing support are all available to help teams understand their site’s strengths and weaknesses. Agencies can also access training on content design, workflow improvements, and goal-setting strategies. The key message: good digital content starts with a strong user experience, and success comes from thoughtful planning, consistent check-ins, and a willingness to keep learning.

Orchard Component Library: Accessibility on Easy Mode

Kat Marino, Orchard Product Manager

The Orchard Design System is a set of tools that make building accessible, consistent government websites faster and easier. Orchard is Georgia’s official design system — it includes ready-to-use code, reusable components, and layout templates that already follow accessibility best practices. Teams can simply copy and paste components into their websites, saving time and avoiding complex coding. Orchard is free, mobile-friendly, and built to scale, helping agencies stay consistent and compliant without needing a large development team.

Product Manager Kat Marino walked the audience through how to build a basic website using Orchard tools. Instead of coding everything from scratch, users can select colors, headers, layout templates, and interactive components — all with built-in accessibility. The system includes a Figma design library for quick mockups and offers guidance on when and how to use each component. The live demo showed how even non-technical users can create attractive, accessible pages with just a few steps.

Looking ahead, Orchard’s roadmap includes making it even easier to install through developer packages like NPM and expanding features based on agency feedback. The team emphasized that Orchard is shaped by the needs of the people using it, so agencies are encouraged to share their ideas. The takeaway was clear: Orchard helps agencies build better websites with less effort, and it's designed to remove barriers for both developers and the public they serve.

Don’t Guess, Test: Usability Testing for Content Success

Julie Fay, User Experience Analyst

Julie Fay’s session focused on the importance of usability testing — watching real people use your website to find out what works and what doesn’t. Unlike automated tests or analytics alone, usability testing shows how users behave when trying to complete common tasks. It reveals where people get stuck, confused, or frustrated, and helps teams understand why certain parts of a site may not be working as expected. One simple but powerful method is First Click Testing, which measures if users click the right place first — which strongly predicts overall success.

Julie explained that usability testing is especially valuable for government websites, where people rely on clear information and easy-to-use services. Testing helps uncover common problems, like unclear menus or misunderstood content, and can lead to fewer support calls and more satisfied users. She emphasized that people expect digital experiences to be easy — on par with private companies — and many government sites still have room to improve in accessibility, mobile usability, and user trust.

The process is simple and low-lift for agencies. We handle most of the work, from planning and recruiting testers to analyzing results and building an action plan. Each report includes specific feedback, behavior patterns, and a list of prioritized improvements. Usability testing complements data from tools like Siteimprove by showing the “why” behind the numbers. The session ended with a strong message: putting users at the center of content decisions makes editing easier, reduces guesswork, and leads to better government services.

Accessible Content for Everybody – and Every Bot

Will Alford, Director of Content

Government websites have evolved to better serve the public — everyone, not just the tech-savvy or able-bodied. Content Director Will Alford walks the audience through the brief history of digital services in government. He says that websites once acted like bulletin boards full of dense policy documents, and menus tended to be organized according to the agency’s internal org chart rather than user needs. A wave of reforms during the Obama Administration led to more thoughtful, user-centered digital strategies. Georgia has been ahead of the curve in this area, building accessible, service-oriented websites and embracing agile development, cross-functional teams, and design thinking.

Will emphasizes that accessibility and user-first design are not separate ideas — they’re tightly connected. Designing with empathy means recognizing that many users are navigating challenges: disability, language barriers, crises, or limited internet access. Accessibility isn't a feature to add at the end; it's a foundational part of digital service delivery. He urges teams to think about content as the service itself.

Finally, Will calls for a shift in how we manage and structure content. He introduces the metaphor of content as a river — it should flow freely across devices and platforms, not be boxed in like blocks on a desktop layout. Many users consume government content without ever visiting a government website. They ask Google or AI for help, and those systems rely on clean, structured, accessible content. This is why modern content strategy matters: to meet people where they are, comply with the law, support assistive technologies, and make information findable in an AI-driven world. His closing message is clear: accessible digital services are not optional — they're how government proves it works for everyone.

Understanding “The Why” in Accessibility

Kat Shaw, CPACC-certified Lead Engineer at Lullabot

The digital world is far too difficult for users with disabilities. It’s our job to fix that, says Kat Shaw. While we may think our bosses, stakeholders, or government regulations drive our decisions around digital accessibility, let’s not lose sight of who we are really working for: All of our users, including those with disabilities. One in four adults in the U.S. have one or more disabilities. The types can include auditory, visual, speech, cognitive, and physical limitations. Disabled users generally access web content via Assistive Technologies or Adaptive Strategies. The time to address accessibility is now: “Progress over perfection” is the mantra.

By understanding the challenges different groups face when accessing the web, developers can make simple adjustments that can have a big impact for disabled users. And if just doing the right thing isn’t enough of an incentive, there are legal and business reasons that make it imperative.

AI-Powered Accessibility Audits

Jenn Thom, Senior Director of Data Science at Code for America

Jenn Thom debuts a prototype developed by Code for America’s AI Studio to help government agencies manage the widespread issue of inaccessible PDFs on their websites. Jenn sets the stage by highlighting how common and problematic PDFs are — they're hard to maintain, frustrating for users, and often not accessible. With new federal accessibility rules taking effect in 2026, the urgency to address this problem has grown. The tool they built uses AI to scan government websites, identify all downloadable documents, and provide key information like titles, page counts, and recommended actions.

The demo features real-world examples from Salt Lake City and the State of Georgia, showing how the tool helps cities and states handle thousands of PDFs. Just being able to see all documents in one place was a breakthrough, making it easier to understand what to prioritize. The tool not only surfaces metadata but also suggests actions — like whether a document should be made accessible, converted, or archived — helping agencies use their limited resources more wisely. The AI tool’s ability to summarize visual-only documents and filter by type — such as forms — has been critical for focusing remediation efforts.

Accessibility Compliance: Get Ready for the 2026 Deadline

Mary Liebowitz, Lead Content Strategist

This session focused on helping agencies understand and prepare for the new federal accessibility requirements coming in 2026. These rules, based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA), will apply to all state and local government websites and digital content. Content Strategist Mary Liebowitz gave a clear reminder that accessibility isn’t just about webpages — it also includes uploaded documents like PDFs, spreadsheets, and images. Agencies need to start now by identifying what they have, figuring out what’s essential, and making sure everything is accessible.

Mary also walked through the foundational ideas behind digital accessibility, known as the P.O.U.R. principles: content must be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. That includes making sure websites are coded properly, use plain language, and ensure uploaded files are readable by everyone, including people who rely on screen readers. She explained common challenges, such as outdated files, limited team capacity, and the need for better content planning. To succeed, teams should allocate time, assign clear responsibilities, and train staff — or bring in help when needed.

To get ready, agencies should build a plan that includes reviewing current content, auditing accessibility, fixing issues, and setting up regular testing. Mary shared helpful resources on Georgia’s digital services website, including official documents, toolkits, and fact sheets. Her key message was that this is more than a one-time project — it’s an ongoing responsibility. With the right tools and support, agencies can meet the 2026 deadline and, more importantly, ensure that all Georgians can access public services online.

Related to: 

• Accessibility
• Conferences