Discovering the Impact of Human-Centered Design at the IRS
Working in civic technology and experiencing design in a whole new light
When people think about design and technology, they usually envision the big tech companies. But how could they not? We are immersed in the incredible digital products these companies have created — they are experts in incentivizing us to experience their appealing platforms.
That was my perception as well when I first switched into the design field — I didn’t realize there was another realm of technology: utilizing human-centered design for social impact in civic tech.
You may be asking, what’s civic tech? I, too, was pretty clueless about it a few months ago. Civic tech uses the power of technology to cultivate and enrich communication between the government and the people they serve. This past summer, I had the privilege of diving into this field as a Civic Digital Fellow. This Fellowship provides opportunities for students interested in using their data science, software engineering, product management, and design skills to solve pressing problems in federal agencies. Each Fellow is assigned to a department within a specific agency, where they can best apply their talents.
A Pleasant Surprise
In my case, this meant coming in as a User Experience (UX) Design Fellow for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Since I had very little knowledge about civic tech and limited interaction with the government, I had no idea what to expect. Mentions of the IRS don’t exactly bring up warm and fuzzy feelings — people just don’t like taxes. However, I was ecstatic for the opportunity to apply my learnings for societal betterment — this is what drew me to this Fellowship in the first place.
Thankfully, the IRS welcomed me with open arms on my first day and reassured me of the benefits of coming in with a fresh, open mind. I also quickly realized that the agency had a division within its Office of Online Services (OLS), dedicated to User Experience and Design (UXD). I knew there were other designers in the office, but an entire department? That blew my mind.
Wait — the IRS has a UXD department?
Yes, you read it right! The IRS has an official User Experience and Design office, whose designers improve taxpayers’ processes by establishing a consistent user experience and enhancing usability across all digital products and services.
Throughout the summer, I was able to discuss the agency’s digital products with product analysts and UX analysts; you may have even used some of these services, like Tax Withholding Estimator (TWE), Free File, and Online Account. It was incredible learning the reasoning behind their design implementations — they were explicitly incorporating taxpayer feedback from usability testing sessions and survey data to drive their product development and modifications!
That’s when I recognized how dedicated the IRS is to serving the people, and how they uphold the human-centered design thinking process so deeply within their agency. These designers are determined to dig out pain points with current products to ensure their user’s needs are met. Let’s not forget — the IRS designers are taxpayers too, which allows them to build even more empathy with end-users. This allowed me to take a big sigh of relief and gratitude.
My Fellowship project consisted of an individual assessment of the IRS’s most-utilized digital products. This prompted me to ask UX Analyst, Kira Prin, if I could sit in on a few of her usability testing sessions for TWE — one of the services I was evaluating. This service, which the IRS recently developed, enables taxpayers to check how much tax they should withhold from their paycheck. Fortunately, she was happy to let me observe! I was thrilled as user testing sessions are one of my favorite activities. It allows the roles to reverse as you, the designer, become the student, and the user enlightens you about potential problem spots.
All of the users I observed expressed how delighted they were about the tool’s efficiency and convenience. Some emphasized that this tool makes the tax withholding process much easier to understand, and one user even eagerly stated they were going to use the service right after the session was over. These remarks pushed me to grasp how the IRS’s digital products can make such a meaningful impact on people’s lives. Because let’s face it, tax laws are confusing, which makes calculating taxes all the more frustrating.
But these digital products add value by helping the American people navigate through the complexity of tax laws — transforming those dreadful, bumpy interactions into smooth, effortless experiences.
Overall, it has been remarkable watching these designers dedicate themselves to achieving more efficient and effective services for taxpayers. The work they are doing is incredibly valuable, and I am so proud to say I have worked in this division.
It’s given me so many takeaways, but most importantly, it has taught me the significance of human-centered design thinking and the beneficial magnitude of civic tech.
Working for the government may not be for everybody, but I believe everyone in the tech field should try dipping their toe into civic tech. Because who knows? It may be a rewarding experience that you’ll never forget.
Thank you to the OLS Department, and especially to my supervisors Michael Lin and Tom Hsieh. You all have changed me for the better, and I will forever be your hype woman.
Irene Guo was a 2020 Civic Digital Fellow and served remotely as a UX Design Intern at the Internal Revenue Service. She is a senior at the University of California San Diego, studying Cognitive Science and Design. See her work at www.ireneguo.com, and connect with her on LinkedIn.
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