Merge pull request #971 from usds/staging

Impact Report to main

_includes/_template--report-to-congress.html

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
     <span class="site-c-flag">
       {% unless page.front %}
         {% assign current_report = site.reports_to_congress | sort: "front" | where: "report", page.report | reverse | first %}
-        <a href="{{ site.baseurl }}{{ current_report.url }}">{{ page.report }} Report to Congress</a>
+        <a href="{{ site.baseurl }}{{ current_report.url }}">{{ page.report }} Impact Report</a>
         {% if page.agency %}&bull;{% endif %}
       {% endunless %}
        {% if page.agency %}{{ page.agency }}{% endif %}</span>
@@ -44,6 +44,21 @@ <h1>{{ page.title }}</h1>
     <div class="tablet:grid-col-8 desktop:grid-col-9 margin-bottom-9 tablet:padding-right-4 site-c-report-to-congress">
       {{ content }}
 
+      {% if page.impact_statement %}
+        <h3>By the numbers</h3>
+          <div class="site-c-cards margin-x-neg-2 grid-row flex-wrap">
+            {% for item in page.impact_statement %}
+            <div class="padding-x-2 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-6 flex-align-stretch margin-bottom-3">
+              <div cass="site-c-card">
+                <span class="text-primary text-bold font-body-3xl">{{ item.figure }}</span><span
+                  class="text-primary text-bold font-body-2xl">{{ item.unit}}</span>
+              </div>
+              <div>{{ item.description | replace: 'site.baseurl', site.baseurl | markdownify }}</div>
+            </div>
+            {% endfor %}
+          </div>
+      {% endif %}
+
       {% if page.previous_entry %}
         {% assign previous_entry = site.reports_to_congress | where: "url", page.previous_entry | first %}
         {% if previous_entry %}
@@ -60,18 +75,10 @@ <h1>{{ page.title }}</h1>
           <a href="{{ site.baseurl }}{{ section.url }}">{% if section.short %}{{ section.short }}{% else %}{{ section.title }}{% endif %}</a>
         </li>
       {% endfor %}
-        <li class="pdf"><a href="{{ site.baseurl }}/resources/USDS-{{ page.report | replace: " ", "-" }}-Report-to-Congress.pdf">Download the<br/>full report (PDF)</a></li>
+        <li class="pdf"><a href="{{ site.baseurl }}/resources/USDS-{{ page.report | replace: " ", "-" }}-Impact-Report.pdf">Download the<br/>full report (PDF)</a></li>
       </ul>
 
-      <h4>Reports to Congress</h4>
-      <ul>
-        {% assign reports = site.reports_to_congress | where: "front", true | reverse %}
-        {% for report in reports %}
-        <li>
-          <a href="{{ site.baseurl }}{{ report.url }}">{{ report.report_title }}</a>
-        </li>
-        {% endfor %}
-      </ul>
+
     </div>
   </div>
-</div>
+</div>

_reports_to_congress/2024/01_letter.md

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+---
+layout: default
+title: 2024 Impact Report
+short: Hearing from our Administrator
+report: 2024
+report_title: 2024 Impact Report
+permalink: /impact-report/2024/
+front: true
+---
+## A note from our Administrator 
+
+Since the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) was founded in 2014, we have jumped in to help tackle the most challenging technology implementation problems across the government, bringing top-notch technical talent into government and partnering with federal agencies to get things done right for the public.
+
+Our work has spanned 31 agencies and over one hundred programs, with profound impacts—including helping working families, Veterans, refugees, students, children, small businesses and retirees. We have helped make their lives easier and the departments that serve them more efficient and effective. Along the way, we have opened doors for agencies to think differently about what is possible by encouraging them to ask questions like:
+
+- How can technology simplify rather than complicate their work and services?
+- How can they increase efficiency while decreasing IT spending?
+- How can they use technology tools to make their services more accessible to their customers and build trust with the public?  
+
+I have been here for six of the nearly ten transformational years and have seen the changes. Some things have stayed the same—we still jump in and roll up our sleeves to tackle tech challenges from the ground up, debugging networks, running scrums, using technologies better, and testing tools with real users. But over that time, we have also demonstrated the ability to catalyze broader transformational change. Through consistent on-the-ground execution and agency commitment to building a stronger technology organization, we have helped enable agencies like the VA and CMS  by building in-house digital services teams who’ve improved service delivery and increased trust with the American public. Other agencies have taken note and are working with USDS to scope an internal digital service capacity. 
+
+The most important thing we have done, and continue to do, is to bring top-notch tech talent into the federal government and retain it. Over the last decade, we have recruited over 700 Digital Service Experts into federal service. They understand the transformational impact they can have by bringing their expertise to the federal government to work on services that change lives. 
+
+Yet even at our current size – the largest in our history – we now get far more requests for USDS’s help and engagement than we can meet. This is a sign of shifting expectations and ambitions, but also reflects a vast need for more technical talent across the government.
+
+This report demonstrates the tremendous impact that USDS has had and serves as a call to action for all of us to find a way to do even more. In the pages that follow, you’ll see how building the right teams can catalyze a 53% increase in customer satisfaction at Social Security Administration (SSA), can reliably deliver 750 million COVID-19 tests across the country, and change how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collects data to make us ready for the next pandemic. 
+
+The return on investment for technical talent in government is huge. USDS is the proof of concept and leader at the highest level, bringing technical expertise and driving enormous improvements across the government. We are excited to share these stories of impact and even more excited about the impact yet to come.  
+
+Sincerely, 
+
+Mina Hsiang
+
+*Administrator, The U.S. Digital Service* 
+

_reports_to_congress/2024/02_intro.md

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+---
+layout: default
+title: 2024 Impact Report
+short: How USDS delivers
+report: 2024
+report_title: 2024 Impact Report
+permalink: /impact-report/2024/intro
+---
+## For the people, by the people 
+
+*USDS delivers better government services to the American people through technology and design.* 
+
+### The people at USDS
+
+USDS is a group of skilled technology professionals who work on short-term appointments to implement best practices from the private sector into the federal government. They aim to improve how government services are delivered to millions of Americans and federal employees by providing new technology perspectives and using their expertise in designing, creating, and implementing appropriate technology solutions. The talented team at USDS possesses unique capabilities, enabling agencies to accomplish their goals and objectives better.
+
+### How USDS works with agencies
+
+Agencies are where the real work happens. To support their work and evolution, USDS partners with agencies by assigning small, interdisciplinary teams to work hand-in-hand with agency staff and contractors to deliver critical programs through technology and design. USDS can help an agency procure new technology, improve existing systems, or develop its own technical capacity, and learn by doing the work together. USDS transfers knowledge and expertise to agency staff, helps them hire additional talent, evolves their processes, and updates expectations. As the agency builds the right capabilities, USDS staff are recalled to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned to another project.
+
+Since its founding, USDS has collaborated with 31 federal agencies. It has four project categories in its portfolio:
+
+-    **Agency transformation**: Agencies looking to modernize or transform their technical capabilities come to USDS for help with implementation, process evolution, and technical staffing expertise.
+-   **Policy implementation consultation**: As part of OMB, USDS provides perspective on the technology implications of policy decisions.
+-    **Program implementation**: USDS helps agencies design and establish new programs or capabilities.
+-    **Rapid response**: In response to urgent situations, USDS deploys teams quickly across the interagency to solve critical problems. This can be in response to situations such as infant formula shortages or a national security need. 
+
+### The long-term value and impact of USDS
+
+USDS enables the government to consistently deliver digital services to the American public, catalyzing long-term change and resulting in secure, efficient, and mission-serving technology. Over the last 10 years, USDS has partnered with agencies to deliver material improvements to the American public. Some of the short- and long-term impacts include: 
+
+-  18.25 million Veterans able to use simpler, more accessible tools for health and benefit services
+-  53% increase in customer satisfaction for 180 million annual SSA.gov visitors
+-  Over 749 million free COVID-19 tests delivered 
+-  130% increase in the number of rural and under-resourced families with broadband internet through the Affordable Connectivity Program 
+-  388 million bottles of infant formula, imported in a crisis, and deployed to the places that needed it most based on new data and analytics
+-  900+ acquisition professionals who are now prepared to skillfully and efficiently help the government buy technology products and services, due to their certification through Digital IT Acquisition Professional training program (DITAP)
+
+The following examples demonstrate the breadth of issues USDS has been working to address, the diverse range of roles it has played, and the significant impact it has had so far. The 2024 USDS Impact Report outlines ten USDS projects and their implications. Upon reflection of the progress that USDS has made possible, it is evident that there have been tangible improvements in government services. However, more work must be done to enhance government services for the American public.

_reports_to_congress/2024/03_ssa.md

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+---
+layout: default
+title: Increasing customer satisfaction on SSA.gov by 53%
+short: Continuously improving SSA.gov
+report: 2024
+permalink: /impact-report/2024/ssa/
+
+# Impact statement (Edit this)
+impact_statement:
+  - figure: "$285"
+    unit: "M"
+    description: |-
+      in projected estimated savings over five years in infrastructure expenses
+
+  - figure: "99"
+    unit: "%"
+    description: |-
+      uptime since the launch in December 2022 (The amount of time a service or system is available and operational)
+
+  - figure: "50.2"
+    unit: "%"
+    description: |-
+      of customers start an online application after learning they are eligible through the newly revamped, straightforward eligibility screening process
+
+  - figure: "1"
+    unit: "M"
+    description: |-
+      more logins per week since relaunch of SSA.gov in December 2022
+
+  - figure: "53"
+    unit: "%"
+    description: |-
+      increase in customer satisfaction from the relaunch of SSA.gov in December 2022 to September 2023
+---
+
+#### Social Security Administration
+
+### Challenge
+
+The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) website is visited by 180 million people annually seeking information and services, making it the second-most visited federal website. It is essential for accessing and managing benefits such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Retirement benefits for more than 72 million people and maintaining personal records, including Social Security numbers.
+
+Before its relaunch in December 2022, SSA's former website contained over 78,000 content pages, though most customer traffic was spread over fewer than 100 pages. Sometimes redundant and complicated information could drive customers to seek in-person assistance at local Social Security offices or by phone, two service channels that faced staffing shortages and technology challenges. Staying committed to improving the customer experience, SSA recognized the need to revamp its website to make its programs more accessible and transparent.
+
+In 2021, SSA enlisted USDS for its track record of helping agencies deliver government services quickly, reliably, and cost effectively. Using leading technology and design approaches, USDS helped SSA meet its goals of improving customer experience, adopting a modern content platform, and building long-term agency capacity.
+
+<blockquote class="pullquote" markdown="1">
+We have millions of people visiting the site, some during challenging times in their lives, so there is a deep sense of responsibility to improve their experience.
+ <footer>– Suran De Silva, Director, Web Strategy at SSA
+</footer>
+</blockquote>
+
+### Solution
+
+USDS partnered with SSA to observe customers and discover how they engaged with the SSA website. Collected insights informed recommendations for design and modern development practices to ensure customers can better use the website to complete high-priority tasks such as
+
+- apply for benefits,
+- sign up for Medicare, and
+- apply for SSI
+
+The partnership created momentum to improve service delivery through several technical building blocks:
+
+- **Task-focused information architecture** transformed a static homepage with broad categories of topics to a simpler interface with actionable links for common tasks such as applying for benefits, signing up for Medicare, and checking eligibility.
+- A **conversational eligibility screener** replaced complicated policy language, creating a more user-friendly eligibility process. As a result, 50.2% of SSA customers start an online application when they discover they may be eligible for benefits.
+- **Clear, organized content** in plain language provides reliable, consistent information to customers so they can make critical decisions. One million more customers per week log into SSA.gov to complete tasks, and less time is wasted second-guessing and interpreting complicated language.
+- Building a **modern development infrastructure** that includes a content management system, a content delivery network, and cloud services is expected to save taxpayers an estimated $285 million over five years. Enhancing the site's performance and reliability has replaced expensive and time-consuming development support.
+- Implementing the **U.S. Web Design System** has increased mobile device usability, removing the need for customers to sift through pages of lengthy content.
+
+### Impact
+
+USDS’s most impactful contribution to its partnership with SSA was advocating for the agency to establish a cross-disciplinary team to continue the digital transformation. The new team establishes sustainable standards and processes, shares research findings, and develops data-driven strategies to improve design and development solutions for the public.
+
+#### Visit [SSA.gov](https://www.ssa.gov/){:target="\_blank"} to see the live result of the partnership between USDS and SSA.

_reports_to_congress/2024/04_covid-reporting.md

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+---
+layout: default
+title: Building software tools that saved frontline COVID-19 testers 400,000 hours 
+short: Building software with CDC 
+report: 2024
+permalink: /impact-report/2024/covid-reporting/
+
+# Impact statement (Edit this)
+impact_statement:
+  - figure: "15K"
+    unit: "+"
+    description: |-
+      facilities connected to CDC’s test data reporting platforms
+
+  - figure: "40+"
+    unit: "M"
+    description: |-
+      COVID-19 test results sent to public health departments
+
+  - figure: "45"
+    unit: "+"
+    description: |-
+      local, state, tribal and territorial public health departments using Simple Report and/or Report Stream
+
+  - figure: "400"
+    unit: "K"
+    description: |-
+      working hours saved from 2020-2022
+      
+  - figure: "8"
+    unit: ""
+    description: |-
+      weeks from start of project to first Simple Report test result delivered
+---
+####  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
+
+###  Challenge
+
+In the early months of 2020, the U.S. was hit hard by COVID-19. After over [118,000 cases in 114 countries and 4,291 deaths](https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html){:target="_blank"}, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. With the virus spreading rapidly and invisibly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) struggled to track active COVID-19 cases across states, territories, and tribal nations to understand it better and contain its spread.
+
+CDC needed two functions that didn’t exist: user-friendly software for frontline workers to collect COVID-19 test results and automation that would route those results to the appropriate municipality and then to CDC. 
+
+### Solution
+
+Working alongside volunteers and workers at temporary and pop-up testing sites, USDS collaborated with CDC and quickly deployed teams to observe, prototype, and build software tools nationwide in six weeks to meet demand. In the field, the project teams employed multiple approaches to develop a product to solve critical issues:
+
+- Observing and interviewing government workers from over 20 local and state public health departments to understand their needs.
+
+- Building, testing, and improving the tools to address the identified needs over time.
+
+The project team spoke to more than 100 people during the process and gained insights that led to developing functional and time-saving products, improving the ability to test more efficiently. CDC and USDS iteratively built and adjusted the software tools based on feedback from stakeholders and users.
+
+Using innovative thinking and technology best practices, the project team built two browser-based software tools that are easily deployable, cost-effective, fast, and accessible from any computer:
+
+- **Simple Report** allows testing sites to collect and store test results and speed up workflow.
+
+- **Report Stream** standardizes and routes test results from testing sites to the correct public health departments. These public health departments can send results easily to CDC for further data analysis.
+
+###  Impact
+
+As of early 2024, Report Stream routed more than 40 million COVID-19 test results to the correct public health departments, significantly increasing the data available for monitoring disease outbreaks and improving the accuracy and speed of reporting. 
+
+The Simple Report system has connected with over 15,000 testing sites, including non-traditional healthcare organizations such as schools, nursing homes, and cruise ships. These software tools have saved workers countless hours of manual labor. Furthermore, they have been repurposed for other viral diseases such as Mpox and seasonal flu outbreaks.
+
+This rapid response project began a years-long partnership between USDS and CDC, setting the stage for future high-impact projects like Vaccines.gov/Vacunas.gov and the further modernization of CDC systems.
+
+#### Visit [USDS.gov/projects](https://www.usds.gov/projects){:target="_blank"} to learn more about the partnership between USDS and the CDC.
+