GovBenefits.gov: A Case Study in Government-to-Citizen Interaction

Abstract

This case study examines how 10 federal agencies came together in the fall of 2001 to implement an e-government initiative as part of President George W. Bush’s Presidential Management Agenda. The initiative, known as GovBenefits.gov™, is a Web site that connects citizens to 1,000 (390 federal and 610 state government) benefit and assistance programs. Through a series of personal interviews and an examination of program documentation, the case study explores the people, technology, and processes used to launch and maintain the Web site. The author arrives at five lessons learned, which are: (1) Establish a clear value proposition; (2) Develop shared risk and rewards; (3) Develop tangible results quickly; (4) Use creativity to get the word out; and (5) Don’t stop innovating.