Simplifying the 21st Century IDEA Act with a digital adoption platform
Let’s face it—government websites and digital services haven’t always been known for their user-friendliness. We’ve all experienced the frustration of hunting through a federal website for information or trying to complete what should be a simple online form.
Congress recognized this problem too, which is why they passed the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA) in 2018 establishing clear mandates for agencies to modernize their digital services and improve citizen experiences. For public sector leaders tasked with implementing these changes, the question isn’t whether to modernize, but how to do so effectively and efficiently within compliance requirements.
Understanding the 21st Century IDEA Act beyond compliance
The 21st Century IDEA Act isn’t simply another compliance hurdle—it’s a roadmap for delivering the digital government services citizens deserve.
At its core, the legislation aims to:
- Make government websites more accessible and user-friendly
- Digitize paper-based processes and forms
- Accelerate the adoption of electronic signatures
- Improve overall customer experience with federal digital services
- Standardize website design and functionality across agencies
While these goals might seem straightforward, implementing them across complex legacy systems presents significant challenges for many agencies, particularly those with limited IT resources or technical expertise.
Where digital adoption platforms come into play
This is where digital adoption platforms (DAPs) like WalkMe become game-changers. Think of a DAP as your digital transformation co-pilot—it helps guide both citizens and employees through new digital experiences without requiring you to rebuild everything from scratch.
By providing contextual guidance and automated assistance directly within applications and websites, DAPs offer agencies a powerful tool to accelerate IDEA Act compliance while improving consistent user experiences for both citizens and employees. For example, when a federal agency implemented WalkMe, they reduced support tickets by 35% and onboarding time by 60%.
| Fulfill IDEA Act mandates | |
| Requirement | How WalkMe helps |
| Government websites must be accessible, consistent in appearance, and secure. | Beyond these basics, sites must implement user-centered design based on data-driven analysis. But let’s say you don’t have the resources for a total redesign. WalkMe can layer guidance and accessibility features directly on top of your existing site, showing users exactly where to click and what to do next. WalkMe’s platform enables agencies to: – Layer accessibility features onto existing websites without extensive redevelopment – Gather real-time analytics on how users interact with digital services – Identify pain points in the user journey through behavioral insights – Implement guided experiences that help users navigate complex processes |
| Digitize paper-based processes and forms | Simply digitizing a form doesn’t guarantee adoption or proper use. With contextual guidance through a DAP, users get help exactly when they need it—like having a friendly expert looking over their shoulder. WalkMe helps agencies: – Guide users step-by-step through newly digitized processes – Validate information before submission to reduce errors – Provide contextual help at the moment of need – Support users across devices as they transition to mobile-friendly services – Automate repetitive tasks to streamline processes and create the most efficient path for citizens from start to finish One federal agency found a 6x increase in product adoption after adding step-by-step guidance to their process. Tasks that once took days now take hours, resulting in happier employees—both the employees submitting requests and the team processing them. |
| Accelerate the adoption of electronic signatures | Many government employees and citizens remain hesitant to embrace this technology. A DAP can turn uncertainty into confidence by guiding users through each step of the process. WalkMe addresses these challenges by: – Simplifying the e-signature process with in-app guidance – Building confidence through interactive tutorials – Ensuring compliance with step-by-step verification – Reducing abandonment of digital transactions One department saw e-signature adoption jump by 84% in just three months after implementing guided workflows. The key was showing users, not just telling them that the process was secure and legitimate. |
| Improve overall customer experience with federal digital services | WalkMe’s analytics can show you exactly where users get stuck or confused, allowing you to fix problems before they generate frustrated phone calls. WalkMe enhances citizen experience by: – Providing on-demand assistance without increasing staff workload through embedded guidance that instantly appears exactly when and where users need help – Personalizing guidance based on user behavior and needs with contextual intelligence that recognizes user attributes and tailors assistance accordingly – Reducing frustration through proactive support interventions – Creating consistent experiences across different agency touchpoints |
| Standardize website design and functionality across agencies | WalkMe makes it simple to ensure shared services and a cohesive user experience. WalkMe provides a unified experience by: – Creating consistent support mechanisms across different platforms – Facilitating knowledge transfer between agencies – Supporting change management during transitions to shared services – Maintaining continuity for users as systems evolve |
Building a future-ready digital government
The 21st Century IDEA Act represents more than a compliance mandate—it’s an opportunity to redefine how you serve the public and build trust. By leveraging digital adoption platforms like WalkMe, federal agencies can:
- Meet compliance requirements faster and with less disruption
- Improve experiences for everyone who interacts with your agency
- Support change management during transition to shared services
- Facilitate knowledge transfer between agencies
- Reduce the operational costs associated with digital transformation
- Build digital resilience for future technology changes
Citizens now compare your digital services not only to other government agencies, but to their everyday experiences with Amazon, banking apps, and other consumer technologies.With the right approach and partners, you can rise to meet these expectations—and the IDEA Act provides the perfect catalyst to make it happen.
The IDEA Act sets the foundation—but the real opportunity is building a government digital experience that rivals the best of the private sector. With WalkMe, that vision is closer than you think. Set-up a demo today.