Collaborate with the Technology Transformation Services (TTS) Public Benefits Studio

December 12, 2024

This community event centered on an introductory and interactive conversation with Emily Herrick – Service Designer with the Technology Transformation Services (TTS) Public Benefits Studio, a technology accelerator inside the federal government who builds shared technology solutions for government agencies. As part of the General Services Administration, this team is positioned to work between and across social safety net programs to make it easier and cheaper for administering agencies with the same challenges to use the same technology tools.

The Public Benefits Studio introduced their recently launched shared service, Notify.gov, a bulk text-notifications service currently available to agencies who wish to reach people where they are at. Attendees learned about how other government agencies are currently using Notify.gov to send timely and succinct text message reminders to their audiences.

The team shared about two additional product concepts they are exploring for feedback from experts, like you, to help validate if there is a potential market within the benefits space for:

• A document submission solution that transforms mobile-first image capture into machine readable outputs to make it easier for applicants to digitally submit documents to processing staff.
• A cross-enrollment verification tool to help eligibility staff expedite application processes when proof of Medicaid enrollment means an individual is automatically eligible for another program.

What we learned: 

• The TTS Public Benefits Studio mission & benefits
• The new shared service technology solution Notify.gov
• The pipeline of new technology product concepts
• Contributed to interactive feedback on new future products / services

 This event was suited for researchers, product owners, leaders, policy staff, development teams of all levels of experience levels—from beginners to experts. 

Presenter

Emily Herrick  – Service Designer, Public Benefits Studio within Technology Transformation Services at the General Services Administration. Emily is a service designer who's worked in and around government for nearly a decade. She uses methods like design research, co-design, and rapid prototyping to design solutions that bridge gaps between people and the institutions that serve them. Emily currently works at the Public Benefits Studio within Technology Transformation Services at the General Services Administration, where she supports civil servants by transforming common pain points of using technology to administer public benefits into federally-administered shared services, like Notify.gov. Before joining the federal government, she worked in international open government, supported criminal justice reform, and enhanced the delivery of health, human, and housing services in New York City. She holds an MFA in Design for Social Innovation from the School of Visual Arts in New York City and a BA in Graphic Design with a minor in Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility from Illinois State University.