President Donald Trump has launched an ambitious new initiative that aims to transform the often frustrating experience of interacting with government services through better design principles.
On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order establishing the “America by Design” initiative, creating a National Design Studio within the White House and appointing a new Chief Design Officer position to lead a sweeping overhaul of federal websites and physical spaces. The effort comes amid widespread acknowledgment that government digital services are woefully outdated and difficult to navigate.
Digital Disarray
Anyone who’s tried to navigate a federal website knows the problem. According to White House data, a mere 6% of federal websites receive “good” ratings for mobile performance, while nearly half aren’t mobile friendly at all. Less than 20% use the United States Web Design System, contributing to a fragmented and often frustrating user experience, the administration noted in its announcement.
“The National Design Studio will work to reduce duplicative design costs, leverage standardized design, and dramatically improve the quality of public interactions with government services,” the White House stated in a fact sheet released alongside the executive order.
The initiative establishes the design studio within the Executive Office of the President, with an Administrator reporting directly to the White House Chief of Staff. This high-level positioning signals the administration’s prioritization of design as a governance issue rather than merely a technical or aesthetic concern, according to the executive order.
Ambitious Timeline
How quickly will Americans see changes? The order sets an aggressive deadline, directing agency heads to produce initial results by July 4, 2026. The focus will be on improving both websites and physical locations that impact Americans’ everyday interactions with government.
The Chief Design Officer will have broad authority to consult with thought leaders and design firms while recruiting top designers from the private sector. “The Chief Design Officer shall help recruit designers and other experts from the private sector as well as other sources of expertise,” the executive order declares.
This isn’t the first time the government has attempted to modernize its digital presence. The 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, passed in 2018, already requires federal websites to be accessible, mobile-friendly, and user-centered. But implementation has been slow and inconsistent.
Cultural Resonance
Interestingly, the White House initiative shares its name with an unrelated television series that has been celebrating American design excellence since 2023. “America ByDesign” is a magazine-style show highlighting architectural creativity and innovation across the United States.
The show, which recently announced its third season, “is a celebration of creativity, diversity, and the endless possibilities of human ingenuity,” according to the American Institute of Architects, which promotes the program.
The TV series, premiering its new season on May 3, 2025, on CBS News 24/7, showcases leading-edge architectural projects with the philosophy that “design belongs to everyone,” as described by producers.
That sentiment appears to align with the White House initiative’s goal of making government services more accessible and user-friendly for all Americans through improved design.
While the administration’s effort may be ambitious, design experts have long argued that poor user experience in government services isn’t just an inconvenience—it can prevent citizens from accessing benefits they’re entitled to and undermine trust in public institutions.
For an administration that has emphasized efficiency and modernization, the America by Design initiative represents a recognition that how government presents itself matters just as much as what it does. The question remains whether this high-level attention to design principles will translate into meaningful improvements for Americans navigating the federal bureaucracy.
