Doing Democracy: Jennifer Pahlka on How to 'Recode America'
Nov 2, 2023
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Jennifer Pahlka, a technology expert, discusses the failures of government technology, focusing on examples like healthcare.gov and unemployment benefits during the pandemic. She highlights the need for better utilization of technology in government, the challenges of implementation, and the importance of joining organizations like US Digital Service and Code for America. The podcast also covers the difficulties faced in integrating technology into government processes, comparing it with the private sector and acknowledging listener feedback on government inefficiencies.
Government technology systems are often developed to meet the needs of bureaucrats instead of the public, leading to inefficiencies and failures in service delivery.
The inadequate government response to the pandemic, particularly in processing unemployment insurance claims, highlighted the outdated technology, policy layers, and distribution inefficiencies that hindered system performance.
Poor government service delivery, such as delayed benefits and inefficient programs, erodes public trust in democracy, resulting in decreased civic participation and potentially fueling populism and authoritarianism.
Deep dives
The Challenges of Implementing Policies in the Digital Age
The podcast episode delves into the challenges of implementing policies in the digital age and how it impacts trust in democracy. It highlights the importance of government capacity to serve the people effectively and the failure of technology solutions in government. The episode features Jennifer Palka, the author of 'Recoding America', who provides insights into the problems faced by governments over the past 15 years, such as the initial flop of healthcare.gov and unemployment insurance claim processing during the pandemic. The discussion also emphasizes the impact of service delivery on people's faith in democracy and the potential consequences of a poorly functioning government technology.
The Complexity and Failures of Government Systems
The podcast explores the complexity and failures of government systems and the impact on service delivery. It highlights the example of the California Employment Development Department (EDD) during the pandemic and the challenges faced in processing unemployment insurance claims. The discussion reveals the outdated technology, policy layers, and distribution inefficiencies that hindered the system's performance. It discusses the difficulties in counting the backlog of claims due to fragmented and non-integrated systems. The episode also emphasizes the crucial role of technology and the need for modernization to improve government services.
The Impacts of Inadequate Government Service Delivery
The episode explores the impacts of inadequate government service delivery on individuals and their faith in democracy. It discusses how failures in service provision, such as delayed unemployment benefits and inefficient benefit programs, create a feeling of betrayal and erode public trust. The episode highlights the correlation between poor government services and decreased civic participation, as demonstrated by lower voting rates among individuals who apply for means-tested benefits. Additionally, it investigates the potential impact of government shortcomings on fueling populism and the rise of authoritarianism.
The Need for Designing People-Centered Government Technology
The podcast emphasizes the importance of designing government technology with a focus on user experience and service delivery. It highlights the success of initiatives like Get CalFresh, a simplified and user-friendly application for food benefits, which increased participation rates. The episode underscores the necessity of adopting a user-centered approach, streamlining complex processes, and removing unnecessary barriers in government services. It also discusses the significance of building government capacity to navigate the intersection of policy and technology effectively, while ensuring clear goals and a collaborative approach between policy and implementation.
The Challenges and Potential Solutions in Government Technology
The episode delves into the challenges faced in government technology and potential solutions to improve service delivery. It discusses obstacles such as conflicting rules, legacy systems, lack of coordination, and resistance to change. The episode highlights the role of new models like the U.S. Digital Service and Code for America in building government tech capacity. It emphasizes the importance of tending to the soil of government operations and fostering an environment that values implementation and user-centric design. The discussion also acknowledges the need for accountability and public demand for effective government technology solutions.
During the height of the pandemic, the agency that handles California’s unemployment benefits had an epic meltdown. Not only could its computers not handle the thousands of additional claims, officials couldn’t even say for sure how big the backlog was. Jennifer Pahlka was one of the technology experts brought in to help, an experience she writes about in her new book Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing In the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better. The former United States chief deputy technology officer and founder of Code for America, Pahlka reveals why systems are too often developed to meet the needs of bureaucrats instead of the public. She joins Forum as part of our “Doing Democracy” series.
Guests:
Jennifer Pahlka, author, "Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing In the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better." Pahlka is the founder of Code America and has served as the chief deputy technology officer for the United States Government. She lives in Oakland.
