In this discussion, Dave Guarino, a software engineer and former director of CalFresh, shares insights on the convoluted nature of public assistance programs like SNAP. They explore how confusing application processes alienate those in need and why user-centric design is often overlooked in policy-making. Delving into bureaucratic inefficiencies, Guarino emphasizes the necessity for better feedback loops and accountability within government agencies. The conversation also highlights innovative solutions for improving services for economically disadvantaged populations.

There's a lot of frustration about the government's ability to build things in the US. Subways. Bridges. High-speed rail. Electricity transmission. But there's another crucial area where the public sector often struggles, and that is software. We saw it with the infamous rollout of Obamacare. We see it in the UX of the Treasury Direct website. And we saw it in the way state unemployment insurance systems broke during the pandemic. So why is it so hard for the public sector to build and maintain software? On this episode we speak with Jennifer Pahlka, the founder and former executive director of Code for America and author of the new book Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better, as well as Dave Guarino, who recently left the Department of Labor after working on upgrading the unemployment insurance system. Both have a long history of working on public sector software systems and they explain why the problem is so tricky.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.