Rewriting forms: How the public is hacking Washington D.C.'s paperwork
In 2019 I was invited to write this piece for the Apolitical.
Think of the last government form you filled out.
Maybe you were renewing your driver’s license or enrolling your kids in school. Would you describe the experience as pleasant? Clear? Inviting? None of the above? For most, forms feel like a tedious barrier. They’re cumbersome and confusing.
But difficult forms aren’t just bad design. They’re an important public service problem that your jurisdiction should address. A form can build trust in government or tear it down. A form can provide access to services or deny it. A form can respect residents or dehumanise them…
