the US government's brilliantly boring websites

The US government has developed a standardized web design system called the US Web Design System (USWDS) to ensure consistency and accessibility across its websites. This system includes a custom typeface called Public Sans and defines 47 user interface components with design examples and guidelines. The initiative was prompted by the need to improve government digital services following the troubled launch of Healthcare.gov in 2013. Two teams, 18F and the US Digital Service, were created to collaborate on building the USWDS and enhancing government tech. Currently, the USWDS is used in 160 government websites, with 94 agencies implementing its code, generating around 1.1 billion page views on federal websites. The teams behind Public Sans and the USWDS prioritize transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement to ensure a better user experience for the American people interacting with government services online.