Lisa Hoover, Head of Experience and Design at Karsun Solutions recently joined John Gilroy and the Federal Tech Podcast. In this insightful discussion, they delve into the evolving Customer Experience (CX) landscape in the midst of rapid technological change.

Shifting from UX to CX

In their discussion, Lisa describes the evolution of focus from user experience (UX), which centers on digital product solutions, to CX, an all-encompassing approach to technology products. CX considers entire interactions a person has with an organization’s brand, throughout their entire relationship with that brand including solutions, services, and of course, the UX on an organization’s website. 

In the federal sector, there’s a growing awareness of CX. This was driven by previous executive orders on federal customer experience and service delivery. However, Lisa notes that initially, the focus was often on meeting requirements, simply “checking a box” for CX rather than truly embracing human-centered design principles.

The Legacy System Challenge 

A significant hurdle in improving federal CX is the prevalence of legacy IT systems. These monolithic systems with complex, entangled codebases make modernization difficult. Customers often get stuck with inefficient processes due to these outdated applications, and manual patches only exacerbate the problem. Lisa observes this is why a “checking-the-box” approach to requirements is not enough, organizations need to implement a holistic, product mindset.

Unlike commercial companies that can independently implement user-friendly changes, the federal government faces limitations due to these legacy systems and strict compliance requirements, including those surrounding data privacy and security. That’s why, Lisa notes, only 23% of Americans believe federal services are easy to navigate, indicating a significant need for improvement

Measuring CX Effectiveness 

Measuring the impact of CX improvements is more complex than measuring UX, where metrics like bounce rate and time to task completion are readily available from web analytics and other resources. In the past, insights into customer challenges were often buried in support tickets, making it difficult to establish a baseline for improvement. However, with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), organizations can tease apart the complex relationships between online and offline activities, paint a clearer picture, and improve customer experience.

The Dawn of Approachable AI 

Shifting the conversation to the role of AI in addressing these challenges, Lisa emphasizes that AI has become increasingly “approachable.”  Modern AI has moved from an abstract concept to a mainstream technology, largely due to advancements like OpenAI. This increased familiarity makes federal customers more open to accepting AI-powered solutions.

AI for Efficiency at Scale

AI presents a remarkable opportunity to achieve efficiency at scale within federal agencies. Instead of replacing humans, AI can help individuals become more efficient by automating manual tasks and allowing them to focus on higher-value work. For instance, developers currently spend a significant amount of time troubleshooting legacy systems; AI can help reduce this well-known “time suck.”

A Blueprint for Modernization

Karsun Solutions offers a potential solution with its ReDuX AI-powered modernization platform. ReDuX creates a blueprint of a legacy system, breaking down the architecture and the behavior of the system’s users. This provides situational awareness and context awareness, allowing various stakeholders to understand the system as a whole. This comprehensive view helps teams devise strategic modernization plans beyond simply “patching holes.” By offering this overarching blueprint, ReDux aims to take the guesswork out of legacy system challenges.

Streamlining Decision-Making with AI

AI, when integrated with platforms like ReDuX, can significantly streamline decision-making and accelerate modernization efforts. By providing a holistic view of complex systems, teams can identify areas for improvement, implement standardized solutions, and measure the impact. AI-powered tools like chatbots and augmented reality can further guide users and help interpret data for UI improvements at scale.

The Future of Efficiency and Enhanced CX 

Lisa concludes by expressing excitement about the future. She envisions increased adaptation of AI-enhanced solutions like ReDuX to modernize legacy systems more efficiently. The goal is to create federal services that are more usable, faster, and ultimately lead to satisfied and joyful customers. The key takeaway is that efficiency, enabled by understanding the big picture and leveraging AI responsibly, will be crucial in transforming federal IT and customer experience.

To learn more about Karsun’s ReDuX modernization platform, visit GoReDuX.AI. To listen to the full podcast, tune in at https://www.theoakmontgroupllc.com/ep-220-how-customer-experience-can-make-or-break-federal-technology-initiatives/