Values
Our values shape our mission and our culture
Our values guide our work
Every day we make countless decisions that inform our ability to improve how government serves everyone. We don’t take that responsibility lightly. Our values help us ask the right questions and ultimately help us serve the public.
Be active stewards
The work we do affects the lives of millions of people, and by extension, trust in public institutions. The stakes are extremely high, so the standards we hold ourselves to must be high as well. In order to meet them, we must always listen closely to the communities we serve, and strive to develop a nuanced and insightful understanding of their experiences and needs. We must then continually advocate for these voices in practical and effective ways. Only with great care and humility — a willingness to be wrong — can we build the services and programs that will be flexible to change and accessible to all.
Build together
Our partners in government bring decades of knowledge, experience, and policy insight to the table. We have our own set of expertise in technology and design. By bringing these skill sets together and respecting the constraints of environments we work in, our work is positively amplified and the systems we build are more resilient. In order to achieve this collaborative spirit, we invite feedback early and often, receive direct feedback as a precious gift, communicate clearly and intentionally, and share and receive knowledge with equal levels of enthusiasm. We are committed to always working in step with our government clients and partners, especially when it’s hard.
Progress takes work
Progress takes enduring commitment and extraordinary effort. It is composed of small, daily steps — not necessarily big leaps. We celebrate the difficulty of our daily work, the constraints and challenges of working in complex public sector environments, and aspire to its undertaking with enthusiasm. That means knowing how to thrive under pressure and extending grace and patience to others in high stress moments. It also requires a willingness to do what is needed to support outcomes, even when the work isn't glamorous or falls outside of typical purviews. This work is a privilege and a responsibility, and we are grateful to play our part.
Inclusion is essential
Outcomes are unequivocally better when they incorporate a diverse range of insights and expertise. Recognizing that, we are committed to growing and supporting a talented team that reflects the diverse communities we serve across the U.S. This helps us do the necessary work of recognizing and questioning our own assumptions. It also helps us arrive at stronger and more holistic solutions to the problems we are striving to solve.
Impact over ideology
Building long-term momentum is critical to mission and business success. Our work outlasts election cycles and resonates across generations. We are stubborn about pursuing long-term outcomes, but we are flexible and adaptable in how we get there. We take on challenges with a practical, context-sensitive mindset, working backwards from goals. We tune our approach – we know when to be fast and iterate, and we know when to be methodical and get it right up front. We know when to build trust, and we know when to be savvy. We prioritize long-term, forward progress and momentum over rigid or ideological approaches.
Our values shape our team
To build digital services that are simple, effective, and accessible to all, our teams must reflect the diverse communities we serve across the US. Learn more in our annual diversity, equity, and inclusion report.
Improving every level of service delivery
Our annual Public Benefit Report details our impact as we work alongside government partners to modernize government services. Read about how we worked at every level of government service delivery to build positive ecosystems.
