A powerful chatbot and search tool, built for government websites to provide fast, accurate answers to citizens' questions in real time. It understands citizens questions and is able to answer at their level of understanding in 80 languages.
Civic AI Navigator helps government agencies enhance efficiency, reduce staff workload, and improve constituent satisfaction by automating responses to common inquiries. By offering fast, accurate, and reliable information 24/7, Civic AI Navigator frees up valuable resources, allowing staff to focus on more complex tasks while fostering greater trust and engagement with the community. It’s an accessible solution that simplifies service delivery, making it easier for agencies to meet the needs of their citizens without additional strain on resources.
Bridges the gap with a conversational interface
Next-level tool harnesses the power of generative AI
Conversational interface that is intuitive and contextual
Translates up to 80 languages
Enhance the constiutent experience
CCO: Caroline Schaffer
CEO: Andy Kucharski
Lead Developer: Jay Callicott
Solution Architect: Josh Estep
Lead Strategist: Marla Aistrope
Challenges in current government website experiences
Resource Accessibility: Difficulty finding frequently used forms, applications, or schedules.
Disorganized Search Results: Irrelevant, poorly ranked, or overwhelming search outcomes.
Document Search Limitations: Lack of search functionality within document content.
Language Barriers: Limited translated results and unclear language options for non-English speakers.
Device Compatibility: Inconsistent mobile search interfaces with reduced functionality.
Information Gaps: Poor search relevance makes finding documents and forms challenging.
Limited Functionality: Inability to index PDFs, multimedia, or external links.
Outdated Systems: Antiquated search technology hampers performance and customization.
Accessibility Issues: Non-compliance with ADA standards excludes users with disabilities.
Language Barriers: Lack of support for multilingual search results.
No Analytics: Missing insights into user behavior to address recurring search issues.
Who is it for?
Civic AI helps government agencies enhance efficiency, reduce staff workload, and improve constituent satisfaction by automating responses to common inquiries.
By offering fast, accurate, and reliable information 24/7, Civic AI frees up valuable resources, allowing staff to focus on more complex tasks while fostering greater trust and engagement with the community. It’s an accessible solution that simplifies service delivery, making it easier for agencies to meet the needs of their citizens without additional strain on resources.
We created a user-friendly AI chatbot
Navigating government services is often complex, time-consuming, and riddled with bureaucratic inefficiencies. Many users struggle with understanding eligibility criteria, application processes, and service availability. The challenge was to design an AI-driven solution that could simplify these interactions while maintaining transparency, trust, and inclusivity.
Design Approach
1. Human-Centered Design (HCD) Process
The design team employed an iterative HCD approach, prioritizing user research, accessibility, and feedback loops to ensure Civic AI Navigator met real-world needs.
User Research & Persona Development: Conducted ethnographic studies, interviews, and surveys with a diverse set of users to identify pain points and user expectations.
Journey Mapping: Mapped out existing user journeys in navigating public services and identified opportunities for AI-driven enhancements.
Prototyping & Usability Testing: Created low-fidelity wireframes, followed by interactive prototypes, testing them with users to refine usability.
2. AI Transparency & Trust
To ensure user trust, the design emphasized explainability and fairness in AI responses.
Conversational UI with Context Awareness: The chatbot interface was designed to provide human-like interactions while clearly indicating AI-generated responses.
Trust Indicators: Incorporated features such as source attribution, confidence scores, and feedback options to enhance credibility.
Bias Mitigation Strategies: Regular audits and AI model training were conducted to detect and reduce biases in responses.
3. Accessibility-First Approach
Civic AI Navigator was built with accessibility as a core principle, ensuring inclusivity for all users.
WCAG Compliance: Designed with contrast-friendly colors, keyboard navigability, and screen reader compatibility.
Multilingual Support: Integrated real-time translation to cater to non-English speakers.
Simplified Language Processing: AI was trained to interpret various literacy levels, providing clear and jargon-free explanations.
4. Seamless Integration with Government Services
To enhance efficiency, the Civic AI Navigator seamlessly integrated with existing government databases and digital services.
API-First Design: Allowed for easy integration with municipal, state, and federal platforms.
Secure Authentication & Data Privacy: Ensured compliance with GDPR and government security standards.
Omnichannel Availability: Accessible via web, mobile, and voice assistants.
Creating the Back End Experience
Robust Backend for Customization & Insights
To support adopters in optimizing their chatbot, the platform features a comprehensive backend that provides valuable data and customization options.
Customizable Chatbot Interface: Enables agencies to tailor chatbot responses and flows to fit their unique needs.
Engagement Analytics: Tracks who interacts with the chatbot, what questions are asked, and overall engagement levels.
User Sentiment Analysis: Evaluates if users had a positive or negative experience to refine chatbot interactions.
Data-Driven Insights: Helps organizations understand public concerns, refine service offerings, and improve user satisfaction.
