Office of InnovationResident Experience Initiative
The Resident Experience Initiative (ResX) is streamlining, simplifying, and improving how New Jersey State government delivers benefits and services to residents through the use of agile methodologies and human-centered design. The initiative is an expansion of efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to use innovative approaches to help the public find vaccine appointments, secure protection from eviction during economic hardship, and connect with vital programs and services.
Challenge
Whether it’s accessing health insurance through NJ FamilyCare, obtaining nutritional food benefits through SNAP, or finding meaningful employment through the State’s multitude of workforce programs, millions of New Jerseyans interact with the State government in person, on the phone, and online to receive benefits and support. While these benefits and services are impactful, the process to access critical support is often long, complex, and confusing. Bureaucratic silos, complex processes, and hard-to-reach customer service are significant barriers that disproportionately hinder the State’s most vulnerable from accessing benefits.
Innovation In Action
The Resident Experience Initiative puts residents and their experience at the center of all design, engineering, policy, and implementation considerations. Using extensive user research, cross-agency collaboration, and agile development, ResX works to tangibly improve the lives of residents. At a high level, ResX also advances uniform standards across government, shared digital services, and the creation of cross-agency one-stop websites.
Impact + Metrics
- Backed by extensive user research, OOI launched a new streamlined Unemployment Insurance claim application that boosted certification rates by 63-88% while cutting the average time to complete an application by 48 minutes.
- Through the creation of the Maternity Coverage Timeline Tool, expecting parents can now receive a personalized calendar to help them plan when and how to take their maternity leave.
- OOI is working with NJDOL to build the NJ Career Central, a resource for job seekers that features tools such as an AI-powered guide that provides personalized career recommendations.
- OOI launched the Training Explorer, a user-friendly database of subsidized training programs that provides residents information such as a clear cost breakdown, earnings expectations, likelihood of getting a job, and more.
- To provide much-needed guidance and support for transgender and non-binary New Jerseyans, OOI partnered with advocacy and service-based organizations to launch Transgender.nj.gov, a resource hub with relevant information from nearly a dozen agencies.
- OOI worked with the Office of the Secretary for Higher Education to launch a College Support Resource Hub to support low-income college students in accessing nutrition, housing, and other resources that could force an end to their academic pursuits.
Status
- The Resident Experience Initiative is a multi-year effort that will continue to expand its capacity to collaborate with State partners and work with residents to improve access and quality of benefits and services.
Partners
- Office of the Governor
- NJ State Department of Labor
- NJ State Department of Human Services
- NJ State Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
- NJ State Office of the Attorney General, Division on Civil Rights
- NJ State Department of Children and Families
Last updated on 10/26/23
