Mobile Devices: Federal Agencies' Steps to Improve Mobile Access to Government Information and Services
Published: 2014-12-22T00:00:00

Fast Facts:

Highlights:
section_title: Why GAO Did This Study
paragraphs: Today, millions of Americans use mobile devices like smartphones and tablet computers on a daily basis to communicate and obtain information. Further, due to recent technical advances in mobile technology, consumers can use these devices to carry out a broad range of activities that previously required a desktop or laptop computer—including shopping, banking, and accessing government services. Given these trends, providing government information and services “anytime, anywhere, and on any device,” has become increasingly important, particularly as some mobile users may not have any other means of online access.
GAO reviewed information on mobile users and how they access government information and services. This report describes (1) the demographics of mobile users and the factors that might be associated with the increased use of mobile devices, (2) the devices individuals are using to access government services and the challenges people face, and (3) the actions the federal government has taken to enhance access to government services via mobile devices. GAO reviewed pertinent federal legislation and guidance and conducted a review of literature; interviewed, analyzed and reviewed information from six randomly selected federal agencies; and interviewed officials from other federal agencies and consumer advocacy groups.
section_title: What GAO Found
paragraphs: According to Pew Research Center, in 2013, some demographic groups relied more on cellphones to access the Internet than others. Those who are young, earn more income, have a graduate degree, or are African American had the highest rate of mobile access. In contrast, according to Pew, those who used cellphones to access the Internet in 2013 at lower rates tended to be seniors, the less educated, or rural populations. Only 22 percent of seniors ages 65 and older accessed the Internet using cellphones, compared to 85 percent of young people. GAO also found that access to the Internet using cellphones has increased, primarily due to lower cost, convenience, and technical advances.
Although desktop and laptop computers are still the primary means of access, consumers are increasingly using mobile devices to access websites with government information and services. For example, the number of individual visitors using smartphones and tablets to access the Department of the Interior's information and services increased significantly from 57,428 visitors in 2011 to 1,206,959 in 2013. Even so, mobile Internet users reportedly face a range of challenges accessing government services online. For example, viewing any website that has not been “optimized” for mobile access—in other words, redesigned for smaller screens—can be challenging.
Federal agencies—which have more than 11,000 websites—have taken a range of actions to enhance access to information and services via mobile devices. The Office of Management and Budget, in response to the milestones laid out in its Digital Government Strategy , created the Digital Services Advisory Group, which—together with the General Services Administration‘s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technology—has provided federal agencies with guidance, resources, and tools to enhance access to government services via mobile devices. In addition, five of the six agencies GAO interviewed have taken steps to improve access to their websites via mobile devices. For example, in 2012, the Department of Transportation (DOT) redesigned its main website, www.do t.gov, to p rovide a platform for mobile access. Three of the other agencies GAO interviewed have also redesigned websites to better accommodate mobile devices and the other two agencies have plans to do so.
section_title: What GAO Recommends
paragraphs: GAO is not making recommendations in this report.

section_title: Letter
paragraphs: Millions of Americans currently use mobile devices—cellphones,  smartphones, and tablet computers—on a daily basis to communicate  and share information. As a result, more people are accessing the  Internet through mobile devices like smartphones and tablets to go online  for various information and services, including shopping, banking, and  government services. Further, according to 2013 data from the American  Customer Satisfaction Index, about a third (32 percent) of respondents  reported visiting a federal government website on a mobile device. Given  these trends, since 2012, the federal government has been implementing  initiatives with the ultimate goal of enabling users to access online  government information and services “anytime, anywhere, and on any  device.”some people may prefer to access the Internet via mobile devices,  according to the Pew Research Center. For example, Pew cited that  some smartphone owners view their phone as an essential utility; they  keep it close by at all times, check it frequently, and would prefer using it   These initiatives are particularly important, in part, because  over a desktop or laptop computer. Access to government sites is also  important because some segments of the population may not have any  other means of online access, such as a desktop computer, besides their  smartphone. If government information and services are not easily  accessible via smartphones or other mobile devices, some people may  not have adequate access to these services through the Internet.
We examined the demographics of mobile device users as well as how  consumers who use these devices are able to access government  services. This report provides information on:  1.  available data about the demographics of mobile users and the  factors that might be associated with the increased use of mobile  devices;  2.  the devices individuals are using to access government services and  the challenges mobile users face when accessing these services; and  3.  actions the federal government has taken to enhance access to  government services via mobile devices.
To address these objectives, we reviewed pertinent federal legislation  and guidance pertaining to mobile access to government information and  services. These include Digital Government: Building a 21st Century  Platform to Better Serve the American People issued by the Office of  Management and Budget (OMB);  the Presidential Memorandum on  Building a 21st Century Digital Government; and Section 508 of the  Rehabilitation Act, which ensures that individuals with disabilities have  access to federal government information and data that is comparable to  that provided to members of the public without disabilities. To determine  available data about the demographics of those mobile users, we  reviewed studies from the Pew Research Center and interviewed  officials from the Pew Research Center, the Federal Communications  Commission (FCC), the National Telecommunications and Information  Administration (NTIA), and the Census Bureau. We also conducted a  review of literature and then selected, reviewed, and analyzed reports  and studies that contained information on factors that might be associated  with the increased use of mobile devices. To understand the challenges  that consumers face when accessing government information and  services using their mobile devices, we interviewed industry and  consumer advocacy organizations such as CTIA—the Wireless  Association, AARP, the American Foundation for the Blind, and  Connected Nation. To better understand the types of devices  consumers use to access government websites, we collected and  analyzed data and conducted, summarized, and analyzed in-depth  interviews with officials from the following six federal agencies: the  Department of the Interior (DOI), the Department of Transportation  (DOT), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the  National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Maritime Commission  (FMC), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). We used a  stratified random sample to select these agencies. The results of our  analysis are not generalizable to all federal agencies. To obtain  information on actions the federal government has taken to enhance  access to services via mobile devices, we interviewed officials from the  six selected agencies mentioned above, as well as agencies with  responsibility for implementing the Digital Government Strategy, which  include the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the General  Services Administration (GSA), the Federal Chief Information Officers  (CIO) Council, and the Federal Web Managers Council. See appendix I  for more detailed information on our methodology.
We conducted this performance audit from July 2013 to December 2014  in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain  sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our  findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe the  evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and  conclusions based on our audit objectives.
subsections: section_title: Background
paragraphs: Advances in computing technology have increased speed and storage  capacity for mobile devices, enhancing consumers’ abilities to perform a  wide range of online tasks, such as shopping, banking, and accessing  government services, primarily via the following mobile broadband  technology:
Smartphones: Consumers can use smartphones to run a wide variety  of general and special-purpose software applications, including  accessing websites on the Internet. Smartphones typically have a  larger graphical display with greater resolution than traditional  cellphones and have either a keyboard or touch-sensitive screen for  alphanumeric input. Smartphones also offer expansion capabilities  and other built-in wireless communications (such as Wi-Fi and  Bluetooth services).
Tablets: A tablet personal computer (tablet) is a portable personal  computer with a touch-sensitive screen. The tablet form is typically  smaller than a notebook computer but larger than a smartphone.
Consumers are shifting activities that have more traditionally been  conducted on desktop or laptop computers to these mobile devices.  According to the Pew Research Center, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of  cellphone owners now use their phone to access the Internet. In  addition, more than half (56 percent) of all Americans own smartphones,  and 93 percent of these smartphone owners use their phone to access  the internet. .govReform Task Force, State of the Federal Web Report (Dec. 2011). use and accessible to persons with disabilities and those who are not  proficient in English. OMB is the lead agency in providing support to help  ensure federal websites are well designed and easily accessible by all  types of devices, including mobile devices through implementation of the  Digital Government Strategy. The Digital Government Strategy  emphasized the need to develop a “content management system” and  convened a Digital Services Advisory Group (DSAG) comprised of  information technology leaders from across government. The DSAG  helps federal agencies share information and best practices on interacting  with the public digitally and makes recommendations to OMB leadership  on changes to federal policies and standards on digital services.
The Digital Government Strategy also directed certain federal agencies,  those set forth under the Chief Financial Officers Act, as amended, to  take actions to make government websites available “anytime, anywhere,  on any device.” government information for those using mobile devices and required each  agency to identify at least two online services that the public accesses  and to optimize at least two of those identified for mobile use.report actions they take to meet these milestones online via digital  strategy reports that are posted to their respective websites. OMB also  uses these reports to track agencies’ status in meeting the milestones.
The Chief Financial Officers Act agencies are the 24 executive branch agencies listed at  31 U.S.C. § 901(b). The Digital Government Strategy did not apply to other smaller,  independent federal agencies. Of our six selected agencies, four fall under the  requirements of the CFO Act. These are DOI, DOT, NWS (within the Department of  Commerce) and FEMA (within the Department of Homeland Security). The other two  agencies—FMC and NEA—do not. the federal government and assists agencies in identifying and applying  new technologies to effective government operation. Officials indicated  that GSA does not have authority to require that agencies take certain  actions. Rather, GSA’s role is primarily to provide assistance, share best  practices, and act as a resource to help agencies improve delivery of  digital services, information, and data to the public.
Agency officials also have other resources for accessing and sharing  information on website design and digital services. For example, the  Federal Chief Information Officers (CIO) Council consists of chief  information officers and other high officials from executive branch  agencies and shares experiences, ideas, best practices, and innovative  approaches related to information resource management, among other  responsibilities. Additionally, informal communities of practice have  formed that include web content managers, data communities, and  mobile government; members collaborate and share common challenges  and ideas related to digital government services.
section_title: Internet Access Using Cellphones Is Increasing, with Some Populations Using Them More Than Others
subsections: section_title: Access to the Internet Using Mobile Devices Is Rising due to Lower Cost, Convenience, and Technological Advances, according to Stakeholders and Literature
paragraphs: According to the Pew Research Center, as of January 2014, 90 percent  of American adults own a cell phone. Research indicates that the number  of users who own a smartphone or tablet computer has increased since  2010. According to Pew Research Center, 56 percent of American adults  owned a smartphone of some kind as of May 2013, compared to 35  percent in May 2011. This increasing trend in smartphone ownership  will likely continue with 95 percent of teens going online and three in four  teens accessing the Internet on mobile devices like smartphones. The  number of tablet devices also has been on the rise, with Pew reporting  that as of May 2013, about a third (34 percent) of individuals ages 18 and  older owns a tablet device like an iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Google  Nexus, or Kindle Fire, almost twice as many as the 18 percent who  owned a tablet in May 2012. Despite this increase in tablet ownership,  the percentage of tablet owners is still less than the percentage of  smartphone owners, according to Pew data (see fig. 1).
Pew Research indicates access to the Internet using cellphones has  increased steadily over the past 5 years, more than doubling between  2009 and 2013. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of cellphone owners now  use their phone to access the Internet, an 8-point increase from the 55  percent who did so at a similar point in 2012, and a two-fold increase over  the 31 percent who did so in 2009. (See fig. 2.)
A number of factors may drive this trend:
Lower cost: The cost to connect to the Internet via mobile devices has  decreased over time, making it more affordable for consumers to  access the Internet. In a 2013 mobile competition report, FCC notes  that through the widespread introduction of smartphones, wireless  operators like Verizon have responded by competing for customers on  price, both by offering more data for the same money or by lowering  prices for fixed amounts of data.average price per megabyte of data declined from about $0.11 in   The FCC also noted that the  2009 to $0.06 in 2010 and to $0.03 in 2011 across nationwide mobile  providers.
Convenient access: Convenience may contribute to increased use of  mobile devices to access the Internet. Smartphones can provide  users access to information anytime and almost anywhere. For  example, smartphone owners can access government services on  mobile devices, such as weather information or automobile recalls  and crash-test-rating data. In 2012, Pew Research Center reported  that cellphone owners like the convenience and ease of connectivity  associated with mobile devices (see table 1).
Technological advances: Advances in the technological capabilities of  mobile devices have also contributed to this trend, allowing  consumers to carry out an ever broadening range of interactions,  which previously required the use of a desktop or laptop computer.  For example, smartphones can provide users with navigation tools  and information relevant to their surroundings based on the user’s  current location determined by Global Positioning System (GPS) and  other methods. Location-based services have proved popular with  mobile device users; the Pew Research Center reported that three- quarters of smartphone users were using such services as of  February 2012.
Faster Internet speeds: Faster connection speeds have also  reportedly increased Internet access using mobile devices. According  to the FCC, four nationwide mobile wireless service providers— Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile—as well as  other mobile operators, continue to upgrade and expand their  networks and according to the FCC, all of the major providers have  either begun to deploy, or announced plans to migrate to Long Term  Evolution technology.
section_title: Young, Above-Average- Income, College- Educated, and African- American Populations Use Smartphones to Access the Internet More Than Other Demographic Groups
paragraphs: Pew reported that in 2013, those who are young (18-29 years old), earn  over $75,000, have a college degree or higher, or are African American  have the highest rates of accessing the Internet with cellphones (see fig.  3). Hispanics (68 percent) and whites (59 percent) used their cellphones  to access the Internet slightly less than African Americans (74 percent),  according to Pew. Further, young, above-average income, college  educated, and African-American populations all increased their rate of  access using cellphones between 2012 and 2013 by 10 percentage  points or more.
Use of cellphones to access the Internet is lower among senior, less  educated, or rural populations, compared to other demographic groups.  Those who access the Internet at lower rates using cellphones include:  people ages 65 and older (22 percent); people who received a high  school diploma or no diploma (53 and 51 percent, respectively); and  people who live in rural areas (50 percent).and 2013, the increase in Internet access among those who have no  diploma or a high school diploma only and those in rural areas was not  significant; seniors increased their Internet access by 6 percentage  points.
section_title: Although More Individuals Use Mobile Devices to Access Selected Agencies’ Information and Services, Challenges Still Exist
subsections: section_title: Although Individuals Still Primarily Use Desktop Computers to Access Selected Government Websites, Access by Mobile Users Is Increasing
paragraphs: Individuals accessing the selected agencies’ websites primarily used  desktops and laptops to do so. For example, in 2013, Google Analytics  data provided by DOT showed that 92 percent of users who accessed  DOT’s website, , used a desktop computer, compared to 6  percent who used a smartphone and 3 percent who used a tablet (see  table 2). Similarly, 85 percent of users who accessed the Federal  Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) website, www.fema.gov,  used a desktop computer, compared to 9 percent who used a  smartphone and 6 percent who used a tablet.
Although individuals still primarily use desktop computers to access  services at the six selected agencies, use of smartphones and tablets to  access information and services at these agencies is increasing. For  example, the number of visitors using smartphones and tablets to access  NEA information and services—such as applying for grants and tracking  grant applications—increased from 3,376 in 2010 to 287,932 in 2013 (see  fig. 4). Similarly, individuals using smartphones and tablets to access  DOI’s information increased from 57,428 in 2011 to 1,206,959 in 2013.  Among the selected agencies, FEMA had the highest number of visitors  who accessed its services using a smartphone and tablet (3.1 million  visitors in 2013) followed by DOI, which received approximately 1.2  million visitors who accessed its main website via a smartphone or tablet.  One FEMA official told us that access to FEMA services via mobile  devices is very important because after disasters, survivors may have  limited access to the Internet because of infrastructure damage in their  community or from being displaced from their homes.
section_title: Mobile Internet Users May Face Challenges in Navigating Some Government Websites
paragraphs: The smaller screens of smartphones and, to a lesser extent, tablets  provide users portability and mobility compared to desktop computers.  However, small screens can also make it more difficult to read the content  of websites. Responsive web design is a method of designing content so  that it can be resized to fit on various screen sizes (e.g., designing a  service to work well on both a laptop screen and a smartphone, without  the need to develop and maintain separate “standard” and “mobile” sites).  As we will discuss in more detail later in the report, some agencies we  selected have modified, or optimized, their websites, or have plans to do  so, to help mobile users access their information and services more  easily. Websites that have not been optimized can be more difficult to  view using mobile devices (see fig. 5). When a website does not  incorporate responsive design, consumers using mobile devices may  experience challenges efficiently accessing content.
Further, excess information on government websites that have not been  optimized can make it challenging for mobile internet users. Government  websites in particular are not always streamlined with the end user in  mind, according to several consumer advocacy and agency officials. GAO  previously reported, for example, that the Internal Revenue Service’s  website could do a better job meeting the needs of taxpayers by providing  taxpayers interactive personal account access. Government websites  may include unnecessary content, making it difficult for mobile users to  find the information they are looking for. Officials from FEMA and two  consumer advocacy organizations told us that occupying valuable  website space with unnecessary information or “clutter” can be a major  impediment and can make finding desired content more difficult for  seniors and individuals with vision impairment. Also, unnecessary  screens and functions prevent consumers from finding the information or  service they need within three clicks.too much unnecessary information can require individuals to “drill down”  several layers to get to the information they need, violating the “three-click  rule.”
Navigating across different screens can also be difficult for mobile users.  Someone browsing the Internet using a desktop computer can view  content on multiple screens or tabs; however, doing so on a smartphone  (e.g., getting back to the home page) can be challenging. For example, a  mobile Internet user who finds a government form on a web page may  have difficulty going back to a previous page to find the instructions on  how to fill out the form. According to one FEMA official, disaster survivors  may find it inconvenient to access some of FEMA’s emergency  management services on a mobile device due to navigational challenges,  small screens, and the need to input significant amounts of data. Officials  from the NEA and a consumer advocacy organization also added that  navigating or toggling between multiple screens on a government  website, especially when dealing with forms or applications, is more  challenging on a smartphone than on a desktop or laptop computer.
Finally, mobile users sometimes face challenges accessing certain  websites as well as data-intensive portable document files (PDF) files— which can be slow to download on government web sites. Officials from  OMB noted that some websites take a long time to download using a  mobile phone.  Similarly, officials from DOT, DOI, and FEMA noted that  PDFs are difficult to download on a mobile device, in part because of the  large amount of data they contain. Some of these agencies are trying to  reduce the number of data-intensive PDF files on their websites, but a  number of these data-intensive PDFs are still present. Further, according  to agency and consumer-advocacy officials, downloading government  information using mobile devices can be cost-prohibitive, depending on  the data plan used, especially for certain segments of the population,  such as low-income individuals and seniors. Many mobile consumers  subscribe to data plans that may only provide as little as 500 megabytes  a month before they are assessed additional data fees. Officials from a  consumer advocacy organization for low-income populations told us that  low income consumers sometimes face high mobile-phone bills that make  it cost-prohibitive to access government websites using their mobile  phones.
section_title: Federal Agencies Have Taken Actions to Enhance Access to Government Information and Services via Mobile Devices
subsections: section_title: OMB’s 2012 Digital Government Strategy Has Resulted in Actions to Enhance Access to Government Services for Those Using Mobile Devices
paragraphs: In response to the milestones specified in the Digital Government  Strategy, OMB created the Digital Services Advisory Group, which, along  with the Federal CIO Council and the Federal Web Managers Council,  created digital governance guidelines for all federal agencies to use.
Additionally, as part of its assessment of all digital services, OMB  assesses agency efforts to enhance access to services for mobile  devices as part of its PortfolioStat initiative, which focuses on eliminating  duplication, reducing “commodity information technology (IT)” spending,migrating to shared services, and better aligning agencies’ IT spending  with their missions. OMB tracks executive branch agencies’ digital  analytics programs, which collect common baseline performance  metrics that agencies should collect for their websites to assist them in  measuring different elements of performance. Then, for each agency’s  five most trafficked websites, OMB tracks the percentage of users  accessing these sites via mobile devices and measures the extent to  which people are able to access their websites using mobile devices. If  agencies have not optimized these websites, OMB then asks agencies to  consider optimizing them for mobile access based on factors such as the  number of visits and the amount of key services provided through the  website.
GSA’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technology (OCSIT) has  also taken the following actions to enhance access to government  services via mobile devices in response to the Digital Government  Strategy:   website to help federal agencies  build the capacity to implement effective and innovative digital  services. DigitalGov.gov provides guidance to help agencies improve  and integrate their digital content and services. Its intent is to  accelerate adoption of technologies, reduce duplication, and increase  efficiency by consolidating tools and resources and giving agencies  an opportunity to collaborate on shared solutions to common  challenges.
The DigitalGov.gov website replaced the HowTo.gov website, Howto and MobileGov  Blogs, as well as the MobileGov wiki.
Established the Federal Mobile Apps Registry, which allows  agencies to register their native apps and mobile websites that the  public and others can use to identify and download government  mobile apps, such as the SaferCar app that the National Highway  Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) developed for people to use  when purchasing cars and child safety seats (described in more detail  later). Consumers can find mobile apps and mobile sites by agency,  topic, or platform.
Provided guidance and on-line training and shared best practices and  other resources to assist agencies seeking to enhance their websites  for mobile technologies.
Provided access to the Federal Crowdsource Mobile Testing Program  at no cost to federal agencies to allow them to evaluate their mobile  websites.
Provided federal executive branch agencies access to the Digital  Analytics Program at no cost so agencies can obtain a variety of  information on their websites’ performance, including the ability to  identify how users access and use their websites.
GSA officials use a variety of means to inform agencies how they can  assist them in enhancing digital services, including those services people  access with mobile devices. GSA’s communication efforts include  “listservs” with agencies’ Chief Information Officers and Web Managers,  outreach to agencies’ White House liaisons, GSA’s digital subscriptions,social media, and training programs.
Officials from three of the six federal agencies we spoke with—DOT,  FEMA, and NWS— told us that OMB’s and GSA’s actions have helped  their efforts to enhance their digital services. The officials noted that both  OMB’s Digital Government Strategy and GSA’s efforts have provided the  leverage agencies’ Information Technology officials needed to convince  their respective managers to approve enhancements that make their  websites more accessible to mobile users.
The other three agencies did not use GSA’s services to the same extent  or at all. DOI and NEA officials said they did not require outside  assistance. However, FMC—with just over 100 employees—noted that,  with limited resources, its focus has been primarily on other issues. FMC  receives information from one of GSA’s listservs and uses GSA as a point  of contact for wireless access. FMC officials have found this assistance  helpful but have had little interaction with OMB.
section_title: Agencies Have Taken Steps to Meet Digital Government Strategy Requirements for Mobile Use
paragraphs: All 24 agencies required to comply with provisions of the Digital  Government Strategy have made efforts to improve their digital services  for those who use mobile devices. According to agencies’ digital  strategy reports, all have identified two or more services to be optimized  for mobile use, as required under the Digital Government Strategy.  Additionally, 21 of these agencies have optimized two or more prioritized  services. According to OMB officials, they work with agencies facing  challenges meeting the milestones, such as providing guidance through  the U.S. Digital Services Playbook, which identifies 13 goals, or “plays”  for agencies to consider as part of their efforts to improve their digital  services. Two of these “plays” consider consumers’ needs and the type of  devices they use, both of which touch on the use of mobile devices.
subsections: section_title: Employing Responsive Design
paragraphs: As previously mentioned, responsive design adjusts the website to the  size of a device’s screen by streamlining the content that appears,  making the website easier to read and navigate. Four of the six selected  agencies have incorporated responsive design as part of an overall effort  to migrate their digital services to a content management system. Officials  indicated that having a content management system will allow them to  make subsequent changes to websites, including transitioning to  responsive design, more efficiently:
DOI incorporated responsive design to optimize its main website,  www.doi.gov, in 2013. According to a DOI official, DOI has  incorporated responsiveness into its upcoming redesign, which is  coordinated with DOI’s effort to transition its website to a new content  management system, which will help its bureaus take advantage of  economies of scale while improving their websites. The initial process  to incorporate responsive design took two months to complete but  followed months of pre-development conversation. DOI expects to  complete the transition to the new content management system in  March 2015. DOI was unable to report on the specific cost to create  the responsive design because none of the development has been  completed as part of rebuilding its overall website. Officials expect  transitioning all of DOI’s websites to responsive design may take  years but did not have specific timeframes for completing the  transition.
DOT also used responsive design when redesigning its main website,  www.dot.gov, as part of its effort to transition its website to a content  management system. The redesigned website went live in September  2012 and reflects a more streamlined website for mobile access in  comparison to DOT’s previous website. (See fig. 6 for screen shots of  DOT’s old web site and the redesigned website.) DOT officials  estimate that optimizing the site using responsive design cost about  $54,000. DOT’s modal administrations are also transitioning to  responsive design; three have already incorporated responsive design  into some of their websites.
NEA, a smaller, independent agency, has also optimized its website  (www.arts.gov) using responsive design as part of launching a  redesigned website using a content management system. The costs  to incorporate responsive design could not be isolated because they  were included in the migration to the content management system.  NEA launched the redesigned website in September 2013, according  to officials, and rebuilding it took about 11 months.
FEMA incorporated responsive design—as part of its migration to a  content management system—in one of its three public websites— DisasterAssistance.gov—to  make it easier for disaster survivors to  apply for assistance online using mobile devices (see fig. 7). FEMA  migrated to the content management system in July 2012, completing  the migration in December 2012. FEMA launched responsive design  in January 2013 at a cost of about $520,000, according to FEMA  officials. DisasterAssistance.gov consolidates all disaster assistance  benefits for which survivors are eligible and provides applications for  assistance. FEMA officials stated that having ready access to this  information and the applications on a mobile device is crucial for those  affected by a disaster, especially in the event of extensive power  outages. FEMA plans to incorporate responsive design into its other  two public websites—FEMA.gov and Ready.gov—as part of an effort  to improve its content management system but does not yet have a  time frame for completing that effort. Until that effort is completed,  FEMA has a mobile website that consumers can access using their  mobile devices.
Other agencies plan to transition to responsive design but have not yet  done so. For example, NWS has developed a separate website for mobile  users so that desktop and laptop users access one website while mobile  users access another. Mobile users see the same content as those using  a desktop or laptop computer, but the text is much smaller because they  are seeing it on the smaller screen. However, mobile users can still  access the agencies’ information and services. NWS recognized that its  website was outdated and recently developed a separate website for  mobile devices. NWS plans to eventually enhance its main website with  responsive design and is revising its requirements for doing so but does  not have an estimate for when it will complete the transition. FMC officials  noted that its customers adopt technology at a slower pace than other  industries; many FMC customers in the shipping industry have not yet  transitioned to mobile technology. Nevertheless, FMC plans to  incorporate responsive design in its next website upgrade, scheduled for  fiscal year 2015.
section_title: Developing Native Apps
paragraphs: Three agencies within DOT have developed their own “native apps:”
NHTSA’s SaferCar app allows individuals to check for vehicle ratings  and vehicle safety defects, as well as locate child car-seat inspection  stations when shopping for cars and car seats. SaferCar has been  available since March 2013 for Apple devices and since February  2014 for Android devices. NHTSA began developing SaferCar in mid- 2012. NHTSA data from January through April 2014 indicated that  about 36 percent of the visits were in fact through mobile devices. A  NHTSA official estimates that the cost to develop the app exceeds  $350,000 and noted that apps are very costly because they must be  updated for each type and version of a device, resulting in additional  costs over time.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) developed
The SaferBus app allows consumers to search bus safety  performance records and bus company safety results. According  to FMCSA officials, they began developing SaferBus in 2011,  which became available for Apple devices in March 2012 and for  Android devices in February 2013. The funding used to develop it  covered a number of other projects; officials estimate that FMCSA  spent $150,000 to develop the initial Apple version and $300,000  to develop the Android version. They encountered challenges in  managing expectations for SaferBus but explained that this is  typical when developing apps. Specifically, some stakeholders  wanted FMCSA to develop a rating system, similar to NHTSA’s  rating system used in SaferCar. However, according to the  officials, that type of rating system is outside of FMCSA’s legal  authority.
The QC Mobile app retrieves FMCSA’s safety compliance and  enforcement data on commercial vehicle carriers. FMCSA has not  yet released QC Mobile; officials expect to release the app in fall  2014 for both Apple and Android devices. The app cost $98,000 to  develop and will be available for federal and state safety law  enforcement officials’ use as well as the general public.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) developed an app that  provides consumers publicly available safety data on railroad  crossings and also allows users to report inaccuracies with FRA data  or contact the operating railroad in the event of an emergency. FRA  released the app in June 2013 for Apple devices and released an  Android version in August 2014. According to FRA officials,  developing the app cost less than $20,000. Similar to FMCSA, one of  the challenges FRA encountered was in managing stakeholders’  expectations on requirements for the app. FRA also noted that  predicting demand for an app for a particular device is difficult and  that this was a challenge in deciding whether to develop the Android  version.
FEMA also has a smartphone app available for Apple and Android as well  as Blackberry devices. This app links to DisasterAssistance.gov as well  as other information on FEMA’s websites. FEMA’s intent is to provide  disaster survivors more ways to access information, particularly after a  disaster when there may be no power or Internet connection. According  to a FEMA official, a mobile app—when downloaded to a smartphone— allows someone to access information, such as an emergency-meeting  location or what to do in the event of a disaster, if no Internet access is  available.
Some agencies have decided, in general, not to develop native apps. For  example, the NWS works closely with private entities, such as news  organizations, that develop apps using NWS data. As a result, NWS  officials hesitate to develop federal government apps that would compete  with those developed by the private sector. Another agency, DOI,  prefers to let the market determine what apps the public wants, and allow  the private sector to develop them; agency officials believe this is a more  efficient use of agency resources. Private sector organizations have  developed apps for DOI, such as the Bureau of Land Management’s  “Yonder” app, which enables outdoor enthusiasts to find and share  information about hiking, biking, skiing, and mountain climbing.  Nevertheless, a DOI official noted that, in some instances, DOI has  developed apps. For example, the National Park Service developed an  app for the National Mall and Memorial Sites, which provides tourists with  information about historical and cultural sites in Washington, D.C.
section_title: Agency Comments
paragraphs: We provided copies of the draft report to OMB, GSA, FCC, Department of  Commerce, DOI, Department of Homeland Security, DOT, FMC, and  NEA.  We also provided Pew Research Center the segment of the draft  that discusses Pew’s survey data.
OMB, GSA, FCC, the Department of Commerce, DOI, Department of  Homeland Security, and DOT all provided technical comments, which we  incorporated as appropriate.
The FMC, NEA, and Pew Research Center had no comments on the  draft.
We are sending copies of this report to OMB, FCC, Department of  Commerce, DOI, Department of Homeland Security, DOT, FMC, NEA,  and appropriate congressional committees. In addition, the report will be  available at no charge on the GAO website at http://www.gao.gov.
If you or your staff have any questions about this report, please contact  me at (202) 512-2834 or goldsteinm@gao.gov. Contact points for our  Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on  the last page of this report. GAO staff who made key contributions to this  report are listed in appendix III.
section_title: Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology
paragraphs: This report addresses the demographics of mobile device users, including  those who use cellphones, smartphones, and tablet computers, as well as  how consumers who use these devices are able to access government  services. Specifically, we addressed 1) available data about the  demographics of mobile users and the factors that might be associated  with the increased use of mobile devices; 2) what devices consumers use  to access government services and the challenges consumers face when  accessing these services via mobile devices; and 3) what actions the  federal government has taken to enhance access to government services  via mobile devices.
To determine what is known about the demographics of mobile device  users, we reviewed reports from the U.S. Census Bureau and the  National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)  within the Department of Commerce, the Federal Communications  Commission, and the Pew Research Center. To determine the factors  that might be associated with the increased use of mobile devices, we  conducted a review of literature and then selected, reviewed, and  analyzed reports and studies that contained information on factors that  might be associated with the increased use of mobile devices. We  identified studies for our review through a search of bibliographic  databases (including Academic OneFile, PolicyFile, ProQuest, and Social  SciSearch) as well as trade publications, industry stakeholder groups,  and the Internet. From this search, we screened and identified studies for  relevance to our report and selected studies that identified factors that  might be associated with the increased use of mobile devices. We also  interviewed officials with the Census Bureau and NTIA as well as the  Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Pew Research Center,  CTIA—the Wireless Association (CTIA), and Connected Nation, as well  as other advocacy organizations such as AARP, American Foundation for  the Blind, Living Cities, Older Adults Technology Centers, and Consumer  Policy Solutions.
To obtain information on the mobile devices consumers use to access  government services, we selected six federal agencies using a stratified  random sample to select two departmental-level agencies, two agencies  within departments, and two independent agencies. The agencies  selected were the Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of  Transportation (DOT), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  within the Department of Homeland Security, National Weather Service  (NWS) within the Department of Commerce, Federal Maritime  Commission (FMC), and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). We  requested 5 years of online visitor data through Google Analytics from  each agency (from 2009 through 2013) on the type of device  (smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer) consumers used to access  the agencies’ main website. The results of this analysis are not  generalizable to all federal agencies. To obtain information about the  challenges consumers might face when accessing government services  using their mobile devices, we interviewed officials from the six agencies  mentioned above and the General Services Administration (GSA), as well  as officials from consumer and various other advocacy organizations.
Office of Management and Budget, Digital Government: Building A 21st Century Platform  to Better Serve the American People (May 23, 2012, Washington, D.C.). activities federal agencies have conducted to comply with milestones  included in the Digital Government Strategy. We also interviewed officials  from GSA, OMB, the Federal Web Managers Council, and the Federal  Chief Information Officers (CIO) Council as well as officials from the six  selected federal agencies.
We conducted this performance audit from August 2013 to December  2014 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing  standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to  obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for  our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe  the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and  conclusions based on our audit objectives.
section_title: Appendix II: Profiles on Selected Agencies
paragraphs: Appendix II: Profiles on Selected Agencies ”Native apps” are a method of delivering digital services. The “app” is downloaded to a mobile device  and runs directly on the mobile device’s operating system.
subsections: section_title: Federal agency name Website address
paragraphs: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an  agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security  www.fema.gov   FEMA’s mission is to support citizens and first responders to ensure  that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve the  nation’s capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover  from, and mitigate all hazards.
FEMA has 14,844 employees across the country at headquarters, 10  regional offices, the National Emergency Training Center, Center for  Domestic Preparedness/Noble Training Center and other facilities.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an  agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Migrated to a new content management system in July 2012 and  launched responsive design on the Disasterassistance.gov  website in January 2013.  Plans to fully implement responsive design to the rest of  FEMA.gov but does not currently have time frames for  completing this effort.
Developed a separate website for mobile.
Supports a smartphone app that links to disasterassistance.gov  so disaster survivors can access information in the event of  power outages and loss of internet connection.  Implemented a SMS text message, which alerts disaster  assistance survivors of the status of their application and lets  them know when to return to the website.
The National Weather Service, a component of the National  Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA  is an operating unit of the U.S. Department of Commerce.  www.weather.gov   The National Weather Service provides weather, water, and climate  data, forecasts, and warnings for the protection of life and property  and enhancement of the national economy. Each year, NWS collects  some 76 billion observations and issues approximately 1.5 million  forecasts and 50,000 warnings.
The National Weather Service has approximately 5,000 employees in  122 weather forecast offices, 13 river forecast centers, 9 national  centers, and other support offices around the country.
Number of desktop users  Number of smartphone users   Number of tablet users   Relevant mobile initiatives and improvements related to mobile  access
Recently developed a separate website for mobile devices.
Plans to incorporate responsive design into main website but  does not currently have timeframes for completing this effort.
Works closely with private entities, such as news organizations,  that develop apps using National Weather Service data.
Dispatches local weather wireless emergency alerts to mobile  devices without the need to download an app or subscribe to a  text message service.
The Federal Maritime Commission is the independent federal  agency responsible for regulating the U.S. international ocean  transportation system for the benefit of U.S. exporters, importers,  and the U.S. consumer.
The Federal Maritime Commission has 122 employees.
Plans to employ responsive design in fiscal year 2015  National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)  www.arts.gov   The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress  in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To  date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic  excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals  and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships  with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and  the philanthropic sector.
The National Endowment for the Arts has 151 employees.
Relevant mobile initiatives and improvements related to mobile  access
Has optimized www.arts.gov using responsive design  Supports grant applicants by providing them mobile access to  information on grants, including guidelines and available  grants, as well as on their grant status.
Updated website to include podcasts and blogging capabilities  so that mobile devices can access podcasts and blogs.
section_title: Appendix III: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments
subsections: section_title: GAO Contact
section_title: Staff Acknowledgments
paragraphs: In addition to the contact named above, Raymond Sendejas (Assistant  Director), Pedro Almoguera, Leia Dickerson, Lynn Filla-Clark, Cody  Goebel, David Hooper, Sarah Kaczmarek, Joshua H. Ormond, Tina Paek,  Amy Rosewarne, Michael Silver, James R. Sweetman, Jr., Larry Thomas,  and Hai Tran made key contributions to this report.