User Needs First
User Needs First focuses on an accessible, usable and comprehensible digital government, providing inclusive services that everybody can and is willing to use, which have been developed for and with citizens. User Needs First is part of the Dutch Gebruiker Centraal initiative. Members of our community are deeply committed to inclusive and accessible governmental services and communications. Read more about what we do. Join our community and connect with peers in international governments during online meetups and on our LinkedIn group. Join Community User Needs First
News
Government service delivery and customer journeys in the Caribbean Netherlands
Allison Pruschen talks about customer journey training, government service delivery in the Caribbean Netherlands, and the vast differences between the Netherlands (Europe) and Caribbean Netherlands.
We Should Not Build Bridges Together
In an elaborate interview, Fredrik Scheide, special strategic advisor at the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (Nav), shares his view on international government service design. A deep dive into best practices from Norway, law-making and legislation, clear language and accessibility, whistling for lost canaries, ziplines and the necessity to stop building bridges together… but to…
Podcast series ‘User Needs First Across Borders’
During the User Needs First International Conference, we sat down with leading experts and practitioners to explore how governments can truly put user needs first. The result? 4 podcast episodes packed with honest, practical, and sometimes provocative conversations about human-centered design in policy, digital services, and cross-border collaboration.
Upcoming events
We regularly organize online meetups for Community User Needs First. Check out the events and join the discussion!
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Online Meetup on EU Digital Identity Wallets
During our online meetups, Community User Needs First members exchange ideas and knowledge on user-centric governmental services based on examples in practice. The goal is to inspire each other and learn from each other with presentations on cases from members. Are you joining March 5th?
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Webinar: Key Lessons from the Dutch User Needs First Conference
On April 1st, we will share key lessons from the Gebruiker Centraal (The Dutch initiative our international community is a part of) annual conference from March 27. The conference is focused on creating a human-skilled government. In this webinar, we will share key lessons from the conference.
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G4I: Where Government Meets Technology – 5-7 May
The vision is to make G4I the world’s biggest and most important meeting place where global experts present real, transformative, practical content and solutions that will reshape how governments build the efficiencies needed to have a real impact on the lives of their citizens.
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Online Meetup Community User Needs First May
During our online meetups, Community User Needs First members exchange ideas and knowledge on user-centric governmental services based on examples in practice. The goal is to inspire each other and learn from each other with presentations on cases from members. Are you joining May 19th?
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Online Meetup Community User Needs First: Meet the Members!
On June 25th, from 11.00 to 12.00h (CET), you’ll have the chance to meet some of our community members and learn about their work in user-centric government service design through personal stories and experiences. Will we meet you too?
Recap User Needs First International Conference 2025
Inspiring, connecting, instructive, fun: some of the positive feedback we received from participants on the successful User Needs First International Conference 2025 which took place on April 9, 10 and 11 at the Meervaart Theatre in Amsterdam. Check out our recap of the conference.
Visit the recap page
Service Design Toolkit
This toolkit consists of manuals and tools that support the adoption of a user-centric approach in the design of digital public services. We’ve copied this from the former UserCentriCities website so you can still use it. UserCentriCities was the former name of Community User Needs First.
Use the Service Design Toolkit