Source: US Global Legal Monitor
Today’s Congress.gov interview is with Kristen Davis, Design Division Chief in the Office of the Chief Information Officer. She previously blogged about Volunteer for a Congress.gov User Interview, Congress.gov User Interview Update and Call for More Volunteers, and Congress.gov User Interviews – Call for More Volunteers.
Describe your background.
I grew up in Massachusetts and attended Bentley University, majoring in business management and minoring in information technology/computer science. I also developed a love for psychology, and working with neurodivergent children and adults.
That led me to start a chapter of Best Buddies International at Bentley University and to serve as the president of that chapter. I also volunteered at a local community learning center to teach computer skills to neurodiverse adults. During school breaks, I worked as a substitute paraprofessional for a local school system, supporting neurodiverse children from kindergarten to 8th grade.
I went on to earn my Master of Science in human factors in information design at Bentley University, focusing on cognitive psychology and how the brain processes information. Over time, I grew to love fine arts and enrolled in various art classes, which I still take to this day. I enjoy painting with pastels, oil paints, and watercolors.
I have always had a love for books and for libraries. I spent countless hours in my local library in Springfield, Mass., as a kid and still do as an adult. I volunteer at my local library in Maryland and make sure to explore the Library of Congress’s Reading Rooms whenever I get a chance. I am an avid reader; I read 107 books last year alone! I enjoy visiting used book shops and growing my own personal library that I share with friends.
How would you describe your job to other people?
As Design Division Chief in the Office of the Chief Information Office at the Library of Congress, I support user experience designers, user researchers, digital accessibility architects, and quality assurance and testing teams. In my role, I wear multiple hats. I am lucky in this role to lead user research efforts across the Library, including those for Congress.gov. I advocate for user needs and provide data to make evidence-based decisions.
What is your role in the development of Congress.gov?
I am the lead user researcher on Congress.gov. I work with user experience designers on the team to conduct multiple rounds of user research to help the team to continue to improve Congress.gov. I also provide strategic planning that allows the team to follow a user-centered design process and prioritize continues improvement opportunities.
What is your favorite feature of Congress.gov?
I love that users can save searches and create personalized alerts. It allows someone to stay informed on the changes to legislation and latest member activity that matter to them. They can work more efficiently when they do not need to rebuild a search they run often. They do not need to visit the site to see if something changes, when an alert can do that for them by sending an email. If you do not have a Congress.gov account, I recommend signing up for one to take advantage of these features.
What is the most interesting fact you’ve learned about the legislative process while working on Congress.gov?
I do not think most of us realize everything that goes into the legislative process. It can be a complex process that does not always follow the same path. It is a good thing Congress.gov has great resources to better understand the legislative process, such as helpful videos.
What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you?
I love the outdoors and exploring our National Parks. I want to visit all of them! I have hiked, camped, or explored 12 so far, along with countless other locations managed by the National Parks Service. I have also hiked all of the Presidential Range in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Mount Washington was an extremely challenging hike, but well worth it for the view.
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