By Research Associate, Sofia Briceno.

The Importance of Multilingual Services

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2022, over 25 million people in the U.S. have limited English proficiency (LEP). Ensuring government services are accessible to these individuals is vital for promoting equity, inclusion, and a truly representative government. At Bixal, we understand this need and have developed specialized capabilities to help our government clients create bilingual and multilingual products and services tailored to the needs of LEP communities.

Our Workshop at the Code for America Summit

At the 2024 Code for America Summit, Bixal conducted a specially ticketed workshop titled “The Power of Multilingual Public Service Delivery.” This workshop, designed in collaboration with experts from the General Services Administration (GSA) and CalFresh, aimed to address the critical need for inclusive and accessible government services.

Workshop Presenters

• Nicolas Doyle, user experience researcher, Bixal
• Şeyma Toker Bradshaw, user experience researcher, Bixal
• Fatima Gutierrez-Jhong, user experience researcher, Code for America (CfA)
• Andrew Xie, client success manager, CfA

These presenters gathered insights and best practices from their collective experiences in multilingual service delivery. These included strategies for making research practices relevant and accessible to LEP communities, creating multilingual content, and working effectively with translators. Many best practices were inspired by the GSA's exemplary work, which has provided multilingual outreach support on Vote.gov since 2003.

The interactive workshop highlighted the importance of understanding the diverse needs and mental models of the multilingual and multicultural communities we serve. Participants from various government agencies engaged in activities that encouraged them to think about applying these best practices to their projects.

Key Takeaways from the Workshop

1. Challenge Assumptions
   • Government services designed for English-speaking audiences may not meet the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse communities.
2. Understand Users’ Mental Models
   • Users' experiences are shaped by their language, culture, and prior interactions with government services in their home countries.
3. Adopt a User-Centered Approach
   • Conduct plain language reviews.
   • Create translation and localization guidelines.
   • Develop multilingual personas to ensure content resonates with diverse audiences.

Collaboration and Commitment

The workshop fostered a collaborative environment, connecting us with civic tech professionals dedicated to enhancing multilingual government service delivery. Addressing the needs of multilingual communities requires:

• Resources
• Commitment
• Creativity
• Resilience

Looking Forward

Our team left the workshop with renewed enthusiasm to support government efforts in serving multilingual communities. Our collaboration with CfA and GSA reinforced our belief in making public services more inclusive and accessible for all.

Stay tuned for further updates as we continue our journey toward improved multilingual service delivery. 

To learn about Bixal’s commitment to better serving Spanish-speakers nationwide, read our blog post “Beyond Language Translation: How Bixal's Product Teams Help Government Agencies and Organizations Better Serve Spanish-Speakers Nationwide.”