The UX of bureaucracy: mapping user engagement to citizen experiences of administrative burdens

Kayla Schwoerer

International Review of Public Administration, 2025, vol. 30, issue 3, 272-295

Abstract: Digitalization efforts have transformed how governments engage with citizens. While digital tools offer efficiency gains and improved access to public services, poor interface design often introduces new administrative burdens, undermines service quality, and eventually erodes public trust. To understand this tradeoff, this article presents an integrated conceptual framework that bridges administrative burden theory with user engagement research from human-computer interaction (HCI) studies. Specifically, it maps learning, compliance, and psychological costs onto cognitive, behavioral, and affective dimensions of user engagement. This mapping reveals how appropriately leveraged user experience (UX) design principles can reduce burdens and improve equity in digital public service delivery. Ultimately, the proposed framework emphasizes that interface design is not merely a technical matter but a matter of enacting public values. Thus, I conclude with a discussion of important ethical considerations and practical guidance for designing inclusive digital platforms and services in the public sector.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/12294659.2025.2535772

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