Brandon Szabo

Brandon Szabo is the Chief of User Experience and Design at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).12 He is a user experience expert based in the Washington, DC metro area with 15 years of experience in the field.2

Role and Responsibilities

In his current position at the IRS, Szabo plays a crucial role in the agency's digital transformation efforts. He is responsible for overseeing the entirety of the taxpayer-facing digital experience, which includes:

• The IRS.gov website
• Complex transactional services
• Expanding self-service options for taxpayers, tax professionals, and businesses
• Implementing a holistic service design approach

Szabo emphasizes the importance of improving user experience across all digital channels to enhance taxpayer interactions with the IRS.1

Initiatives and Focus Areas

Under Szabo's leadership, the IRS is focusing on several key areas:

• Achieving parity across service channels
• Building cross-functional teams that combine technical expertise with UX design and research capabilities
• Improving feedback collection and analysis processes
• Developing more predictive analytics
• Implementing a cohesive, omnichannel approach to understanding the entire taxpayer journey

Szabo recognizes the cognitive and emotional burden on users when interacting with the IRS and aims to address these challenges through effective service delivery.1

Background and Experience

With his extensive background in user experience, Szabo brings valuable expertise to the IRS. His role is particularly significant in light of recent initiatives, including President Biden's executive order on customer experience, Office of Management and Budget directives, and the Inflation Reduction Act, which provide both guidance and resources for prioritizing customer experience in government service delivery.1