Joe Gebbia, the billionaire co-founder of Airbnb, is expanding the team at the U.S. National Design Studio, an initiative dedicated to enhancing the government’s online presence. This week, Gebbia announced the appointment of acclaimed American designer Peter Arnell as the nation’s inaugural Chief Brand Architect.

Arnell brings a four-decade career in branding and marketing, having collaborated with prominent global entities such as Donna Karan New York, Samsung, Unilever, Pepsi, Reebok, Chrysler, and The Home Depot. His new mandate involves a significant undertaking: to reshape the digital interface of the United States, which he refers to as “the greatest brand in the world.” Arnell clarified that the objective is not to rebrand the country itself, but to instill consistency, a unified look-and-feel, and a seamless experience across government digital platforms. This effort aims to foster greater trust in daily interactions between American citizens and their government.

The challenge ahead is substantial, as the team is tasked with redesigning an estimated 27,000 government websites. To tackle this, they are leveraging the same design philosophies and user experience principles that underpinned the creation of best-in-class consumer applications, including Airbnb. Gebbia highlighted this connection, noting that just as Airbnb simplified the complex process of finding accommodation, this government initiative seeks to demystify and streamline intricate public services, making them easier, safer, and more reliable.

Significant progress has already been made in improving the functionality and design of online government operations. For instance, a previously complex, paper-based retirement application process has been transformed into a streamlined web-based version that can now be completed in minutes rather than months. Another prototype has reduced a common government workflow from 87 clicks to just 12, with plans to further reduce it to 10. The design initiative also targets common user frustrations, such as getting lost on websites or losing data due to page timeouts, aiming to move beyond what Gebbia termed “one of the darkest UX patterns.” The overarching goal is to empower individuals to efficiently complete necessary government interactions.