Beyond the Interface: Usability as an Engine for Value Creation in the Public Service Ecosystem

The global digital government agenda emphasizes the importance of user-centered services to maximize Public Value. While most research focuses on citizen-facing systems, this study addresses a critical gap by evaluating the usability and institutional impact of internal platforms used by public servants. We present a comprehensive case study of SplitGov, a federal system responsible for managing shared service contracts and cost allocation in the Brazilian government. Using a triangulated methodology that combines heuristic evaluation, guided navigation, and semi-structured interviews with platform managers, we identify recurring usability barriers related to accessibility, interface consistency, and clarity of feedback. Beyond diagnosing interface-level frictions, the findings reveal how micro-level usability problems generated organizational responses at the meso level and created opportunities for alignment with national digital government policies at the macro level. This extended version incorporates new empirical material, particularly interviews with managers, and advances the theoretical articulation between the Public Service Ecosystem (PSE) model, complexity theory, and sociotechnical perspectives. The results show that usability evaluation can support adaptive governance processes, supporting organizational learning and influencing institutional improvement processes. The study further provides practical guidance to advance UX governance, refine feedback loops, and reinforce the reliability and legitimacy of digital public systems, promoting public value creation.