From many logins to one: Massachusetts' journey to unified resident experience

Last Call Media partnered with Massachusetts Digital Service (‘Mass Digital’) on their ambitious MyMassGov initiative. First, we created X Benefits —a demonstration application that showed state agencies how to integrate with the Commonwealth’s new single sign-on system. Following this successful proof-of-concept, we were engaged to develop the MyMassGov portal, which serves as the resident-facing interface for Massachusetts’ unified digital services ecosystem.  

Working in close collaboration with Mass Digital, we simplified how residents interact with government services through unified login and profile management. Our team successfully launched the Commonwealth’s first centralized identity platform in just 12 weeks, creating a scalable foundation for future enhancements.

The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) operates the Massachusetts Digital Service division, which leads the state’s digital transformation efforts. Mass Digital is enhancing how residents access state services through MyMassGov—a comprehensive program with five key components:

1. Single Sign-On lets residents use one secure login across multiple state applications.
2. Support Center CRM manages user data and helps staff assist residents.
3. Contact Center provides direct user support.
4. Universal Profile enables residents to store and share their information with different agencies.
5. Identity Verification ensures secure access to sensitive services.

Our cross-functional team of experts tackled a crucial piece of this ecosystem: developing the platform that brings these components together, focusing on integrating SSO and implementing the Universal Profile system.

Mass Digital’s program aims to simplify interactions between residents, businesses, and state services by eliminating duplicate logins, centralizing data entry, and implementing consistent security protocols—all of which reduce redundancy and build trust in government systems.

The work demanded both scale and simplicity:
 

• Architect a system for complex integrations
• Build secure data-sharing APIs
• Develop reusable, accessibility-compliant components
• Establish reliable, automated deployment
• Enable rapid feature development
   

Integration complexity

Scaling from prototype to production demanded sophisticated integration between multiple systems, including an industry-leading identity provider and Salesforce CRM.
 

Process evolution

As the project grew, we evolved from Kanban to Scrum methodologies to handle increasing complexity and team coordination.
 

Security requirements

Every feature, especially the Universal Profile system, required thorough testing and validation for bulletproof consent management and data privacy.
 

Team coordination

With separate groups handling SSO, CRM, and portal development, we established clear communication channels and robust integration testing protocols.
 

Modern architecture, maximum flexibility

We built the portal on a cutting-edge stack, prioritizing both performance and maintainability. Next.js and React powered our front end, while NestJS and Prisma handled data management. This combination enabled rapid feature development while maintaining strict security standards.

Infrastructure as code through AWS and Terraform ensures consistent deployments across environments, supported by comprehensive testing through Jest and Playwright.

We delivered the platform through two strategic phases:
 

• Phase 1 established the secure Single Sign-On foundation with robust multi-factor authentication

• Phase 2 delivered personal data management capabilities integrated with the Support Center
  
  
   

  

Technical innovations

Universal Profile system

We engineered an API system enabling secure profile sharing between agencies with a streamlined consent model where users provide general authorization during account creation. Multiple third-party penetration tests validated the security of this system, confirming it meets the Commonwealth’s rigorous standards.
 

Data synchronization 

We implemented a robust integration between the portal and Salesforce CRM, ensuring reliable data consistency while respecting rate limits and security protocols.

Deployment pipeline

Our automated testing and deployment workflow includes end-to-end tests using Playwright, accessibility validation, and security checks before production deployments. Through rigorous testing and remediation, we resolved 15 specific accessibility issues, ensuring the platform serves all Massachusetts residents regardless of ability.

Component library

Following the Mayflower design system, we built React components focusing on profile management and multi-step forms. Each component adheres to WCAG 2.1 AA standards while maintaining a consistent user experience.

LCM actively contributed to the Mayflower design system throughout the project, creating reusable components and patterns that benefited the Massachusetts digital ecosystem. The team’s expertise in design systems, accessibility, and modern web development enabled the creation of a technically sophisticated and user-friendly platform.

Agile evolution

We transitioned from Kanban to Scrum methodology as the project scaled, enhancing sprint planning, roadmap visibility, and cross-team coordination through regular ceremonies and consistent backlog refinement. 
 

• Created innovative async retrospective formats
• Adopted Fibonacci sequence estimation for efficient effort estimation
• Maintained continuous stakeholder engagement through regular demos

The MyMassGov ecosystem now serves:
 

• 1.8 million managed accounts through the underlying SSO system
• Over 500,000 monthly active users across all integrated services
• 25,000 monthly portal users engaging with the LCM-built interface, with numbers growing steadily as more agencies integrate

Key technical achievements:
 

• Scalable, secure platform handling millions of interactions
• Seamless integration between portal, SSO, and CRM systems
• Universal Profile API enabling cross-agency data sharing
• Automated zero-downtime deployment pipeline ensuring reliable updates
• Reusable component library accelerating future development

Our engineering team transformed a prototype into a production system that’s revolutionizing how Massachusetts residents interact with their government. The platform continues to evolve, with new features and integrations building on our robust foundation.
 

The MyMassGov platform contributed to Massachusetts winning First Place in the State Category at the 2024 Government Experience Awards. 

With public-facing services originally being organized by departments, leaving the end user to navigate a maze of agencies, the department recognized that for a truly impactful digital transformation, the focus needed to shift to the individual user.

 - Massachusetts CIO Jason Snyder