Governance Sprint 7 OY3 Plan Discussion VA.gov

Hey guys! Let's dive into the Governance Sprint 7 OY3 Plan Discussion. This document outlines our roadmap, objectives, priorities, and ongoing initiatives for this sprint. We're focusing on making VA's digital experiences top-notch, so let's get to it!

Governance Team 2025 Vision Roadmap

To be determined – Stay tuned for updates on our long-term vision!

OKRs

Our main objective, Collaboration Cycle Support, is an ongoing effort every sprint. This directly supports OCTO OKR O1: VA’s digital experiences are the easiest and most efficient way to access VA health care and benefits. We're all about making things smooth and user-friendly for our veterans.

Collaboration Cycle Support: The Heart of Our Sprint

Collaboration Cycle Support is not just a task; it's the backbone of our sprint, continually driving us towards optimizing VA's digital landscape for accessibility and efficiency. We're committed to making the digital pathway to healthcare and benefits as seamless as possible for our veterans. To achieve this, we focus on a multifaceted approach that includes ongoing evaluation, feedback integration, and iterative improvements across all digital platforms. This continuous loop of support ensures that we are not only meeting the current needs of our users but also anticipating future demands and challenges.

Our efforts within Collaboration Cycle Support are intricately linked to OCTO OKR O1, which champions the idea that VA’s digital presence should be the most straightforward and effective means for veterans to access healthcare and benefits. By dedicating our sprint efforts to this cause, we're directly impacting the veteran experience, making interactions with VA systems more intuitive, less time-consuming, and ultimately, more satisfying. We understand that for many veterans, digital access is their primary gateway to vital services, and we take our responsibility in optimizing this access very seriously.

To put our commitment into tangible actions, we employ various strategies within the Collaboration Cycle Support framework. This includes closely monitoring user feedback across different digital touchpoints, conducting regular usability testing to identify areas of friction, and fostering open communication channels between development teams and end-users. By prioritizing user-centric design and incorporating real-world feedback, we ensure that our digital solutions are not just technologically advanced but also empathetic and responsive to the needs of the veteran community. This sprint, we are particularly focused on enhancing the efficiency of our support mechanisms, streamlining workflows, and leveraging data-driven insights to make informed decisions that will propel us closer to achieving our overarching goals.

Sprint Goals

TBD – Keep an eye out for our sprint-specific goals!

Sprint Priorities

TBD – We're working on setting our top priorities for this sprint.

Story points planned: Collaboration Cycle support work is not included in planned estimate

Story points completed: TBD

On-Support Rotation

July 28-Aug 1: Allison is on support. Thanks, Allison!

Sprint Work

Let's break down what we're working on this sprint.

In Progress Initiatives

Implement VFS Team Offboarding Process

• #110012 – We're streamlining our offboarding process to make it as smooth as possible.

Implementing a streamlined offboarding process for the VFS (Veterans Facing Services) team is a crucial initiative, directly influencing operational efficiency and the preservation of institutional knowledge. When team members transition out of their roles, a well-structured offboarding process ensures that critical tasks are seamlessly handed over, projects remain on track, and vital information isn't lost. This initiative, identified under issue #90155 on GitHub, aims to create a standardized, transparent, and efficient process that minimizes disruptions and supports team continuity. The goal is to develop a system that addresses not just the logistical aspects of offboarding, such as access revocation and equipment return, but also the more nuanced aspects like knowledge transfer and documentation updates.

The impetus behind this initiative is rooted in the understanding that the VFS team plays a pivotal role in delivering services to veterans. Any lapse in service delivery, due to inefficient offboarding, can directly impact the veteran community. Therefore, the stakes are high for creating a process that is both robust and user-friendly. This initiative aligns with broader organizational goals of maintaining high standards of service and operational excellence. By focusing on the details of how team members transition out, we reinforce our commitment to veterans and ensure that their needs remain at the forefront of our operations.

The progress on this initiative is tracked under #110012, where we are actively documenting each step of the process, from the initial notification of departure to the final knowledge transfer sessions. Our approach involves collaboration with various stakeholders, including HR, IT, and team leads, to ensure that all perspectives are considered. We are also incorporating feedback from team members who have recently gone through the offboarding process, to refine our approach and address any pain points. The ultimate goal is to create a process that not only meets the needs of the organization but also supports the departing team member in their transition. By investing in this initiative, we are investing in the resilience and sustainability of the VFS team, and by extension, the services we provide to veterans.

Create Staging Review in Engineering and Security Track of Collaboration Cycle

Creating a Staging Review within the Engineering and Security Track of the Collaboration Cycle, as highlighted in issue #86735, is pivotal for ensuring the robustness and security of our digital deployments. This initiative aims to integrate a thorough review process before changes are moved to the production environment, thereby mitigating potential risks and ensuring a smoother user experience. The staging environment serves as a crucial checkpoint where changes can be tested and validated under conditions that closely mimic the live production setting. By identifying and rectifying issues at this stage, we can prevent disruptions, reduce the likelihood of security vulnerabilities, and maintain the integrity of our digital services.

This enhancement to the Collaboration Cycle is driven by the increasing complexity of our digital infrastructure and the growing importance of security in today's digital landscape. A staging review provides a structured opportunity for engineering and security teams to collaborate, assess the impact of changes, and ensure that they meet the required standards and best practices. This not only safeguards our systems but also enhances team communication and coordination, leading to a more streamlined development process. The inclusion of security considerations at the staging level is particularly critical, as it allows us to proactively address potential threats and vulnerabilities before they can impact our users.

Our approach to creating this staging review process involves several key steps. First, we are defining clear criteria for what needs to be reviewed, including code quality, performance, security compliance, and accessibility. Second, we are establishing a standardized workflow that outlines the steps involved in the review process, from submission to approval. Third, we are developing tools and resources to support the review, such as automated testing frameworks and security scanning tools. We are also working on training materials to ensure that all team members are familiar with the new process and their roles within it. By meticulously planning and executing this initiative, we are reinforcing our commitment to delivering secure, reliable, and high-quality digital services to our veteran community.

Track and Enforce Use of Current PDFs in Forms

Tracking and enforcing the use of current PDFs in forms, as addressed in issue #109409, is an essential initiative for maintaining data integrity and ensuring veterans have access to the most up-to-date information. Outdated forms can lead to errors, delays, and frustration for veterans attempting to access benefits and services. This initiative focuses on implementing mechanisms to monitor the versions of PDFs used across our digital platforms and enforce the use of the latest versions. By doing so, we can minimize the risk of processing incorrect information, improve the accuracy of data collection, and enhance the overall user experience.

The drive behind this effort stems from the recognition that forms are a critical touchpoint between veterans and the VA. Ensuring that these forms are current and accurate is paramount to our mission of serving veterans effectively. This initiative not only addresses the immediate issue of outdated forms but also establishes a foundation for ongoing form management and maintenance. By tracking form usage, we can identify areas where updates are needed, prioritize our efforts, and proactively address potential issues before they impact veterans.

Our strategy for achieving this involves several key components. We are developing a centralized repository of current forms, with clear version control and metadata. We are implementing automated checks to detect instances where outdated forms are being used. We are establishing a communication protocol to notify users and system administrators when updates are available. And we are creating a process for regularly reviewing and updating forms to ensure they remain current and compliant. This multifaceted approach will enable us to effectively manage our forms, reduce errors, and provide veterans with the reliable information they need. By prioritizing this initiative, we are reaffirming our commitment to accuracy, transparency, and the well-being of the veteran community.

Tech Debt

TBD – We'll be tackling some tech debt this sprint to keep our systems running smoothly.

Collaboration Cycle Support

TBD – As mentioned, this is an ongoing effort. More details to come!

Unplanned Work

N/A – So far, so good! No unplanned work to report.

Blockers / Dependencies

N/A – No blockers or dependencies at the moment. Let's keep it that way!