“Until 2019, the U.S. Digital Service members at the Department of Veterans Affairs operated under their own leadership as a satellite agency team. Over the past six months, however, they have been absorbed into the VA’s Office of the CTO after their charter expired.”
“The change marks an evolution for one of USDS’s oldest agency teams, the organization’s leadership says. But the shift also took place under the shadow of conflict between VA leadership and the consultative technology unit, which is formally housed within the Executive Office of the President.”
“Then tension started with a report written by USDS in early 2019 that criticized the VA’s handling of the rollout of the 2018 MISSION Act, drawing public ire from the department’s secretary. Shortly after, leaders of the digital service team left the agency and the remaining team members were subsumed into the Office of the CTO, which reports to the VA’s CIO.”
“Is this the story of a fraught partnership between two very different organizations, or a story about the successful adoption of digital service principles in an agency-native way? Could it be both? What on the surface may appear like a demotion, could, in fact, be what assures the team’s long-term sustainability.”
“Whatever the case, the VA team’s situation shows a potential path forward for scaling digital services in government, and it serves as an example for how the USDS concept — deploying highly skilled, tech-focused teams to work inside agencies — is changing in an era when politically appointed leaders are more apt to elevate and consult with their IT experts…” Read the full article here.
Source: Looking for ‘balance,’ U.S. Digital Service team adapts to changes at VA – By Tajha Chappellet-Lanier, March 2, 2020. FedScoop.
