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    "title" : "Who's on Your Digital Dream Team? |Digital.gov",
    "description": "Who's on Your Digital Dream Team?",
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    {"kicker" : "This Week’s IDEA","title" :"Who's on Your Digital Dream Team?","deck" : "Getting the right skills, talent, leadership, and support in place to build winning digital tools and services","summary" : "This week, we’re exploring what it means to establish effective governance, and looking at ways to clarify and fill the roles of all the players on your team.","date" : "2020-05-27T23:00:00-05:00","date_modified" : "2025-01-27T19:42:55-05:00","authors" : {"ammie-farraj-feijoo" : "Ammie Farraj Feijoo","rflagg" : "Rachel Flagg"},"topics" : {
        
            "digital-service-delivery" : "Digital service delivery",
            "governance" : "Governance",
            "professional-development" : "Professional development"
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      "filename" :"2020-05-27-whos-on-your-digital-dream-team.md",
      
      "filepath" :"news/2020/05/2020-05-27-whos-on-your-digital-dream-team.md",
      "filepathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/blob/bc-archive-content-3/content/news/2020/05/2020-05-27-whos-on-your-digital-dream-team.md",
      "editpathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/edit/bc-archive-content-3/content/news/2020/05/2020-05-27-whos-on-your-digital-dream-team.md","slug" : "whos-on-your-digital-dream-team","url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2020/05/27/whos-on-your-digital-dream-team/","content" :"\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"quote-block \"\u003e\n    \u003cblockquote\u003e\n      \u003cspan class=\"quote-block__quotation-mark\"\u003e“\u003c/span\u003e\n      Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.\n      \u003cspan class=\"quote-block__quotation-mark\"\u003e”\u003c/span\u003e\u003ccite\u003e— Vince Lombardi, National Football League (NFL) coach\u003c/cite\u003e\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n  \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWelcome to \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/topics/this-weeks-idea/\"\u003eThis Week’s IDEA\u003c/a\u003e, where we talk about one essential topic around \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/resources/21st-century-integrated-digital-experience-act/\"\u003e21st Century IDEA\u003c/a\u003e and share resources and tools that you can use to start making small, incremental changes to your websites and digital services.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e21st Century IDEA aims to improve executive agency digital services. But it’s really hard to build winning digital tools and services when you don’t have the right skills on your team. So today we’re asking, what are the key skill sets that every digital organization needs on their digital dream team?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"key-roles-for-digital-services\"\u003eKey Roles for Digital Services\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEverything is much easier if you start with an effective \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/topics/governance/\"\u003egovernance\u003c/a\u003e structure, one that clarifies the roles of all the players on your team, including executives, coaches, and players. You’ll need executive-level support from an agency \u003cstrong\u003eChief Information Officer\u003c/strong\u003e (CIO), \u003cstrong\u003eChief Customer Officer\u003c/strong\u003e (sometimes called a \u003cstrong\u003eChief Experience Officer\u003c/strong\u003e), and \u003cstrong\u003eChief Communications Officer\u003c/strong\u003e. You’ll also need coaches who determine strategic direction and oversee day-to-day management, such as the agency \u003cstrong\u003eWeb (or Digital) Director\u003c/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eDigital Communications Strategist\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen, of course, you need a team with the right mix of skills. These are the key players every web or digital team needs to build and deliver useful information and services:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCustomer Experience Specialist\u003c/strong\u003e - Ensures digital services are designed to flow in a logical manner, from start to finish (including across channels), to help customers complete their task as quickly and easily as possible.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesigner\u003c/strong\u003e - Helps define users, problems, and potential solutions. (Note that, even with a design system, \u003ca href=\"https://18f.gsa.gov/2020/02/06/even-with-a-design-system-you-still-need-a-designer/\"\u003eyou still need a designer\u003c/a\u003e.)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeveloper\u003c/strong\u003e - Builds digital tools that work well, and are accessible and easy to use.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital Analyst\u003c/strong\u003e - Ensures digital services are achieving their goals and objectives, and provides insights to improve customer experience across all channels.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIT Accessibility Specialist\u003c/strong\u003e - Ensures systems and content meet Section 508 requirements, and are designed for ease of use by all persons, regardless of ability.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSocial Media Manager\u003c/strong\u003e - Engages customers and promotes products and services via social channels.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUser Experience Specialist\u003c/strong\u003e - Engages real users to observe behaviors, understand expectations, and design digital products to meet user needs.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWriter or Editor (Digital Content)\u003c/strong\u003e - Develops and curates content that is written for the web, and easy to find, understand, and use.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery web or digital team also needs support from key players with agency-wide roles and responsibilities such as:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e508 Program Manager\u003c/strong\u003e - Coordinates the implementation of agency-wide IT \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/topics/accessibility/\"\u003eaccessibility\u003c/a\u003e programs. Visit Section508.gov to \u003ca href=\"https://section508.gov/tools/coordinator-listing\"\u003efind your 508 program manager\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContracting Officer (Digital Services)\u003c/strong\u003e - Understands how to craft IT support contracts to support effective digital service delivery. Coordinates with the Contracting Officer’s Representative and Project Manager on the web/digital team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformation System Security Officer\u003c/strong\u003e - Maintains the appropriate operational \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/topics/security/\"\u003esecurity\u003c/a\u003e posture for any information system or program. Reach out to your agency’s CIO team to learn more and find your security officer.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrivacy Officer\u003c/strong\u003e - Protects \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/topics/privacy/\"\u003eprivacy\u003c/a\u003e for any individual whose personal information is handled by the agency. Visit the Federal Privacy Council’s website to \u003ca href=\"https://www.fpc.gov/council-members/\"\u003efind your privacy officer\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRecords Officer\u003c/strong\u003e - Oversees agency \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/topics/records-management/\"\u003erecords management\u003c/a\u003e programs and coordinates with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Visit Archives.gov to \u003ca href=\"https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/agency\"\u003efind your agency records officer\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"how-to-fill-the-roles\"\u003eHow to Fill the Roles\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are missing one of these key roles, review these \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/resources/sample-position-descriptions-for-digital-government-jobs/\"\u003eSample Position Descriptions for Digital Government Jobs\u003c/a\u003e. They can help you recruit new team members with the skills you need to build out your roster. (And if you have a sample position description to share, please \u003ca href=\"mailto:digitalgov@gsa.gov\"\u003esend it to us\u003c/a\u003e, so we can add it to this list!)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can also post a task on \u003ca href=\"https://openopps.usajobs.gov/\"\u003eOpen Opportunities\u003c/a\u003e to fill any short-term gaps and needs. Open Opportunities offers an easy way for you to tap into talent and expertise while offering professional development to fellow feds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother option is partnering with an office like the U.S. General Services Administration’s \u003ca href=\"https://18f.gsa.gov/\"\u003e18F\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https://coe.gsa.gov/\"\u003eCenters of Excellence (CoE)\u003c/a\u003e or with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.usds.gov/\"\u003eU.S. Digital Service\u003c/a\u003e (USDS). They are staffed by federal employees who work with other agencies to fix technical problems, build products, and improve how government serves the public through technology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContracts are another great way to build your team. The federal government encourages us to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide\"\u003econtract with small businesses\u003c/a\u003e to buy products and services. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide/types-contracts\"\u003eSmall business set-asides\u003c/a\u003e help provide a level playing field for small businesses and are often an easy way to build your team quickly. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.gsa.gov/technology/technology-purchasing-programs/gsa-schedule-it-category\"\u003eGSA Schedule - IT Category\u003c/a\u003e is also a popular way to buy technology products and services.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"nows-the-time\"\u003eNow’s the Time\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow, more than ever, government must up our game to deliver seamless, effective digital services. We can only do that when we have the right skills, talent, leadership, and support—so get out there and recruit some all-stars!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"up-next\"\u003eUp Next\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow’s the best time to take some self-paced online courses!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/events/\"\u003eDigital.gov Events and Training\u003c/a\u003e - Online webinars that highlight innovations, case studies, tools, and resources; \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/events/#events-past\"\u003epast events\u003c/a\u003e are also available to view on-demand\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.fai.gov/\"\u003eFederal Acquisition Institute\u003c/a\u003e – Both online and classroom training for federal acquisition professionals\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://section508.gov/training\"\u003eSection508.gov Training\u003c/a\u003e - Online and on-demand training to improve your understanding of IT accessibility and help you procure digital tools and content that conform to the Revised 508 Standards\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.sba.gov/course/\"\u003eSmall Business Training\u003c/a\u003e - Courses on contracting with small businesses\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"from-the-field\"\u003eFrom the Field\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“[O]ver the next 5 years at USAID, [I] learned that anything was possible within the government. That is, as long as I could keep up the stamina to push past a bureaucracy accustomed to doing things one way and uncomfortable taking unnecessary risk. I received my best advice on my first day in government when my boss told me to use the bureaucracy to my advantage — that when I am told that I can’t do something, to find another opinion, another person willing to work with me to get it done.” \u003cem\u003e—via \u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/the-u-s-digital-service/serving-at-usds-stephanie-grosser-ad2099ed2d57\"\u003eU.S. Digital Service\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo you have a 21st Century IDEA-related comment or question? Or would you like to give a shout out to your colleagues? Send it to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:digitalgov@gsa.gov\"\u003edigitalgov@gsa.gov\u003c/a\u003e, and we’ll work to incorporate it into the next newsletter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEditor’s note:\u003c/strong\u003e The IT Category Schedule is managed by GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). 18F and the CoE are part of the Technology Transformation Services (TTS) within FAS. Digital.gov is also part of TTS.\u003c/p\u003e\n"}
  ]
}