diff --git a/_blogs/5-essential-elements-for-a-successful-artificial-intelligence-community-of-practice.md b/_blogs/5-essential-elements-for-a-successful-artificial-intelligence-community-of-practice.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..e137e044 --- /dev/null +++ b/_blogs/5-essential-elements-for-a-successful-artificial-intelligence-community-of-practice.md @@ -0,0 +1,79 @@ +--- +id: 5-essential-elements-for-a-successful-artificial-intelligence-community-of-practice +title: '5 essential elements for a successful artificial intelligence community of practice' +image: /assets/images/blogs/ +author: Eboni J.D. Freeman, Sabrina Mohamed and Eric Ewing +published_at: "2024-09-24" +summary: "" +external_url: +tags: ['GSA'] +type: Blog +social: blog +--- + +*This post was originally published on the [apolitical blog](https://apolitical.co/solution-articles/en/5-essential-elements-for-a-successful-artificial-intelligence-community-of-practice)* + +# 5 essential elements for a successful artificial intelligence community of practice +## An insight into the federal AI Community of Practice (AI CoP), which was established to foster responsible AI adoption across US government. + +- **The opportunity:** There is currently an opportunity for the US government to champion responsible AI education, innovation and integration across federal agencies. +- **Why it matters:** Artificial intelligence adoption is rapidly becoming crucial for government agencies to improve service delivery and achieve their missions. +- **The solution:** By focusing on community engagement, public-private partnerships, delivering tangible value and nurturing future emerging technology leaders, the AI CoP has become instrumental in advancing responsible AI adoption and innovation within the US government. + +In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, the integration of [artificial intelligence](https://apolitical.co/solution-articles/en/how-to-not-get-overwhelmed-by-ai-trends) (AI) into governmental operations and services has shifted from being a mere possibility to an imperative. Spearheading this transformation in the US is the Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice (AI CoP), a pivotal initiative launched in 2019 by the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Office of Technology Transformation Services (TTS) in coordination with the Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The AI CoP was originally created to promote cooperation among federal agencies in adopting AI technologies. Over time, its role has expanded to become a fundamental aspect of ensuring that AI is implemented in a responsible and effective manner throughout the US federal government. + +### What is a Community of Practice (CoP)? +The AI CoP defines communities of practice as “interest groups that provide opportunities for members to support, challenge and inspire one another”. The three distinct elements that comprise a CoP are: + +1. Interaction: Discussions, collaborative activities and relationship building +2. Shared domain of interest: Common goals, topics or areas of focus shared by multiple groups; ranging from broad subjects, such as artificial intelligence or customer experience to narrow ones like federal technology acquisition and municipal call centre management +3. Shared practice: Shared techniques, skills and expertise including material creation and distribution + +
+

Guided by collaboration, innovation and inclusivity, the AI CoP shines as a beacon of excellence in advancing effective governance through technological innovation.

+
+ +This approach enables professionals to grow and mature while focusing on efforts to share knowledge and solve problems. + +### Why would an AI CoP matter? +An AI Community of Practice can: + +- Solve shared problems with inter-agency/inter-division working groups +- Promote the spread of best practices +- Develop professional skills +- Help recruit and retain talent +- Enable connections across hierarchies and silos (i.e., government bureaucracy) + +Let the author know about communities of practice that you know about and find interesting by [leaving a comment](https://apolitical.co/solution-articles/en/5-essential-elements-for-a-successful-artificial-intelligence-community-of-practice#article-comments) + +### Evolution and purpose +The US Government’s inter-agency Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice (AI CoP) began its journey in 2019 with a mandate to facilitate dialogue and cooperation among federal entities exploring AI adoption. When directives such as the [2020 Executive Order on Promoting Trustworthy AI (EO 13960)](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/12/08/2020-27065/promoting-the-use-of-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence-in-the-federal-government) and the [AI Training Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-207)](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2551) reshaped their operating landscape, the AI CoP adapted its programming to align with these policies by revamping challenge competitions, reformatting member-wide communications and more. Today, its mission extends beyond technology adoption to include comprehensive workforce development and AI literacy education across 80+ member agencies. + + + +### The five pillars of success +The success of the AI CoP is underpinned by five foundational principles, each critical to its operational framework and impact: + +**1. Executive leadership buy-in** + +From its inception, the AI CoP executive director prioritised securing support from top-level leadership early and often. By engaging with key stakeholders across the White House, GSA and other federal agencies the AI CoP laid a solid foundation for continuous improvement. This proactive approach ensured alignment with emerging legislative priorities, stimulated a collaborative space conducive to accountability and paved a clear path for challenging conversations as they arose. + +**2. Community engagement and culture building** + +Beyond co-developing and propagating policy frameworks, the AI CoP recognises the importance of cultivating a vibrant culture. Encouraging active participation through 40+ community-ideated events, expert workshops and peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing sessions, the AI CoP’s steering committee members and working group leads nurture a community where problems are solved and challenges are met with collective expertise. This approach enhances AI literacy and inspires creative solutions to complex challenges. + +**3. Public-private partnerships** + +Recognising the transformative potential of public-private partnerships, the AI CoP continually forges and strengthens alliances with academic institutions specialising in human-centred AI, information technology policy and law. Collaborating with leading universities, industry experts and non-profit organisations enriches its knowledge base and facilitates the development of cutting-edge AI applications tailored to meet governmental needs. These partnerships exemplify the AI CoP's commitment to leveraging external expertise for the benefit of public service. + +**4. Delivering tangible value** + +Central to its mission, the AI CoP focuses on delivering tangible value through practical initiatives and outcomes. The AI CoP hosts specialised training programmes led by award-winning experts, helping federal employees understand the computer science, economics, law, political science and psychological implications of AI through case studies and live Q&A discussions. Additionally, the AI CoP organises ‘Applied AI Challenges’. These competitions seek diverse and practical solutions to help federal agencies quickly identify, demonstrate, test and acquire promising new AI technology. By cultivating a safe environment where government officials can share their challenges and receive feedback from knowledgeable peers from different agencies, the AI CoP empowers change-makers and innovators in government to bring creative solutions to benefit their agencies and the American people. + +**5. Building leadership and talent pipeline** + +The AI CoP places significant emphasis on developing top talent to create a pipeline for future CoP and AI initiative leaders, fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is valued and leveraged to achieve its mission. Members are empowered to lead discussions on topics like natural language processing, computer vision, reinforcement learning, AI security and generative AI within their management chains. Expert guidance, including from [Presidential Innovation Fellows](https://presidentialinnovationfellows.gov/), supports this upskilling effort through human-centred programme design and strategy. Additionally, the CoP conducted a survey of AI practitioners in the federal workforce, informing policies such as the AI Executive Order and AI Talent Surge. By prioritising people and their experiences, the AI CoP aims to drive transformative change beyond just adopting AI tools. + +**Conclusion** + +In conclusion, the journey of the Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice (AI CoP) exemplifies a proactive approach to US government [innovation](https://apolitical.co/solution-articles/en/what-is-government-innovation). Guided by collaboration, innovation and inclusivity, the AI CoP shines as a beacon of excellence in advancing effective governance through technological innovation. Looking ahead, the AI CoP's legacy highlights the power of collaboration in uniting the best people, processes and products for the public good. \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/_blogs/6-ways-to-navigate-the-civic-tech-sea-of-newness.md b/_blogs/6-ways-to-navigate-the-civic-tech-sea-of-newness.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..cd075b05 --- /dev/null +++ b/_blogs/6-ways-to-navigate-the-civic-tech-sea-of-newness.md @@ -0,0 +1,44 @@ +--- +id: 6-ways-to-navigate-the-civic-tech-sea-of-newness +title: '6 Ways To Navigate the Civic Tech Sea of Newness' +image: /assets/images/blogs/pifs-raashee-gupta-erry-vivian-lee-zoom-6-tips.png +author: Raashee Gupta Erry, Vivian Lee +published_at: "2021-03-24" +summary: "" +external_url: +tags: ['GSA'] +type: Blog +social: blog +--- + +*This post was originally published on the [Digital.gov blog](https://digital.gov/2021/03/24/6-ways-to-navigate-the-civic-tech-sea-of-newness/)* + +By nature, the [Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF)](https://presidentialinnovationfellows.gov/) program is a grand experiment in newness. What happens when we take a group of industry professionals and throw them into government? As career private-sector marketing professionals, for us, there was the triple threat of being new to government, being detailed to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), an agency that had never had Presidential Innovation Fellows before, and navigating the ever-changing digital advertising industry from a public-sector perspective. We found ourselves in uncharted waters. + +Four months in, we not only gained our sea legs, but also got some pretty significant wins along the way. Here are six principles that guided us through those uncharted waters and turned us into navigators of a shared journey. + +
+ Screen capture of a video conference call between Raashee Gupta Erry (left) and Vivian Lee (right). +
+ +## **1. Become best friends with your federal partners** +First, get to know each other extremely well. Go beyond the LinkedIn profiles and dive into motivations, beliefs, agendas, work styles, strengths, weaknesses, and life as a person. We made sure to present ourselves to the agency as teammates, and not as competitors. It might sound obvious, but it’s important! We do not innovate in silos. Our success is tied directly to the FTC’s success and, as a result, to safeguard consumer protection in the digital advertising landscape. Getting there is a team effort; we’re better together. We made it a point to remain partners and identify lead and support responsibilities amongst ourselves as opposed to creating a perception of independent contributors. + +## **2. Identify the value exchange** +To build trust in a new environment, we focused on collaborative value. For us, “value” means the benefit that the federal agency gets from us, and what we get from our federal agency partners. It is beyond the goal of making an impact. It’s the day-to-day benefit we get from our work and interactions. In our case, the agency gets to be smarter in their work as a result of insights we share about digital advertising, marketing, and advertising technology. And in return, we are able to learn more about the enforcement and regulatory side of the industry that we come from, enabling us to become better marketers and advertisers. + +## **3. Listen with purpose** +The first three months of the year-long fellowship are intended to be the ‘listening’ phase where we get to know our agency folks, their mission, challenges and priorities. We approached this ‘listening’ phase by identifying both our agency-assigned projects, and our personal interest areas. This helped us prioritize and earn some early wins by focusing on projects that brought value to our partners, ultimately building trust and confidence. At the same time, we were able to establish a path forward to seek out meaningful and valuable work to us as PIFs and in our long-term careers (we call this our ‘wishlist’). + +## **4. Build your support network** +Branch out from beyond the initial agency-facilitated introductions. By building your support network, you can amplify your impact, gain allies, and build your brand. Take the opportunity to meet folks outside of your immediate team and chain of command. A casual coffee chat can go a long way in both your personal and professional development within your agency. This has led us to develop a network of allies who have helped clear blockers, steer us to new opportunities, and push forward on our ‘wishlist’ projects. + +## **5. Embrace an entrepreneurial mindset** +We have been persistent in making progress on our ‘wishlist’ projects and have been diligent in taking actions. As often happens in government, we ran into a few dead ends that hindered our ability to make any progress. That’s when we took it upon ourselves to map out various paths to success. This often looked like consulting with our allies by taking an informal approach to seeking out the right people. Other than our relentless pursuit for coffee chats, we found other ways to lean into our organization like joining our organization’s official mentorship program. An entrepreneurial approach to finding solutions even within a highly rules-oriented, bureaucratic organization has been a key to our success. We have a long way to go to reach the end product, but we’re glad we’ve found a clearer way forward. + +## **6. Become multilingual** +Coming from industry, we knew there would be an adjustment period to acclimate to the lingo, working styles, and habits of the federal government. However, working primarily with lawyers, we ran into a lot of legal terminology. At first, this was a jargon barrier. What we quickly found was that the more lawyers we talked to, the better we understood their motivations, challenges, and ways of thinking. Quickly being able to adapt to our stakeholders’ natural way of communicating and working while balancing that with our own marketing expertise allowed us to build trust more efficiently and drive impact more effectively. The easiest way to do this was to go through the thought exercise of putting ourselves in our stakeholders’ shoes. How are we currently thinking about a given problem as marketers, and how does that outlook change when we consider coming from a legal perspective? This simple mindset shift helped us to frame up our suggestions in a way that was more directly useful for our lawyer colleagues. On a day-to-day basis, we work with lawyers, technologists, economists, and policy advisors. Being intentional about learning the different styles of your stakeholders will pay dividends throughout your government experience. + +--- +Our PIF journey has been unique in many ways - our backgrounds are more business-oriented than technical, our projects don’t always have defined deliverables, the mission of our agency is long term, and the impact is hard to quantify. But our experience may benefit other “newbies” in federal space as government agencies are mission-oriented, complex organizations filled with people who care deeply about their work. We found that these lessons helped us gain bigger wins while also building meaningful relationships with our colleagues. + diff --git a/_blogs/a-soldiers-journey-from-big-tech-to-government-innovation.md b/_blogs/a-soldiers-journey-from-big-tech-to-government-innovation.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c2bf0e08 --- /dev/null +++ b/_blogs/a-soldiers-journey-from-big-tech-to-government-innovation.md @@ -0,0 +1,50 @@ +--- +id: a-soldiers-journey-from-big-tech-to-government-innovation +title: 'A Soldier’s Journey from Big Tech to Government Innovation' +image: /assets/images/blogs/pif-george-chewning.png +author: George Chewning +published_at: "2021-02-01" +summary: "" +external_url: https://digital.gov/2021/02/01/a-soldiers-journey-from-big-tech-to-government-innovation/ +tags: ['GSA'] +type: Blog +social: blog +--- + +*This post was originally published on the [Digital.gov blog](https://digital.gov/2021/02/01/a-soldiers-journey-from-big-tech-to-government-innovation/)* + +## A Soldier’s Journey from Big Tech to Government Innovation + +I served in the United States Army, both at home and abroad, for five transformative years. I loved the people I worked with, the atmosphere, the camaraderie, and the collective sense of duty. But at the end of my contract, I was ready to try something new. + +After the Army, I was fortunate to transition into the technology industry, where I took a role as a program manager. I had few marketable technical skills, but I was eager to contribute to my new team where I could. Veterans have the superpower of being able to learn. We learn quickly, efficiently, and with a passion for the work. Most of us didn’t know how to be military intelligence specialists, supply planners, or infantrymen until we were them. We’re resilient in the face of challenges and change. + +Looking back on my journey from active duty to big tech, and now to my new journey in government innovation, I want to share my learnings. Whether you’re a service member, a veteran, or a technologist, you can adapt each as you tackle new chapters, personally and professionally. + +### **Ask the right questions (even, and especially, if they’re hard questions)** +Much of what I learned in the military about being results-driven and a reliable teammate I was able to leverage in my tech role. I found the right people to learn from and discovered the right questions to ask. Just one example is the [Military Skills Translator](https://www.facebook.com/careers/life/building-a-mission-driven-tool-how-military-skills-translate-to-facebook-careers) I co-developed with my former colleagues. Our hackathon team tackled the issue of lagging veteran employment in the technology industry. We asked the tough questions about our background and our industry to get to a solution that wasn’t clear at the outset. The tool allows veterans to use their military job title to find Facebook careers relevant to their experience. + +I saw first hand what talented people with the right resources could accomplish in a short amount of time. Always in the back of my mind was the idea that the same experience could be had in the military and the public sector. + +### **Mission matters** +After a few years away from the Army, I began to feel like I was missing an important piece of my identity. I was enjoying my work and my colleagues, but I was not striving towards a personally fulfilling mission. I needed a second tour of service. + +I also reflected on the fact that many veterans and their families are not as fortunate as I was in the transition from the military to the civilian world. If there was a way to help others, I knew that’s where I needed to be. I discovered [Presidential Innovation Fellows](https://pif.gov/) (PIF), and it was the perfect opportunity to combine my personal interests and newfound professional skills. No one leaves the military because they are tired of serving their country. This was a way for me to reconnect to the selfless community I have always felt drawn to. + +So I went for it. I applied to PIF and got the offer to join [the 2020 cohort](https://www.gsa.gov/blog/2019/10/03/meet-the-new-presidential-innovation-fellows?_gl=1*3nbp8*_ga*MTU5ODI5MzQwMy4xNzI0MTYzNzY3*_ga_HBYXWFP794*MTczNjc4NDAxMC41MS4wLjE3MzY3ODQwMTAuMC4wLjA.). I was thrilled to learn that the agency I’d be working with - or detailed to, as we call it - was the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). But I was also apprehensive. The experience was no different than being a brand new soldier, falsely assuming I had to know everything on the first day. + +### **Innovators aren’t always disruptors; innovators build people up** +When I joined VA, I was heralded as a technology expert, but the truth was, talented and knowledgeable professionals were all around me, I just had to find ways to remove bureaucratic barriers and elevate good ideas to the right people. + +Ultimately, I am heartened by the great work being done at VA and I am excited about the small part I get to play in it. In my first year as a Presidential Innovation Fellow, I supported the talented and dedicated researchers at VA’s Office of Research and Development. Now, I’m excited to be beginning another year in the VA’s Office of the CTO, where I am helping implement a data and analytics platform to enable efficient decision making, and ultimately, better care for veterans and their families. + +To be sure, there are still mountains to move. I’ve lost good friends, fellow veterans, and colleagues to deaths by suicide and beared witness to the frustration inherent in interacting with large government systems. There is always more work to be done if you simply look for it. + + +### **The search is just as important as the solution** +Government service offers many intangible benefits to technologists, including opportunities for entrepreneurship, camaraderie, and impact. Civic tech is entrepreneurial in nature; it’s about challenging the status quo and finding value everywhere you look, even in the most unexpected places. Serving in government means you get to join a group of mission-driven professionals who are always searching for ways to better serve the American people. You are rewarded with the knowledge that you can have an impact on both the personal and national scale. + +To my fellow veterans - I believe in you. I believe in us. To my fellow PIFs and VA colleagues - thank you for showing me that mission-driven work knows no bounds. Here’s to new chapters of civic tech service. + + + diff --git a/_blogs/how-the-u-s-department-of-the-navy-is-delivering-it-that-just-works.md b/_blogs/how-the-u-s-department-of-the-navy-is-delivering-it-that-just-works.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b7c82bc7 --- /dev/null +++ b/_blogs/how-the-u-s-department-of-the-navy-is-delivering-it-that-just-works.md @@ -0,0 +1,106 @@ +--- +id: how-the-u-s-department-of-the-navy-is-delivering-it-that-just-works +title: 'How the U.S. Department of the Navy is delivering IT that just works' +image: /assets/images/blogs/how-the-u-s-department-of-the-navy-is-delivering-it-that-just-works.jpg +author: Amanda Hawkins +published_at: "2024-06-10" +summary: "" +external_url: +tags: ['Navy'] +type: Blog +social: blog +--- + +*This post was originally published on the [Digital.gov blog](https://digital.gov/2024/06/10/how-the-u-s-department-of-the-navy-is-delivering-it-that-just-works/)* + +## A case study from the Navy’s Chief Information Officer and Program Executive Office for Digital and Enterprise Services + +In August 2023, then-acting U.S. Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer Jane Rathbun shed light on the ongoing efforts spearheaded by the Navy’s Program Executive Office for Digital and Enterprise Services (PEO Digital) to improve user experience. In this case study, we’re going to delve deeper into the “why” and “how” behind the Navy’s strategy to drive the delivery of modern, secure, and effective enterprise information technology and business systems and services. + + +## **Setting the stage** +The Navy’s ambitious goal is to make “information technology (IT) so good it’s invisible” — much like the infrastructure that allows you to turn on a tap and expect to get clean water. This monumental task is long overdue, owing to competing priorities, a historical mindset of doing more with less, and Department of Defense planning, programming, budgeting, and execution processes ill-equipped to support IT infrastructure needs. The outcry for better IT experiences, like the “fix my computer” plea in 2022 from within the Department of Defense, prompted a collective response. + + +## **The Navy’s approach** +The Navy’s strategy revolves around modern service delivery, a design approach applied across all digital and enterprise services. The aim is to ensure strategic alignment, interoperability, and integration within the Department of the Navy and Department of Defense. The Navy envisions offering the premier enterprise information technology user experience. To achieve this, they started with leaders who would champion the cause, and focused on cultivating a culture shift within the PEO Digital workforce—the team that would be responsible for leading the transformation. + + +## **Culture transformation** +The PEO Digital team defined the top 10 behaviors (PDF, 172 KB, 2 pages) critical to this transformation. These behaviors are listed verbatim below. + +1. Disrupt ourselves with experiments +2. Use before rent; rent before buy; buy before build +3. Beta earlier; a 10% solution is better than no solution +4. Partner bolder and as often as possible; leverage the success of others +5. Move with urgency and exercise a bias toward speed +6. Seek simplicity for scalability +7. Seamlessly deliver customer-centric technologies +8. Never duplicate, always automate +9. Reward innovation; make government IT cool to do and boring to maintain +10. Weaponize data to make better decisions at the speed of relevance + +Key enablers of this cultural shift included speed, scalability, simplicity, and alignment. The PEO Digital team implemented measures such as an agile requirements approach, tech scouting, and vendor outreach while streamlining, agile framework execution and product management, and more. + + +## **Aligning strategy to execution** +PEO Digital has meticulously designed and aligned a process to move from strategy to execution. This involves integrating new capabilities and requirements into the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution cycles. This framework allows effective research, prioritization, delivery, and system sustainment, and connects industry research, Navy mission analysis, and IT business strategy. + + +## **Modern service delivery goals** +The ultimate goal of modern service delivery is to ensure secure access to services and data from any device, anywhere, without interruptions. They focus on the following elements: + +- Devices: Services and data are accessed equally across all devices +- Network: Multiple connectivity methods for managed and unmanaged devices +- User: Device, access, and user combinations are verified +- Application: User-centric services are designed for ubiquitous access +- Data: Seamless data synchronization across all devices +- Foundational elements: Visibility and analytics, and automation and orchestration + +## **Guidance for modern service delivery** +For more detailed guidance on their execution, three modern service delivery documents provide necessary insight: + +Outlining the technical vision for all PEO Digital IT capabilities: [Modern Service Delivery: Detail, Version 2.6, April 29, 2022 (PDF, 1.4 MB, 18 pages)](https://www.peodigital.navy.mil/Portals/96/Documents/Modern-Service-Delivery-Detail-20220429-rev2.6.pdf). +Service groups to categorize products: [Modern Service Delivery: Service Groups, Version 2.6, April 29, 2022 (PDF, 2 MB, 25 pages)](https://www.peodigital.navy.mil/Portals/96/Documents/Modern-Service-Delivery-SG-20220429-rev2.6.pdf). +Technical focus areas with vision and requirements for cross-cutting capabilities derived from multiple services: [Modern Service Delivery: Technical Focus Areas, Version 2.6, April 29, 2022 (PDF, 2.6 MB, 20 pages)](https://www.peodigital.navy.mil/Portals/96/Documents/Modern-Service-Delivery-TFA-20220429-rev2.6.pdf). + + +## **Investment horizons** +PEO Digital uses investment horizons, a term to identify technology that ranges from emerging innovations to strategic divestments, to manage current investments and expected returns. They’ve established specific criteria for advancements through each horizon: + +- Horizon 3: Evaluating: Wide ranging and exploratory work with capabilities funded by external sources +- Horizon 2: Emerging: Next generation products funded by PEO Digital +- Horizon 1: Investing and extracting: Enhancing current offerings with PEO Digital funds +- Horizon 0: Retiring: Decommissioning regardless of organization + +## **Pilot programs** +Pilot programs are at the core of the transition from strategy to execution. They serve as testing grounds for innovative technology and processes, providing a controlled environment to assess feasibility and effectiveness. Priority is given to pilots that are quick to onboard and execute, allowing for smaller investments and hypothesis testing to meet user needs. + +

“ If I have to switch back [to my previous computer], you will have to take this computer from my clutching hands. ”

+ +
+ +## **Measuring success with world-class alignment metrics** +PEO Digital emphasizes linking mission outcomes to modern service delivery initiatives. These outcomes are underpinned by user satisfaction and business impact, which are informed by the following metrics: + +- Customer satisfaction: Measured by net promoter score (NPS) and perceived parity with industry +- Cost per user: Tied to time and includes offsets from investments +- Adaptability and mobility: Informed by the technology’s adaptability and mobility +- Operational resilience: Focus on data security and system resilience +- User Time lost: Measuring processing times, workforce hours, and technology implementation + + +## **Conclusion** +PEO Digital is on a mission to make IT invisible, seamlessly supporting the sailors and civilians critical to our national defense. By fostering a culture of innovation, aligning strategy with execution, and focusing on modern service delivery, they are delivering cutting-edge technology solutions that meet the needs of their users effectively and securely. + + + +
+

“ This is the first time in my career that the tools and information tech that I use every day are better at work than at home. ”

+ +
+ \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/_blogs/innovating-across-highly-regulated-industries-and-the-federal-government.md b/_blogs/innovating-across-highly-regulated-industries-and-the-federal-government.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d6968a3c --- /dev/null +++ b/_blogs/innovating-across-highly-regulated-industries-and-the-federal-government.md @@ -0,0 +1,43 @@ +--- +id: innovating-across-highly-regulated-industries-and-the-federal-government +title: 'Innovating Across Highly-Regulated Industries and the Federal Government' +image: /assets/images/blogs/wanmei-ou-ife-event.png +author: Wanmei Ou +published_at: "2021-06-08" +summary: "" +external_url: https://digital.gov/2021/06/08/innovating-across-highly-regulated-industries-and-the-federal-government/ +tags: ['GSA'] +type: Blog +social: blog +--- + +*This post was originally published on the [Digital.gov blog](https://digital.gov/2021/06/08/innovating-across-highly-regulated-industries-and-the-federal-government/)* + +## **Innovating Across Highly-Regulated Industries and the Federal Government** +### Four lessons learned from the similarities and differences between highly-regulated companies and the federal government. + +## **Setting the stage** +When I joined the federal government as a [Presidential Innovation Fellow](https://pif.gov/) (PIF), I expected to be working somewhere drastically different than industry. As a [data science and software leader with experience spanning the full healthcare continuum](https://presidentialinnovationfellows.gov/fellows/wanmei-ou/), I was excited to be bringing my skills into a role of public service, where I would be working across health innovation teams in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Now 18 months in, I’ve found more similarities than differences between highly-regulated companies and the federal government. In this blog, I share some of the parallels I’ve experienced, and lessons healthcare innovators can use to improve their work in any sector. + +
+ Wanmei Ou speaking at ife event +
+ Image courtesy of the Institute for Education. +
+
+ +Government and large, highly-regulated companies share two important qualities. For each, I’ve used a data-driven and entrepreneurial mindset to co-create progress alongside fellow colleagues and public servants. + +- **Understand simultaneous workstreams and map work to real needs.** It is common to find overlapping efforts across different departments. It is important to identify shared business goals and vision, and focus on collaboration over competition. After aligning on shared goals and visions, I sometimes find that combining work streams is the best path forward. Other times, based on our audience’s needs - whether that’s the company’s customers, the federal agency’s serving population, or the federal workforce - we can determine that distinct workstreams are valuable and define which workstreams own which priorities to serve those needs. + +- **Find process navigators, or become one.** In both highly-regulated industries and the federal government, there are layers of known or unknown processes to get approval for execution. Some of the processes are well established, but they may not be well documented for people who aren’t close to the process execution. In this case, knowing the right person with domain knowledge helps speed up execution by simply following well-defined processes. For example, opening network connectivity between different systems at the VA is a well-established process; however, most staff outside of the networking divisions are not aware of it. With proper guidance and diligent efforts on prerequisites, one can follow the standard process to establish network connectivity within a week. However, there are also approval processes that may or may not govern the technical implementation of your work. You are often recommended to seek additional approval given the conservative work culture in highly-regulated industries and the federal government. For me, it is an important skill set to quickly figure out the scope of all additional approval processes, and identify if and where precedent can be set. It’s also important to build relationships with the people behind each process, because shared respect and understanding are essential not only for healthy work environments, but also to uncover the potential to streamline processes and achieve shared goals. Otherwise, your work may be stuck into an infinite loop of approval processes. + +I’ve found that working in the federal government is also different in two important ways. Each difference has made me a stronger health innovator, and provided skills that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my career. + + +- **People are very mission-driven in the federal government.** Public servants’ focus on mission is truly exceptional. The VA has one of the most noble missions: “to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise ‘To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan’ by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s Veterans.” Among all the VA employees who I have interacted with (~500 people), everyone has clear alignment between daily tasks and the general mission. Many if not most U.S. corporations have clear missions to bring value to society. Their market capitalization indirectly reflects the perceived value from the society point of view. However, many companies also suffer from short-term financial pressure, and this prevents many large companies from high-risk/high-reward activities organically. Working in the federal government, I’ve been able to focus on a different bottom line: a bottom line of better lives. By default, the scale of the federal government is massive (every person in our country, or in the case of the VA, every veteran). While fiscal responsibility is always a priority, it has been liberating to focus on mission. + +- **With mission in mind, understand that you don’t have to understand everything.** For example, I joined government from corporate America, and business operations are unique in the federal government and are something I’m still learning about. One example is what budgets can be used, and why. One of my first projects at VA was a collaboration between the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Department of Energy (DoE). I was scheduled for a work trip to DoE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to finalize project deliverables between November 21-22, 2019. However, the seven-week continuous resolution signed by the president only covered up to 11:59 p.m. on November 20, 2019 (continuous resolutions can prevent a government shutdown between budget approvals year over year). While a government shutdown was looming, my VA Office of Information and Technology (OIT) colleagues and I were not allowed to book travel on or after November 21. At the very last minute, on the morning of November 20, my VHA collaborator offered to sponsor my trip using a separate funding stream that was related to the collaboration but not subjected to the November 20 resolution deadline. I cannot claim I fully understand the accounting details behind this, and the surprises continue, but that’s okay. The most important thing I remind myself is: Focus on the mission and build a business case. Armed with strong data, customer insights, and roadmaps, my colleagues and I stay aligned on what’s most important, and get work done no matter what. + +Drawing parallels between the federal government and highly-regulated companies helped me quickly figure out the lay of land while on-boarding to the PIF program. However, there are also unique aspects of the federal government, and one has to respect, adapt and leverage the differences in order to make a sustainable innovation legacy during the PIF tenure. + diff --git a/_blogs/making-the-case-for-human-centered-design-a-department-of-justice-case-study.md b/_blogs/making-the-case-for-human-centered-design-a-department-of-justice-case-study.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..2e2c2f0e --- /dev/null +++ b/_blogs/making-the-case-for-human-centered-design-a-department-of-justice-case-study.md @@ -0,0 +1,75 @@ +--- +id: making-the-case-for-human-centered-design-a-department-of-justice-case-study +title: 'Making the case for human-centered design: A Department of Justice case study' +image: /assets/images/blogs/making-the-case-for-human-centered-design-a-department-of-justice-case-study.png +author: Becky Slogeris, Kim Lopez +published_at: "2024-10-28" +summary: "" +external_url: +tags: ['DOJ'] +type: Blog +social: blog +--- +*This post was originally published on the [Digital.gov blog](https://digital.gov/2024/10/28/making-the-case-for-human-centered-design-a-department-of-justice-case-study/)* + +## Lessons learned from the launch of Access DOJ. + +Millions of people interact with services provided, funded, or overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice every day. In turn, thousands of Justice Department staff work to improve those experiences. + +To support and amplify this work, the Office for [Access to Justice](https://www.justice.gov/atj/access-doj) launched Access DOJ in June 2024. This is a department-wide initiative using human-centered design to make services more accessible, effective, and efficient for the diverse communities the Justice Department serves. + +Behind our high-profile launch event was over two years of behind-the-scenes work. While we leaned on our own expertise and guides like the [Human-centered design guide series](https://digital.gov/guides/hcd/) on Digital.gov and [Customer experience cookbook (PDF, 1,114 KB, 33 pages)](https://department.va.gov/veterans-experience/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/customer-experience-cookbook-508-4.23.24.pdf) from the Department of Veterans Affairs, there were many things we could only learn from doing. + + +## **Nine lessons on human-centered design at the Justice Department** +Here are nine lessons we learned along the way. + +### **Lesson 1. Find your home** +Access DOJ found a natural home in the [Office for Access to Justice](https://www.justice.gov/atj), a standalone agency within the department that works to ensure access to the promises and protections of our civil and criminal legal systems for all communities. The office’s principles of [accessibility](https://digital.gov/topics/accessibility/), [innovation](https://digital.gov/topics/innovation/), and [integrity](https://digital.gov/topics/trust/) are well-aligned with a design initiative aimed at closing justice gaps. Office leadership supported our vision from the beginning and continue to serve as invaluable thought partners and champions for the work. + + +### **Lesson 2. Find your people** +Along the way, our team connected with many Justice Department colleagues hoping to improve their services through user research. Some were already using design and other innovative methods, and all were hungry for connections and support. Every time we met someone new, we asked them a simple question: “Who else should we talk to?” These connections became our cheerleaders and early adopters. For example, two of the staff members behind the [Civil Rights Reporting Portal](https://18f.gsa.gov/our-work/doj-crt/) redesign later joined us as close advisors to guide and shape Access DOJ. + + +### **Lesson 3. Don’t try to do everything at once** +Spreading human-centered design methods and mindsets is a marathon, not a sprint. We started with two methods: [plain language](https://digital.gov/topics/plain-language/) and [usability](https://digital.gov/topics/usability/) testing. These principles are easy for people to understand, have clear and tangible benefits, and are accessible to newcomers. Both methods also had organizational traction: the Justice Department has a plain language working group and the Civil Rights Division conducted usability testing with 18F to [improve ADA.gov](https://18f.gsa.gov/2022/07/13/content-design-ada/) and build the [Civil Rights Reporting Portal](https://civilrights.justice.gov/). With this approach, we are focused on socializing plain language and usability testing throughout the department, removing barriers to adoption, developing resources, and facilitating training. As the initiative grows, we plan to add more [methods](https://guides.18f.gov/methods/) to our offerings. + + +### **Lesson 4. Show, don’t tell** +As soon as possible, do the work. We invested early in [two demonstration projects](https://www.justice.gov/atj/access-doj/case-studies) that we can point to when we need examples of what customer experience looks like in the Justice Department . In one project, we worked with the Office of the Pardon Attorney to [redesign and simplify the application for a presidential pardon](https://www.justice.gov/atj/access-doj/case-studies/removing-barriers-applying-presidential-pardon). This collaboration showed how design can reduce burden for both the public and staff. It also modeled our chosen methods of usability testing and plain language. Finally, the demonstration projects gave us a chance to refine our approach before going live with the Access DOJ initiative. + +### **Lesson 5. Bring in reinforcements** +We started our customer experience work at the Justice Department as a team of two people: one a full-time employee and the other through the [Presidential Innovation Fellows](https://www.presidentialinnovationfellows.gov/) program. We needed a quick and easy way to get more resources and support. We ended up partnering with a team of designers and strategists at the [Lab at OPM](). The Lab provided support as we shaped the overall strategy and design of the initiative, facilitated our demonstration projects, and crafted our external messaging. Later, we were able to recruit a senior customer experience strategist to our team to increase our capacity. + +### **Lesson 6. Lean into what makes you unique** +We call our unique approach “Designing for Access to Justice.” It brings an access to justice lens to traditional human-centered design. Here are some examples of our approach in practice: + +- Start each project by analyzing the justice gaps that exist by asking what barriers exist to equal justice under law, and for whom? +- Look to the state and local levels for inspiration. ** What innovation is happening in state courts? What are local jurisdictions doing to increase access? +- Engage legal aid providers to surface common challenges faced by people without lawyers. +- Review existing access to justice and legal design research. +- Bring in subject matter experts from criminal and civil policy teams. + +In the second U.S. Trustee Program project, we worked with legal aid providers who regularly assist low-income communities with the bankruptcy process. This includes people without access to reliable phone service, internet, or computers. Their perspectives were critical to understanding [experiences with virtual bankruptcy meetings](https://www.justice.gov/atj/access-doj/case-studies/increasing-access-required-bankruptcy-meetings) and opportunities to increase access, especially for people without legal representation. + +
+

“ When government forms and processes are only accessible to lawyers or those who can afford them, everyone suffers and the justice gap widens. We remain committed to ensuring that every American can truly access the legal system, services, and benefits of this nation. ” +

+ +
+ + +### **Lesson 7. Center impact** +The purpose of [customer experience](https://digital.gov/topics/customer-experience/) efforts is to improve the public’s interactions with government services. We built evaluation into our process to ensure that we consistently move toward making Justice Department services more accessible, efficient, and effective for the people we serve. This includes analyzing readability statistics to ensure our content is accessible and using the [holistic burden assessment process](https://www.performance.gov/cx/life-experiences/recovering-from-a-disaster/outputs/2/) developed by the team focused on the public’s experience when [recovering from a disaster](https://www.performance.gov/cx/life-experiences/recovering-from-a-disaster/). + +### **Lesson 8. Connect to existing priorities** +We looked for opportunities to incorporate human-centered design methods and mindsets into the Office for Access to Justice’s existing priorities. For example, we proposed [people-centered simplification](https://www.justice.gov/atj/executive-summary-legal-aid-interagency-roundtable-2022-report) as the focus of the [2022 Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Report (PDF, 1,790 KB, 61 pages)](https://www.justice.gov/atj/file/1577431/dl). This introduced the concept of administrative burden and showed how human-centered design could increase access to justice through simplified forms, processes, and language. + +### **Lesson 9. Ask for help** +There are many generous and talented people who are eager to help improve federal government services and outcomes. We received help from leaders with the Department of Homeland Security, General Services Administration, VA, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of Agriculture, U.S. Digital Service, and many other groups. We worked with colleagues from the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and the customer experience team in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on the roundtable report and subsequent efforts. Other Presidential Innovation Fellows also provided invaluable connections and insights. + +*Special thanks to the rest of the Access DOJ team (Jay DuBois and Jenny Nelson), Office for Access to Justice staff and leadership, the Lab at OPM, our project partners at the Justice Department, and everyone who has connected with us along the way.* + +--- + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/_blogs/pif-fellows-reflect-on-experiences.md b/_blogs/pif-fellows-reflect-on-experiences.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..9c847977 --- /dev/null +++ b/_blogs/pif-fellows-reflect-on-experiences.md @@ -0,0 +1,70 @@ +--- +id: pif-fellows-reflect-on-experiences +title: 'PIF Fellows Reflect On Experiences' +image: /assets/images/blogs/PIF_Experiences_Blog.png +author: Presidential Innovation Fellows alumni +published_at: "2024-12-13" +summary: "Former Presidential Innovation Fellows reflect on their experiences within the program and how it has helped them to continue their careers in public service." +external_url: +tags: ['Alumni'] +type: Blog +social: blog +--- + +## Presidential Innovation Fellow alumni continue their careers within the federal government +### Former PIFs reflect on their experiences and how the program inspired them to remain in public service + +The Presidential Innovation Fellows program (PIF) is a full-time, paid fellowship based in Washington, DC. The 1-2 year program selects talented, mission-driven mid-to-senior-level technologists to serve as advisors at the GS-15 level to leaders in the federal government. + +The program unites experienced and dedicated data scientists, designers, engineers, executives, and technology strategists with forward-thinking federal agencies to help solve our nation’s most difficult challenges by delivering better products, services, and experiences to the American public. + +Since PIF’s founding in 2012, over 50% of PIF alumni continue in or return to government after their fellowship. Using their experience in the program, PIFs have made significant impacts across several agencies and governmental departments as they continue their careers in public service. + +**BECKY SLOGERIS** +*Former: PIF at the Department of Justice (DoJ) focusing on social impact design* +*Current: Access DOJ Senior Design Lead at the Department of Justice’s Office for Access to Justice* + +
+ Photo of Becky Slogeris +
+“My proudest moment as a PIF was launching Access DOJ, the Department of Justice’s human-centered design and customer experience initiative, in collaboration with my team at the Office for Access to Justice. This was the culmination of over two years of building relationships, demonstrating the value of design, honing the value proposition, and strategizing on how to best bring Human Centered Design (HCD) & Customer Experience (CX) to the DOJ. + +The best part about being in public service is that every win, even if it’s small, feels monumental because you know it’s part of a larger movement to help make government more accessible, effective, and efficient for the public. PIF showed me that true change in government can only happen in collaboration with civil servants. There’s a huge learning curve when you join the federal government – PIF gave me the support and skills needed to be able to jump right in and get to work.” + + +**DAN JASON** +*Former: PIF at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) focusing on data analytics and interoperable systems* +*Current: Technical Program Manager at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)* +
+ Photo of Dan Jason +
+“My experience as a Presidential Innovation Fellow profoundly shaped my approach to leadership and innovation in my current role as an IT Program Manager. The PIF program taught me the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration, which I now leverage to bridge gaps between technical teams and broader organizational goals. It inspired me to embrace a user-centric mindset, driving me to focus on delivering solutions that truly meet the needs of the end-users. This experience also instilled a deep sense of public service and the impact technology can have on improving lives, which continues to inspire me to drive meaningful change in my work every day. + +Being part of the PIF community was an incredibly enriching experience that taught me the power of collaboration and the importance of diverse perspectives. I learned that innovation thrives when people from different backgrounds, disciplines, and sectors come together to tackle challenges. The collective knowledge and creativity of the PIF community pushed me to think beyond traditional solutions and to embrace bold, out-of-the-box ideas. I also learned the value of resilience and adaptability, as PIFs are often tasked with navigating complex government systems to drive change. Most importantly, the camaraderie and support within the PIF community showed me the strength of working together towards a common goal of public service innovation.” + + +**KAELI YUEN** +*Former: PIF at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) focusing on research, product management, and health information technologies.* +*Current: Acting Deputy Director at the Veteran Affairs Office of the Chief AI Officer* + +
+ Photo of Kaeli Yuen +
+“My proudest PIF-related moment happened a few years after I finished my tour of duty as a PIF. Following the program, I returned to the private sector for several years before coming back to the VA Office of the CTO to join its newly-minted AI team. Upon my return, I learned that my zero-to-one PIF project, the Clinical Decision Support Platform (CDSP), which is the core system to power clinical decisions, had grown into a robust platform that impacts every VA Medical Center in the country. I am extremely proud of that work and of the stellar team at VA that did the hard work of post-pilot scaling. My second proudest moment is successfully preparing a gourmet five-course meal for a large group of PIFs after losing a bet! + +Joining PIF was the best career decision I’ve made. At the time I received my offer, I was deciding between PIF and an offer at a healthcare startup. I ultimately decided to pursue PIF to expand my horizons and gain exposure to a diverse network of Fellows with whom I’d never cross paths with otherwise. I have learned a lot from their perspectives, and am thrilled to be back at the VA again working on a team with many other former PIFs.” + + +**RYAN HARRISON** +*Former: PIF at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) focusing on enterprise architecture and data management* +*Current: Data Scientist Architect at the CDC* + +
+ Photo of Ryan Harrison +
+Read the Health+ Long COVID Report, and share it with your colleagues, partners, and loved ones. To keep the dialogue going, follow + +“As a PIF, I designed the data exchange portion of the CDC's data modernization initiative. Seeing real data flow more efficiently through the ‘exchange pipes’ I designed and led a team to implement was the highlight of my PIF experience. For example, the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) awarded our team, as well as the data exchange system we worked on, its 2023 Excellence in Information Technology award for ‘the remarkable expansion of the immunization data exchange.’ + +My favorite part about being in public service is the impact. While the day-to-day work is usually mundane, I am contributing to generational improvements in public health. In 1924, tuberculosis was one of America's top five killers, causing the death of nearly 100,000 Americans. Today, it kills fewer than 1,000 Americans a year and has long since passed from the list of top killers. Improvements in health and life-expectancy are not natural law and cannot be assumed. Preserving and furthering generational improvements in public health requires constant vigilance. The public health data systems I support make this vigilance possible so that future generations may live healthier, longer, more fulfilled lives.” + diff --git a/_blogs/pioneering-the-future-vas-ai-use-case-inventory.md b/_blogs/pioneering-the-future-vas-ai-use-case-inventory.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..16217fbb --- /dev/null +++ b/_blogs/pioneering-the-future-vas-ai-use-case-inventory.md @@ -0,0 +1,81 @@ +--- +id: pioneering-the-future-vas-ai-use-case-inventory +title: 'Pioneering the Future: VA’s AI Use Case Inventory' +image: /assets/images/blogs/ +author: Nelson Colón Vargas, Varoon Mathur +published_at: "" +summary: "" +external_url: +tags: ['VA'] +type: Blog +social: blog +--- +*This post was originally published on the [DigitalVA blog](https://digital.va.gov/vision-driven-execution/pioneering-the-future-vas-ai-use-case-inventory/)* + +# Pioneering the Future: VA’s AI Use Case Inventory + +Innovation is at the heart of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and our 2024 AI Use Case Inventory reflects that spirit. This collection of over 200 artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives showcases how we’re embracing cutting-edge technology to improve the lives of Veterans and empower VA staff. From advancing health care diagnostics with computer vision to streamlining benefits claims with generative AI, this catalog is a testament to the power of ingenuity and collaboration across the VA. + +But this inventory isn’t just a list of projects; it’s a blueprint for the future. The journey to create this comprehensive resource taught us valuable lessons, highlighted the power of preparation, and underscored the importance of fostering a culture of innovation. + +## A Launchpad for Innovation +When the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum M-24-10 (PDF, 34 pages, 518KB) in March 2024, federal agencies were tasked with creating detailed AI use case inventories. For VA, this wasn’t only a requirement — it was an opportunity to lead. By building processes to ensure transparency and accountability, we created an inventory that goes beyond compliance, serving as a cornerstone for responsible AI deployment. + + +## How We Built a Culture of Collaboration and Growth + +### Starting Ahead of the Game + +Before OMB’s guidance became official, we hit the ground running by: + +- **Defining leadership roles** within the VA Office of the Chief AI Officer. +- **Creating early intake tools** to gather initial use case data effortlessly. +- **Streamlining decision-making** for project teams with clear reporting guidelines. +- **Implementing automated data pipelines** to efficiently manage incoming information. + +This forward-thinking approach saved time and allowed us to innovate while meeting requirements. + +### Harnessing the Power of Technology + +Our nimble team turned complexity into simplicity by designing automated systems that: + +- **Integrate governance seamlessly** across the VA’s divisions. +- **Improve data quality and reporting** with smart digital forms. +- **Centralize resources**, ensuring clarity and alignment for all stakeholders. + +### Building Bridges Through Communication + +To support teams across VA, we built robust communication networks, including: + +- A **dedicated support email** for inventory inquiries. +- A **comprehensive resource website** to share guidance and updates. +- Regular **office hours** to answer questions in real time. + +These efforts ensure that help is always available when needed. + +Tackling Challenges with Optimism +While tight timelines and evolving requirements posed challenges, we embraced them as opportunities to refine our systems. By prioritizing high-impact cases, collaborating with external stakeholders like the FDA, and leveraging existing evaluations, we ensured our approach was thorough and efficient. + +What We Learned +Our experience reinforced the importance of starting early, focusing on high-impact areas, and staying adaptable. These lessons are valuable not only for VA but for any organization aiming to build a strong foundation for AI governance. + +To our peers in the federal AI governance community, our experience offers these lessons: + +- **Start small** and scale as you go. +- **Collaborate across teams and agencies** to share resources and expertise. +- **Document decisions rigorously**, creating a transparent framework for the future. + +For policymakers, we advocate for more predictable timelines, earlier guidance, and open-source tools to support agencies with varying technical resources. + +## The Path Forward +Our experience with M-24-10 compliance has shown that successful AI governance requires a combination of proactive planning, technical capability, and clear communication channels. While we faced significant challenges with timelines and guidance interpretation, our approach created a foundation that will serve both the VA and the Veterans we support well into the future.  + +For all agencies beginning this journey, the goal isn’t simply compliance — it’s about building trust through transparency and ensuring AI systems serve the public interest effectively and ethically. Despite tight deadlines associated with a process new to many federal agencies, which adds friction to meeting reporting requirements, VA found strong partners in OMB and other policy stakeholders. By focusing first on principles around documentation, as a form of accountability, and transparency for individual use cases, any agency can achieve proper risk management.  + +The inventory we’ve created is just the beginning. As AI technology evolves, so too will our approach to governance. We’re committed to sharing our experiences and learning from others as we work together to ensure responsible AI use across government. + +## A Future Full of Possibilities +Our 2024 AI Use Case Inventory is more than a compliance document — it’s a celebration of what’s possible when innovation meets purpose. From enhancing healthcare by streamlining administrative tasks or improving cancer detection, to safeguarding benefit delivery from fraud, our AI initiatives are making a tangible difference in the lives of Veterans. We’re proud to lead by example, and we’re committed to sharing our journey as we continue to evolve. + +If you’re interested in learning more about our inventory or governance strategies, visit [VA AI Use Case Inventory](https://department.va.gov/ai/ai-use-case-inventory/) for the full inventory and additional resources. Together, let’s create an AI-powered future that’s rooted in transparency, accountability, and everyone’s well-being. + diff --git a/_config.yml b/_config.yml index 3615cb73..56862620 100644 --- a/_config.yml +++ b/_config.yml @@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ primary_navigation: url: /projects/ - name: For Agencies url: /agencies/ + - name: Blog + url: /blog/ secondary_navigation: - name: Secondary link @@ -83,6 +85,9 @@ collections: pages: output: true permalink: /:path/ + blogs: + output: true + permalink: /:collection/:name/ defaults: - scope: @@ -93,6 +98,10 @@ defaults: type: "projects" values: layout: "project" + - scope: + type: "blogs" + values: + layout: "blog" permalink: pretty diff --git a/_data/blog-type.yml b/_data/blog-type.yml new file mode 100644 index 00000000..24485781 --- /dev/null +++ b/_data/blog-type.yml @@ -0,0 +1,153 @@ +## Announcement +- display_name: Announcement + url_name: Announcement + +## Specialties +- display_name: AI/Machine Learning + url_name : AI_Machine_Learning +- display_name: Cybersecurity + url_name: Cybersecurity +- display_name: Data Science and Analytics + url_name: Data_Science_And_Analytics +- display_name: Digital Health + url_name: Digital_Health +- display_name: Design and Experience + url_name: Design_And_Experience +- display_name: Marketing and Communications + url_name: Marketing_And_Communications +- display_name: Product + url_name: Product +- display_name: Software and Cloud Infrastructure + url_name: Software_And_Cloud_Infrastructure +- display_name: Venture Capital/Private Equity + url_name: Venture_Capital_Private_Equity +- display_name: Change Management + url_name: Change_Management +- display_name: Strategy and Growth + url_name: Strategy_And_Growth + +##Impacts +- display_name: Capacity building + url_name: Capacity_building +- display_name: Cybersecurity + url_name: Cybersecurity +- display_name: Equity + url_name : Equity +- display_name: Health + url_name: Health +- display_name: Immigration + url_name: Immigration +- display_name: Public experience + url_name: Public_experience +- display_name: Open science + url_name: Open_science + +##Agencies +- display_name: ARPA-H + url_name: ARPA-H +- display_name: CDC + url_name: CDC +- display_name: CISA + url_name: CISA +- display_name: CMS + url_name: CMS +- display_name: ED + url_name: ED +- display_name: EEOC + url_name: EEOC +- display_name: EOP + url_name: EOP +- display_name: DHS + url_name: DHS +- display_name: DIU + url_name: DIU +- display_name: DOD + url_name: DOD +- display_name: DOE + url_name: DOE +- display_name: DOJ + url_name: DOJ +- display_name: DOI + url_name: DOI +- display_name: DOT + url_name: DOT +- display_name: FAA + url_name: FAA +- display_name: FBI + url_name: FBI +- display_name: FDA + url_name: FDA +- display_name: FDIC + url_name: FDIC +- display_name: FEMA + url_name: FEMA +- display_name: FHFA + url_name: FHFA +- display_name: FTC + url_name: FTC +- display_name: GSA + url_name: GSA +- display_name: HHS + url_name: HHS +- display_name: IRS + url_name: IRS +- display_name: DOL + url_name: DOL +- display_name: MBDA + url_name: MBDA +- display_name: MCC + url_name: MCC +- display_name: NARA + url_name: NARA +- display_name: NASA + url_name: NASA +- display_name: Navy + url_name: Navy +- display_name: NCI + url_name: NCI +- display_name: NGA + url_name: NGA +- display_name: NIH + url_name: NIH +- display_name: NIST + url_name: NIST +- display_name: NLM + url_name: NLM +- display_name: NOAA + url_name: NOAA +- display_name: NSF + url_name: NSF +- display_name: ODNI + url_name: ODNI +- display_name: OMB + url_name: OMB +- display_name: OSTP + url_name: OSTP +- display_name: SBA + url_name: SBA +- display_name: Smithsonian + url_name: Smithsonian +- display_name: State + url_name: State +- display_name: Treasury + url_name: Treasury +- display_name: USAGM + url_name: USAGM +- display_name: USAID + url_name: USAID +- display_name: USCB + url_name: USCB +- display_name: USDA + url_name: USDA +- display_name: USGS + url_name: USGS +- display_name: USMC + url_name: USMC +- display_name: USPTO + url_name: USPTO +- display_name: USSOCOM + url_name: USSOCOM +- display_name: VA + url_name: VA +- display_name: Alumni + url_name: Alumni diff --git a/_includes/blog-aside.html b/_includes/blog-aside.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b49b0a56 --- /dev/null +++ b/_includes/blog-aside.html @@ -0,0 +1,27 @@ + + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/_includes/blog-filters.html b/_includes/blog-filters.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..e69de29b diff --git a/_includes/blog-list.html b/_includes/blog-list.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..74624ed9 --- /dev/null +++ b/_includes/blog-list.html @@ -0,0 +1,52 @@ +{% assign aria_id = blog.title | url_encode | truncate: 15, "" %} + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/_includes/menu.html b/_includes/menu.html index 0514acc3..f2623eb9 100644 --- a/_includes/menu.html +++ b/_includes/menu.html @@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ {% endunless %} {% endfor %} - + Become a Fellow {% include searchgov/form.html searchgov=site.searchgov %} diff --git a/_layouts/blog-landing.html b/_layouts/blog-landing.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..7a2c38b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/_layouts/blog-landing.html @@ -0,0 +1,40 @@ +--- +layout: default +--- + + + + +
+
+
+
+
+

+ Blog +

+
+
+
+
+
+ + + + + +
+
+ {{content}} +
+ {% include pagination.html %} +
+ + + diff --git a/_layouts/blog.html b/_layouts/blog.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c4e2c6ac --- /dev/null +++ b/_layouts/blog.html @@ -0,0 +1,36 @@ +--- +layout: default +--- + +{% comment %} +This template is for a single page that does not have a date associated with it. For example, an about page. +{% endcomment %} + + +
+
+
+
+
+

{{page.title}}

+

{{page.author}}

+

{{page.published_at | date: '%B %e, %Y'}}

+
+ {% assign blog_types = site.data.blog-type | where_exp:'type', "page.tags contains type.url_name" %} + {% for type in blog_types%} + {% if forloop.first %} +
    + {% endif %} +
  • {{ type.display_name }}
    • + {% if forloop.last %} +
+ {% endif %} + {% endfor %} +
+
+
{{ page.content }}
+
+ +
+
+
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/_sass/_mixins.scss b/_sass/_mixins.scss index e584f950..8d9c6f75 100644 --- a/_sass/_mixins.scss +++ b/_sass/_mixins.scss @@ -114,3 +114,9 @@ @mixin light-bg { background-color: rgba(237, 245, 255, 0.5); } + + +//Blog Quote +@mixin border-left-color { + border-left-color: rgb(139, 11, 4) +} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/_sass/custom/_blog.scss b/_sass/custom/_blog.scss new file mode 100644 index 00000000..e51e51a0 --- /dev/null +++ b/_sass/custom/_blog.scss @@ -0,0 +1,111 @@ +// BLOG customization + + + //Filter +.blog-filter{ + @include at-media ('desktop'){ + margin: 0 10%; + } + //@include u-margin-right(2); + } + + +//Blog Card +.blog-card{ + min-height: 600px; + a { + text-decoration: none; + + } + .usa-card__body{ + @include u-text("black"); + } + +} +.tag { + margin: 0; + ul { + list-style-type: none; + display: flex; + flex-wrap: wrap; + li{ + padding: 2px; + span{ + border-radius: 10px; + } + } + } +} +.blog-card--tag { + ul{ + padding-inline-start: 20px; + } +} +.blog-page--tag { + ul{ + padding-inline-start: 0px; + } +} + +.usa-card__footer { + .usa-button{ + display: flex; + justify-content: center; + } + +} + + +//Individual Blog Page +.blog-header{ + p{ + @include u-text("primary"); + } +} +.usa-image-block{ + margin: 5px; + img{ + float: left; + margin-right: 12px; + width: 200px; + height: 250px; + object-fit: cover; + max-height: 250px; + } +} + +.blog-quote-box{ + margin-bottom: 0.5rem; + max-width: 88ex; + padding: 1rem; + background-color: #edeff0; + border-radius: 2px; +} + + + + +// ID Custom Styling +#photo-of-fellows { + margin: 5px; + display: flex; + justify-content: center; + flex-wrap: wrap; + + img{ + margin: 12px; + max-height: 420px; + } +} + +#celebrating-fellows-present { + display: flex; + flex-wrap: wrap; + justify-content: center; + margin: 5px; + + img{ + margin: 12px; + max-height: 420px; + } +} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/_sass/custom/_quote.scss b/_sass/custom/_quote.scss index fa873dc5..77696170 100644 --- a/_sass/custom/_quote.scss +++ b/_sass/custom/_quote.scss @@ -100,3 +100,18 @@ .quote__star { display: none; } .quote__star--dark { display: inline-block; } } + + +.quote-blog { + @include u-bg ('base-lightest'); + @include border-left-color; + @include u-text ('white'); + font-size: 1rem; + @include u-margin-top(2); + line-height: 1.6; + @include u-padding-x (2); + @include u-padding-y (1); + position: relative; + border-left: .5rem solid #8b0b04; + +} diff --git a/_sass/uswds-overrides/_hero.scss b/_sass/uswds-overrides/_hero.scss index b9002fb1..229c0bac 100644 --- a/_sass/uswds-overrides/_hero.scss +++ b/_sass/uswds-overrides/_hero.scss @@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ @include hero-short; background-image: url($baseurl + "/assets/images/banners/become-a-fellow-page.webp"); } +.blogs .usa-hero { + @include hero-short; + background-image: url($baseurl + "/assets/images/banners/blog-header.png"); +} .usa-hero.project { @include hero-short; background-image: url($baseurl + "/assets/images/banners/project-banner.webp"); diff --git a/_sass/uswds-overrides/_menu.scss b/_sass/uswds-overrides/_menu.scss index db9b1490..17909fd1 100644 --- a/_sass/uswds-overrides/_menu.scss +++ b/_sass/uswds-overrides/_menu.scss @@ -1,3 +1,7 @@ .usa-menu-btn:hover { @include u-bg('primary'); } + +.menu-apply { + margin-left: 8rem; +} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/assets/css/index.scss b/assets/css/index.scss index 8f35c82f..ca75f78b 100644 --- a/assets/css/index.scss +++ b/assets/css/index.scss @@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ // Custom Styles @import "custom/anchor"; +@import "custom/blog"; @import "custom/pagination"; @import "custom/breadcrumb"; @import "custom/project"; diff --git a/assets/css/styles.scss b/assets/css/styles.scss index 52f94efe..9e4c3be5 100644 --- a/assets/css/styles.scss +++ b/assets/css/styles.scss @@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ $baseurl:"{{ site.baseurl }}"; // Custom Styles @import "custom/anchor"; +@import "custom/blog"; @import "custom/pagination"; @import "custom/breadcrumb"; @import "custom/project"; diff --git a/assets/images/banners/blog-header.png b/assets/images/banners/blog-header.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..58198e47 Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/banners/blog-header.png differ diff --git a/assets/images/blogs/Kaeli_Yuen_headshot.jpg b/assets/images/blogs/Kaeli_Yuen_headshot.jpg new file mode 100644 index 00000000..06037376 Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/blogs/Kaeli_Yuen_headshot.jpg differ diff --git a/assets/images/blogs/PIF_Experiences_Blog.png b/assets/images/blogs/PIF_Experiences_Blog.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f3c60afb Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/blogs/PIF_Experiences_Blog.png differ diff --git a/assets/images/blogs/Ryan_Harrison_headshot.jpg b/assets/images/blogs/Ryan_Harrison_headshot.jpg new file mode 100644 index 00000000..933a548c Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/blogs/Ryan_Harrison_headshot.jpg differ diff --git a/assets/images/blogs/how-the-u-s-department-of-the-navy-is-delivering-it-that-just-works.jpg b/assets/images/blogs/how-the-u-s-department-of-the-navy-is-delivering-it-that-just-works.jpg new file mode 100644 index 00000000..98c18a2b Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/blogs/how-the-u-s-department-of-the-navy-is-delivering-it-that-just-works.jpg differ diff --git a/assets/images/blogs/making-the-case-for-human-centered-design-a-department-of-justice-case-study.png b/assets/images/blogs/making-the-case-for-human-centered-design-a-department-of-justice-case-study.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..86f76c90 Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/blogs/making-the-case-for-human-centered-design-a-department-of-justice-case-study.png differ diff --git a/assets/images/blogs/pif-george-chewning.png b/assets/images/blogs/pif-george-chewning.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..aba0ae8b Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/blogs/pif-george-chewning.png differ diff --git a/assets/images/blogs/pifs-raashee-gupta-erry-vivian-lee-zoom-6-tips.png b/assets/images/blogs/pifs-raashee-gupta-erry-vivian-lee-zoom-6-tips.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d2333380 Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/blogs/pifs-raashee-gupta-erry-vivian-lee-zoom-6-tips.png differ diff --git a/assets/images/blogs/wanmei-ou-ife-event.png b/assets/images/blogs/wanmei-ou-ife-event.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b2137a3c Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/blogs/wanmei-ou-ife-event.png differ diff --git a/blogs/index.html b/blogs/index.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f739cb3a --- /dev/null +++ b/blogs/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,18 @@ +--- +layout: blog-landing +title: Blog +permalink: /blog/ +social: blogs +pagination: + enabled: true + collection: blogs + sort_field: 'published_at' + sort_reverse: 'true' + tag: +--- + + + +{% include_cached blog-list.html blogs=paginator.posts %} + +