The roles described in the vets.gov product methodology are defined below. These roles are specific to new product development for vets.gov and/or existing VA website / product / content migration activities and are aligned with the detailed phases described in the methodology.
Vets.gov Team: Project Delivery
Project and product management
- Clearly define project goals, scope, roles, and milestones at project kickoff
- Manage project activities, and migration process to vets.gov
- Define vets.gov “Playbook” with standards, product development methodology, and requirements to migrate to vets.gov
Veteran user research and human centered design expertise
- Lead user testing activities and manage veteran testing group
- Aggregate and analyze user data collected in VE activities in a format that can inform design and functionality improvements
Content Concurrence
- Manage the content concurrence process
- Provide content writing, editorial, and plain language expertise and guidance
- Work collaboratively with VA team members to complete content concurrence per the Sept. 3 memo.
Design, develop, and deploy
- Migrate existing VA websites and services
- Work collaboratively with other vendors who may be providing design and/or development services on vets.gov projects
- Develop new services based on veteran needs
Ongoing operations, maintenance, and improvements
- Operations and maintenance (O&M)
- Review and analyze vets.gov feedback
VA Business Owner: Business Owner / Product Owner
- Work with vets.gov team to lead the team in defining project goals, scope, roles, and priorities at project kickoff
- Approve project charter
- Make decisions and help manage product activities in collaboration with vets.gov team
- Approve / accept product
VA Product Lead: Project Coordinator
- Serve as the primary point of contact for the vets.gov team
- Work with vets.gov team to coordinate kickoff meeting and assists with discovery activities
- Coordinate the collection of business requirements
- Provide technical requirements to vets.gov team
- Coordinate team meetings (conference room, schedules, etc.)
- Respond to vets.gov questions in a timely manner
- Assist with development of project schedule
- Manage approved project schedule activities
- Manage third party vendors for vets.gov project activities (if relevant)
- Ensure third party vendors meet requirements and standards in Vets.gov Playbook.
VA Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
- Provide business requirements.
- Provide details about VA services.
- Provide end user (Veteran) data and feedback.
VA Web Content Writers
- Participate in the vets.gov content concurrence process as required.
- Review content for factual errors.
Other VA Vendors (Designers, Developers)
- Adhere to vets.gov Playbook requirements, standards and guidelines
- Perform activities as defined in the project schedule
- Work collaboratively with vets.gov team members and VA team members on the project