ISG Playbook
APIs
Conveying value and keeping customers engaged during a product demo can be challenging. Consider the following:
- How can presenters create engagement?
- How can you help non-technical users understand the value of backend interface work?
- How can you provide the required context quickly and effectively for occasional attendees?
During this two-hour course, we will answer these questions, and more. Attend to learn tips, tricks, and techniques to create a relevant, engaging and powerful demonstration of your team's work, and why it matters.
Who is this training for?
- Release Train (ART) members, Agile Coaches, Team Leaders, Portfolio Managers, Program and Product Managers.
- This is an Introductory course.
When: Tuesday, November 5; 1:00pm - 3:00pm ET
Register for the course on Zoom!
On Thursday, September 26, the CCSQ HCD Community of Practice asked Service Center and Quality Payment Program (QPP) teams to share impactful case studies about the CCSQ Generic Clearance for the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Attendees received actionable resources, templates, and support services to assist their teams in maximizing the benefits of the PRA clearance.
Our Panelists:
- Anne McDermott – ADO HCD Lead at Service Center, CCSQ
- Kiel McLaughlin – CX Researcher Lead at QPP, CCSQ
The session recording and resources are now available for viewing in case you missed the session, or just want to watch it again.
Please let us know what you thought about this session and the Community of Practice by filling out our survey form.
Accelerating HCD Research with CCSQ's Generic Clearance for PRA: Process Overview & Case Studies
Join us for a community event centered on the CCSQ Generic Clearance for the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), a critical tool that streamlines the approval process of consumer research initiatives. The PRA is an essential yet complex aspect of government consumer research. With the recent renewal of CCSQ’s Generic Clearance, now extended to July 2027, we aim to overview the process and learn from the experiences of teams who have leveraged this coverage.
The HCD Center of Excellence will provide an overview of the process of utilizing the coverage. The Service Center and Quality Payment Program (QPP) teams will share impactful case studies, followed by a panel discussion. Attendees will receive actionable resources, templates, and support services to assist their teams in maximizing the benefits of the PRA clearance.
Presenters / Panelists
- Anne McDermott – ADO HCD Lead at Service Center, CCSQ
- Kiel McLaughlin – CX Researcher Lead at QPP, CCSQ
This event is best suited for researchers, product owners, leaders, policy staff, development teams of all levels of experience levels—from beginners to experts. No registration is required!
Zoom Info
Join Zoom Meeting
https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1611396449?pwd=STBIQzZJL1cwK2NMeGF2dGI4QXRJdz09
Meeting ID: 161 139 6449
Passcode: 585100
Business Value Demystified
Join us for Business Value Demystified, a course designed to help define and assess business value effectively within the government context.
During this two-hour course, we will dive deeper into the benefits of clear objectives, empower teams to make informed decisions and provide tools for assessing business value for your PI objectives
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your expertise and drive meaningful contributions to the organizational goal!
Class Date and Time:
September 24, 2024; 10:00am – 12:00pm ET
Register for the course on Zoom!
LACE Community Event: Exploring Business Value
Event Date & Time: September 19; 1:00pm – 2:00pm ET
Assessing and assigning business value to PI Objectives in the government sector has significant challenges.
To help tackle this difficult subject, the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) has created a 5 factor Business Value decision framework, designed to create rich discussion between teams, program leaders, and stakeholders during PI Planning and Inspect and Adapt events.
Join us for this community discussion to get a preview of the framework and engage in a critical discussion about its strengths and weaknesses and how it can be improved.
Register for the event on Zoom
CCSQ HCD Community of Practice - Accelerating HCD Research with CCSQ's Generic Clearance for PRA: Process Overview & Case Studies
Join us for a community event centered on the CCSQ Generic Clearance for the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), a critical tool that streamlines the approval process of consumer research initiatives. The PRA is an essential yet complex aspect of government consumer research. With the recent renewal of CCSQ’s Generic Clearance, now extended to July 2027, we aim to overview the process and learn from the experiences of teams who have leveraged this coverage.
The HCD Center of Excellence will provide an overview of the process of utilizing the coverage. The Service Center and Quality Payment Program (QPP) teams will share impactful case studies, followed by a panel discussion. Attendees will receive actionable resources, templates, and support services to assist their teams in maximizing the benefits of the PRA clearance.
What you will learn:
- Key tasks, actions, and processes involved when utilizing the PRA clearance
- Challenges & key learnings of the PRA process
- Access to practical PRA resources, services, & tools
- Benefits of leveraging PRA for consumer research
Presenters / Panelists
- Anne McDermott – ADO HCD Lead at Service Center, CCSQ
- Kiel McLaughlin – CX Researcher Lead at QPP, CCSQ
This event is best suited for researchers, product owners, leaders, policy staff, development teams of all levels of experience levels—from beginners to experts.
Resources:
- Recent PRA Generic Clearance announcement https://qnetconfluence.cms.gov/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=610273660
- HCD PRA Resource site: https://qnetconfluence.cms.gov/display/HCD/Paperwork+Reduction+Act
Find Zoom info and other details on the HCD CoE Community space 
Register for UX & Agile for Software Development
During this three-hour course, co-facilitated by the CCSQ Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) and the Human-Centered Design Center of Excellence (HCD CoE), attendees will discuss and explore how teams can thoughtfully integrate design and development needs, share responsibility, and achieve a balanced approach to delivery.
Who is this training for?
- This training targets information technology workers supporting software development initiatives.
Are there any pre-requisites for taking this class?
- It is recommended that learners first complete Introduction to Human-Centered Design and Agility Foundations classes so they come armed with a basic understanding of the basics of agile and human-centered design principles and methods.
When: Thursday, September 12 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm ET
Learn more and Register on Zoom
ISG will host the 6th Annual CCSQ World Usability Day on Thursday, November 14, 2024.
We're looking for speakers, contributors for panel discussions, and facilitators who would like to help us explore this year’s theme, Designing for a Better World. We also have volunteer opportunities for those who would like to support the event without presenting a topic.
Learn more about how to get involved by filling out the Call for Speakers form.
Please complete the form by Monday, September 9.
Agility Foundations 2.0 - August 13 + 14
During this two-day course, the LACE will cover the foundations and principles of Agility.
What is Agile? Learn more about Scrum, Kanban, and how the core principles of Agile are applied to digital product development.
Attendees will gain an understanding of Agile Values and Principles, Social Contracts, Key Agile Roles, and more!
Class Date and Time:
August 13 + 14, 2024; 9:00am – 4:00pm ET
Register now for Agility Foundations 2.0!
Register now for upcoming training offerings from the Lean-Agile (LACE) and the Human-Centered Design (HCD CoE) Centers of Excellence.
- Persona-Driven Backlog Prioritization - August 6, 2024
- This training targets technologists and leadership and is an intermediate level training.
- Agility Foundations 2.0 - August 13 + 14, 2024
- This is an introductory training.
- SAFe Lean-Portfolio Management (LPM) - August 27 + 28, 2024
- This training targets executives, project management officers (PMOs) and other key stakeholders.
- UX & Agile for Software Development - June 4, 2024
- This training targets information technology workers supporting software development initiatives.
Learn more about the Centers of Excellence: CCSQ Centers of Excellence 
Persona-Driven Backlog Prioritization
The art and science of determining what to build, and when, is often a convoluted process driven by business viability and technical feasibility. But what if prioritization could include what provides the greatest value to our customers?
Attendees will understand the Kano Method and other techniques for prioritizing backlogs that eliminates stakeholder bias, offers guidance for research planning that provides the best customer value, while supporting effective decision-making through the lens of customer data.
When: August 6, 2024; 1:00pm - 4:00pm EST
This is an intermediate level training targeting technologists and leadership. For more information please visit the Persona-Driven Backlog training page.
Lights, Camera, Risk Management!
Join Marty Haricot, ISG's very own Risk and Issue Management mascot, and her pals for the premiere of the On-Demand Risk Management Training! 
This delightful video series will give you a complete overview of all things ISG Risk Management—from A to Z!
What's in store?
Binge-watch all 5 modules back-to-back or enjoy them one at a time whenever you get a break!
Take the super quick knowledge check and share your feedback with us.
Total training time? Just under an hour!
The Modules:
Risks & Issues 101: Definitions and basics
ISG Risk & Issue Management Plan (RIMP)
The Lifecycle of a Risk
ROAMing Risks during PI Planning
A Special Tour of the Risk Management Toolset
Ready to dive in? 
Visit the On-Demand Risk Management Training page!
Got questions? 
Reach out to us on the #help-risk Slack channel.
Don't miss out on this epic journey through the world of ISG Risk Management! 
On Thursday, June 27, the CCSQ HCD Community of Practice asked HCD, UX and Design System panelists to discuss the challenges impacting design, the opportunities it presents, and future pathways for the many Application Development Organizations (ADOs) that deliver consumer-facing products and services for CMS.
Our panelists included:
- Jeremiah Adkins – Principal Design Lead & Senior UX Manager, iQIES
- Sharon Chong – UX Designer, ESS
- Arthur Green – HCD/UX Lead, CCSQ Service Now
- Shannon Hu - UX Designer, ESS
- Lesley Humphreys – Director of HCD, Bellese Technologies
- Melissa Liupaeter - Visual Design Lead, DWE, CMS
The session recording and resources are now available for viewing in case you missed the session, or just want to watch it again.
Access Session Materials Now
The CMS Enterprise Shared Services (ESS) Program, which supports the CCSQ community and QualityNet IT Services, is looking for user feedback about our tools and shared services.
These tools and shared services include HARP, Slack, Jira, Github, and Zscaler.
Your responses will help us identify areas of improvement.
Share your Experience!
Join us, to learn about the design capability at CMS. We'll explore the challenges impacting design, the opportunities it presents, and future pathways for the many Application Development Organizations (ADOs) that deliver consumer-facing products and services for CMS.
Our panelists include:
- Jeremiah Adkins – Principal Design Lead & Senior UX Manager, iQIES
- Sharon Chong – UX Designer, ESS
- Arthur Green – HCD/UX Lead, CCSQ Service Now
- Shannon Hu - UX Designer, ESS
- Lesley Humphreys – Director of HCD, Bellese Technologies
- Melissa Liupaeter - Visual Design Lead, DWE, CMS
When: Thursday, June 27 at 1:00 pm ET
Meeting ID: 161 674 4500
Passcode: 925491
