ISG Playbook
APIs
Register now for upcoming training offerings from the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE).
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP) - April 29, 2025
- SAFe Product Owner/ Product Manager (POPM) - May 6 + 7, 2025
Mission Impact – A New Framework that Aligns our Work to Value - June 10, 2025
Learn more about the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence 
On Thursday, March 20, the CCSQ HCD Community of Practice delved into the complex relationship between policy directives and user research outcomes. Government programs present unique challenges for UX researchers, where policy not only influences user experiences but also defines project constraints. We were asked, how can we remain focused on delivering effective user interface solutions while navigating constant policy feedback?
We welcomed speakers from ISG’s Hospital Quality Reporting (HQR) team, which supports the HQR system for inpatient and outpatient reporting. They lead human-centered research efforts to enhance the user experience for measure submissions, data access, and program reporting within the HQR system. The session resources are now available for viewing in case you missed the session.
When: Wednesday, March 26 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm ET
There is a common misconception that design and development are at odds. One prioritizes understanding and the other prioritizes solutioning. Lean, agile, and human-centered design philosophies are meant to be complementary approaches to getting work done.
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, March 20 from 1:00pm - 2:00pm ET
What is Mission Impact? How can we use it to determine the importance of the work we do? When every requirement is critical, it can be difficult to know what to do first.
Understanding Mission Impact creates essential face-to-face dialogue between teams and their key interested parties, ensuring everyone understands the priorities and the rationale behind them.
During this, Lean-Agile Center of Excellence Community Event, we will discuss how to interpret Mission Impact and how it can help the Civic Community stay focused on work that matters.
When: Wednesday, March 26 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm ET Learn more and Register on Zoom
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: Tuesday & Wednesday, February 11 + 12 from 9:00am - 4:00pm ET both days
During this two-day course, 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.
By attending this course, you will gain an understanding of:
- Agile Values and Principles,
- Social Contracts,
- Key Agile Roles,
- Scrum Overview,
- Visualizing Work,
- Writing User Stories,
- Estimation and Planning Techniques as well as SAFe foundations.
Who is this training for?
- For those interested in the learning about the history and basics of Agility.
- This is an Introductory course.
We are excited to announce that the QualityNet Operations Dashboard (QNOD) is now accessible to the public!
Did you know there is a way to check the functional statuses of certain services via QualityNet Operation Dashboard (QNOD)?
What is the QualityNet Operations Dashboard (QNOD)?
The QualityNet Operations Dashboard (QNOD) offers a comprehensive overview of the status of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ) ecosystem. By aggregating data from multiple reporting sources, QNOD centralizes the delivery of critical insights into the availability of each CCSQ service.
Key Features
QNOD provides real-time transparency on service outages and delays in one centralized location!
If you experience issues while performing work tasks in a CCSQ-supported service (e.g., EQRS*, DARRT*, HQR*), you can use QNOD to check for any service disruptions and as a resource for communicating with CCSQ Support Central.
*A full list of services can be found here.
How Does QNOD Work?
QNOD integrates data from multiple reporting sources to provide a comprehensive view of system health and service availability across all CCSQ services. The platform aggregates and displays status metrics for each service, offering an at-a-glance understanding of operational status.
To explore the dashboard, visit https://qnod.cms.gov.
For additional information, check out the What is QNOD? page on QualityNet Confluence.
When: Wednesday & Thursday, January 22 + 23 from 10:00am - 3:00pm ET both days
Human-Centered Design (HCD) is the process we use to understand the people for whom we are writing policies and creating programs and services for at CMS. The successful practice of HCD means we are meeting the mission of CMS: "to ensure that the voices and needs of the populations we represent are present as the agency is developing, implementing, and evaluating its programs and policies." HCD is part of ISG's mission, but it can be applied to any type of work at CCSQ, including products, services, and even policy.
Attendees will have an introductory understanding of HCD and some basic HCD methods/activities that can be applied to their role at CCSQ.
- Speaking the same language as contractors to improve oversight.
- Provides immediate, actionable tips and improves team collaboration and ideation.
Who is this training for?
- For those new, experienced, or in a leadership role. This course is for everyone.
- This is an Introductory course.
Register now for upcoming training offerings from the Lean-Agile (LACE) and the Human-Centered Design (HCD CoE) Centers of Excellence.
Human-Centered Design 101
Gain an introductory understanding of HCD and some basic HCD methods/activities that can be applied to your role at CCSQ. Facilitated by the HCD CoE. Human-Centered Design 101 is part of the Foundational Learning Path.
Who is this training for?
- For those new, experienced, or in a leadership role. This course is for everyone.
- This is an Introductory course.
January 22 + 23, 2025; 10:00am – 3:00pm ET both days
Social Contracts
Gain an understanding of how critical team and program agreements are for team and program success. Facilitated by the LACE.
Who is this training for?
- For anyone who works with teams and/or is part of a program.
- This is an introductory course.
January 28, 2025; 1:00pm – 3:00pm ET
Agility Foundations 2.0
Gain an understanding of Scrum, Kanban, and how the core principles of Agile are applied to digital product development. Facilitated by the LACE. Agility Foundations 2.0 is part of the Foundational Learning Path
Who is this training for?
- For those interested in the learning about the history and basics of Agility.
- This is an Introductory course.
February 11 + 12, 2025; 9:00am – 4:00pm ET both days
Leading SAFe
Gain an introductory understanding of the foundations of SAFe, the principles and practices to confidently drive your Lean-Agile transformation. Facilitated by the LACE.
Who is this training for?
- For those new to Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) principles and practices.
- This is an Introductory course.
February 25 + 26, 2025; 9:00am – 5:00pm ET both days
UX & Agile for Software Development
Gain an understanding of how teams can thoughtfully integrate design and development needs, share responsibility, and achieve a balanced approach to delivery. Facilitated by the HCD CoE & the LACE.
Who is this training for?
- This training targets information technology workers supporting software development initiatives.
- This is an Intermediate course.
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.
March 26, 2025; 1:00pm – 4:00pm ET
When: Thursday, December 19, 2024 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET
Join us for the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence Community Event, 'The Neuroscience of Change.' Our Guest Speaker, Grace Trepte, an industry expert in the Neuroscience field, will explore this engaging topic.
How can neuroscience help organizations adapt to change and build a resilient culture of continuous improvement?
We will explore:
- How our brain works
- Why change is so hard
- How neuroscience can be leveraged to make change stick
Register on Zoom and find other details on the LACE Community page
There’s a new resource to support your QualityNet Shared Service Training needs. Whether it's creating a page in Confluence, drafting a dynamic table in LucidSpark or developing a bot using RPA, QualityNet University is here for you! QualityNet University is your one-stop-shop for all your QualityNet training needs. Visit the University today!
Collaborate with the Technology Transformation Services (TTS) Public Benefits Studio
When: Thursday, December 12, 2024 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET
Join us for an introductory and interactive conversation with Emily Herrick – Service Designer with the Technology Transformation Services (TTS) Public Benefits Studio, a technology accelerator inside the federal government who builds shared technology solutions for government agencies. As part of the General Services Administration, this team is positioned to work between and across social safety net programs to make it easier and cheaper for administering agencies with the same challenges to use the same technology tools.
The Public Benefits Studio will introduce their recently launched shared service, Notify.gov, a bulk text-notifications service currently available to agencies who wish to reach people where they are at. Attend to learn about how other government agencies are currently using Notify.gov to send timely and succinct text message reminders to their audiences.
The team will also share about two additional product concepts they are exploring for feedback from experts, like you, to help validate if there is a potential market within the benefits space for:
- A document submission solution that transforms mobile-first image capture into machine readable outputs to make it easier for applicants to digitally submit documents to processing staff.
- A cross-enrollment verification tool to help eligibility staff expedite application processes when proof of Medicaid enrollment means an individual is automatically eligible for another program.
What you will learn:
- Understand the TTS Public Benefits Studio mission & benefits
- Understand the new shared service technology solution Notify.gov
- Understand the pipeline of new technology product concepts
- Contribute interactive feedback on new future products / services
This event is highly suited for information technologists, product owners, program/portfolio owners, business owners, policy staff, researchers, UX designers, content strategists of all levels of experience — from beginners to experts.
Zoom Info
Join Zoom Meeting
https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1610304518?pwd=Q0NvcjJxVzAyakVpVzU1R01Gd2pyQT09
Meeting ID: 161 030 4518
Passcode: 130756
HCD 101: An Introduction to Human-Centered Design
Human-Centered Design (HCD) is the process we use to understand the people for whom we are writing policies and creating programs and services for at CMS. The successful practice of HCD means we are meeting the mission of CMS: "to ensure that the voices and needs of the populations we represent are present as the agency is developing, implementing, and evaluating its programs and policies."
Attendees will have an introductory understanding of HCD and some basic HCD methods/activities that can be applied to their role at CCSQ.
- Speaking the same language as contractors to improve oversight.
- Provides immediate, actionable tips and improves team collaboration and ideation.
When: Tuesday & Wednesday, November 19 + 20 from 10:00am - 3:00pm EST.
Learn more and Register on Zoom
CCSQ’s 6th Annual World Usability Day, a global celebration examining ways in which we can work together to create solutions and connect our work to the big problems of the world, is today!
We have an exciting line-up of engaging speakers and diverse topics about systems that provide healthcare in all its many forms, you will not want to miss anything!
Do you have a busy day, or an upcoming deadline? We get it. That is why the Zoom event is an open-house format with sessions throughout the day and breaks in between sessions.
Schedule-at-a-Glance
- 8:30 AM – 8:35 AM ET | Welcome & Overview from the Human-Centered Design Center of Excellence Team
- 8:35 AM – 8:45 AM ET | Welcome Address from CMS
- 8:45 AM – 9:30 AM ET | Keynote Presentation: Policy Design for System Health: Moving from Service Design to Systemic Design through Policy (details)
- 9:45 AM – 10:00 AM ET | Morning Plenary Session: Designing from an Emerging Future: Levels of Listening (details)
- 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM ET | The Health and Human Services Customer Experience Initiative (details)
- 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM ET | Accessible Plain Language: Weaving Language, Experience, & Accessibility (details)
- 12:45 AM ET – 1:30 PM ET | Afternoon Plenary Session: Virtual Reality: Leveraging Innovative Technologies to Increase Empathy and Improve the Patient Experience (details)
- 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM ET | Building Panels to Improve Customer Experience (details)
- 2:25 PM – 2:55 PM ET | Fireside Chat: Human-Centered Design and Government Space (details)
- 3:05 - 3:50 PM ET | The Magic Matrix: How a “Matrix” HCD Model Can Drive Human-Centered Design Strategy on Highly Technical Programs (details)
- 3:50 - 4:00PM ET | Closing Remarks
Meeting ID: 161 262 0417 | Passcode: 505472
Join us for World Usability Day: Designing for a Better World - No Registration Required!
CMS' Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ) Information Systems Group (ISG) will host a virtual event to explore this year's World Usability Day theme, Designing for a Better World. We will examine ways in which we can work together to create solutions and connect our work to the big problems of the world.
We will welcome a variety of guest speakers to help us explore the theme and learn about a variety of related topics through presentations, interactive sessions, case studies, and a panel discussion.
We encourage attendees to join us for the entire CCSQ event; however, the event will feature an open-house format on Zoom so you can join the sessions that align with your interests and schedule.
Check out our event site to learn about CCSQ World Usability Day, including the guest speakers, the full schedule, FAQ, and more.
Add the event invitation to your calendar: CCSQ World Usability Day 2024 - Designing for a Better World.ics.
ZOOM INFO
https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1612620417?pwd=n1dGdrLCHRQolS1alIrvRFUHAixzWg.1
Meeting ID: 161 262 0417
Passcode: 505472
