Truss

Check out the second post in our behind-the-scenes series focus on the development of Direct File - recently recognized by FedScoop as the Innovation of the Year 👏 👏 👏. This post showcases how the pilot team leveraged strategy, coordination, research, and our end-to-end systems thinking to successfully launch a fully accessible project. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gnpjeaNZ  #directfile #accessibility #softwaredev

Well deserved! Congrats to the Direct File team 🙌

Truss scores HHS ACF Discovery on OPTN Systems and Supporting Digital Services Organization contract win - A strategic award for this very fast growing 8(a) small business remote-first, fully distributed, salary-transparent civic tech organization known for our consultative human-centered approach and their ability to build diverse and resilient teams. ==>> https://lnkd.in/ebWMTTVN Robert Schnelle Carmen Bocanegra Everett Harper

New on the Truss blog: a closer look at how the Direct File team used an agile and iterative development approach to build a tool that prioritized immediate wins for taxpayers and created the foundation for continued success. This post focuses on three key areas: 🚀 Leveraging open-source assets like USWDS  🚀 Keeping scope tight to launch on-time, and  🚀 Using feedback to update the application during tax season Thanks to Greg Troester, CSM for sharing your insights. 🙌 #softwaredevelopment #opensource #civictech #directfile #irs #uswds #agile #userfeedback #truss https://lnkd.in/gUKDchgS

Thrilled to be part of this team, and there’s lots more to come. And, if you think Direct File should be recognized as Innovation of the Year, you can vote. Go to the Fedscoop site, click on Direct File, and you’re done!

Actively soliciting direct user input on working software can make all the difference when building something new and was one of the key practices that led to the success of Direct File. As Direct File Chief Bridget Roberts mentioned in her conversation with Accounting Today: “thousands of people used IRS Direct File every day during tax season to do their taxes. The experiences — and frustrations — of these thousands of people guided further improvements implemented in the middle of the filing season.” According to Roberts,  “...the team was 'constantly' making changes such as additional language support and more tips and guidelines.” At #Truss, we believe this is one of the most overlooked practices of “agile” software development – does your team get direct user feedback on your work, from prototype to fully released software? #userfeedback #agile #softwaredevelopment #civictech #directfile https://lnkd.in/g8ejd-GU

More details on the SITH team's successful launch: hands-on training, interactive lessons, and active feedback collection. How working shoulder to shoulder with users makes all the difference. Congrats again to the SITH team! 👏 👏 👏 #civictech https://lnkd.in/gKB6FAgP

Congratulations to our blended team – Truss, Coforma, 18F, United States Digital Service and Internal Revenue Service – for designing, developing, and releasing Direct File. 👏 “We were all just one cohesive blended team which is something I think is different …” Direct File Chief, Bridget Roberts stated, “this was not a job done piecemeal by different entities, but a unified team that worked as one unit to develop this program." Truss is honored to have partnered with you all for the original Direct File 2024 pilot in 12 states, reaching 140,000 taxpayers and thrilled to see our work recognized by the FedScoop 50 Awards as a nominee for Innovation of the Year. 👏 We look forward to continuing to work shoulder to shoulder with our blended team to offer Direct File to all states in 2025. 🚀 #civictech #directfile #softwaredevelopment https://lnkd.in/eQYamT2F

The Accounting Today article about Direct File identifies key elements necessary to successfully design, develop and release complex software that makes a big impact: a blended team, reducing complexity, testing with “real” users, and especially making sure to release working software. Since 2012 Truss has been designing and releasing complex software projects for federal and state agencies, from NJ Unemployment Insurance to CMS, OHS, and SEC – and private companies too – with precisely these practices. This commitment isn’t easy, but the overwhelming success of Direct File shows knowing how to leverage these practices can make the difference between enthusiastic users and a failure to deliver. #civictech #usertesting #softwaredevelopment #directfile https://lnkd.in/g8ejd-GU

As a core member of the blended team that designed, developed and released Direct File with the IRS, we’re thrilled to see IRS leaders highlight one of our founding Truss Values, “work shoulder to shoulder” in their recent conversation with Accounting Today. "Everyone worked shoulder to shoulder on Direct File, it wasn't like you had one vendor working on one part and another one working on another, everyone left their organizational affiliation at the door.” In this article, Bridget Roberts - Chief, Direct File highlights one of the most important components of the success of Direct File – the blended team working shoulder to shoulder: “I do attribute that to a lot of our success: We had such great people from all across the tech industry and government working together," Roberts shared. #directfile #softwaredevelopment #civictech #truss #values #shouldertoshoulder https://lnkd.in/g8ejd-GU