Introduction

The resources listed here will help your team get the most out of its engagement with the Collaboration Cycle. Using them will help your team keep on top of upcoming touchpoint meetings, set up consultations with the Governance Team in between scheduled touchpoints, and track its progress through the Collaboration Cycle.

Calendars

Meetings and Office Hours in Google

The Collaboration Cycle Calendar contains previously-scheduled Collaboration Cycle touchpoint meetings, as well as office hours for Platform reviewers.

Scheduling Calendars

Schedule a touchpoint with the Collaboration Cycle or platform office hours calendars. Please be sure to update your Collaboration Cycle Request ticket per the Touchpoint guidance before scheduling a review in Calendly.

** Calendar links are available in your Collaboration Cycle Request ticket

Tracking Tools

Collaboration Cycle Reviews ZenHub Board

The Collaboration Cycle Reviews ZenHub Board allows VFS teams to see where they are in their Collaboration Cycle journey. It also allows all parties involved in VA.gov to see what products are currently engaged with the Collaboration Cycle and the current status.

Any Collaboration Cycle Kickoff’s that were submitted prior to May 26, 2022 are not reflected in this board.

How the board works

VFS teams are responsible for opening their Collaboration Cycle Request ticket. Once opened, Platform Governance team is responsible for moving the Collaboration Cycle Request ticket throughout the various pipelines until it reaches the Done pipeline. Once in the Done pipeline, it is the VFS teams responsibility to close the ticket.

Pipelines and their definitions

  • Backlog - Newly opened Collaboration Cycle tickets from the VFS team with kickoff questions answered. Has not yet been responded to by Platform Governance team.

  • Awaiting Design Intent Scheduling - Platform Governance has responded to VFS team kickoff questions with recommended Collaboration Cycle touchpoints. Awaiting VFS team to schedule Design Intent.

  • Design Intent Scheduled - Design Intent has been scheduled by the VFS team.

  • Awaiting Midpoint Review Scheduling - Awaiting VFS team to schedule Midpoint Review.

  • Midpoint Review Scheduled - Midpoint Review has been scheduled by the VFS team.

  • Awaiting Staging Review Scheduling - Awaiting VFS team to schedule Staging Review.

  • Staging Review Scheduled - Staging Review has been scheduled by the VFS team.

  • Post Staging Review - Platform Governance has documented issues found at Staging Review. Awaiting VFS team to close out remaining tasks within the Collaboration Cycle Request ticket.

Platform Collaboration Point Tracker

For those who started the Collaboration Cycle process after May 26, 2022

The Platform Collaboration Point Tracker will be used to track only the products/features engaging in the Collaboration Cycle with a link to the Collaboration Cycle Request ticket.

For those who started the Collaboration Cycle process prior to May 26, 2022

The Platform Collaboration Point Tracker is the source of truth for which Collaboration Cycle touchpoints are recommended for each product. This spreadsheet includes links to GitHub tickets as well as Zoom meeting recordings. This spreadsheet is not editable by VFS teams, so if you notice that anything is missing, please let us know.