VA Office of IT: Working Smarter, Not Bigger, for Veterans

VA OIT's 'Smarter, Not Bigger' IT Strategy

• 🎯 The VA Office of Information and Technology (OIT) is implementing a "smarter, not bigger" IT strategy, focusing on maximizing value for the veteran community.
• 💰 Investments will be prioritized for initiatives that drive maximum value, while underperforming or unused resources will be repurposed and reinvested for the greatest return.

Workforce Reorganization and Efficiency

• 🧠 OIT is reorganizing its workforce, aligning both investment and human capital to achieve significant outcomes for the department.
• 📈 Functions not driving significant value are being analyzed and realigned to meet desired outcomes.
• ✅ Every decision, dollar spent, and realignment is guided by the North Star of driving maximum value for the department and the veteran community.

Automation and Process Improvement

• ⚙️ The strategy emphasizes automating processes where possible to work smarter, not harder, reducing reliance on manual, human-driven tasks.
• 💡 While automation is key, the importance of human interaction for optimal outcomes is acknowledged.

Staffing and Support Roles

• 📊 OIT currently has approximately 8,205 FTEs, with ongoing workforce reshaping activities focused on optimizing resource allocation rather than outright reduction.
• ⚠️ A decrease of about 100 employees has occurred since January, managed through succession planning, cross-training, upskilling, and reassignments without impacting veteran services.
• 💻 Reductions are primarily focused on back-office and administrative support functions, not direct IT application roles like coding or interfacing, as long as they align with mission objectives.