Navigating Innovation: A Spotlight on the TEA Team

In the ever changing landscape of technological advancement, effective collaboration and innovation are key drivers of success. Within the realm of CMS, the Division of Technical Engineering and Architecture (TEA) team stands out as a beacon of expertise and ingenuity. A diverse array of professionals, TEA operates within the Office of Information Technology (OIT)/The Enterprise Architecture Data Group (EADG), providing invaluable consultancy services and fostering partnerships across various CMS centers and teams. Through their dedication to agile methodologies, human-centered design, and lean practices, TEA endeavors to enhance the technological landscape of CMS, ultimately aiming to better serve both internal and external stakeholders. In this interview, we delve deeper into the ethos and objectives of this remarkable team.

1. Tell me about your team’s area of work.
TEA is a division within OIT/EADG that provides internal CMS consultancy and collaborates with other CMS centers and teams. We work to enable our partners at CMS to deliver value through technology with proven methodologies in agile, human-centered design, and lean. Our goals are to build digital products, fix technical problems, and improve how CMS serves its public and internal customers through technology, processes and innovation.

2. Tell us about who makes up your team. 
We are a team of software engineers, product managers, data scientists, communications specialists, and human-centered design specialists. Services include: data analytics, professional development and training, communications, knowledge management, AI enablement, among others.

3. How would someone kick off a project with your team?
We begin by working with your team to identify the problem you’re trying to solve. Then we hold discovery sessions to better understand your goal, desired outcome, constraints, timeline, and budget. Next, we draft an engagement agreement and specify our commitment to ensure a successful partnership is established. Finally, we empower your team to feel confident in managing the solution once our work together is complete.

4. One interesting thing people should know about your group. 
We’re a team of innovators and strategic thinkers. We work individually with different teams, programs, and products, and come together to share learnings, innovations, and ideas. 

5. What are your goals for the year?
Our goals for the year are to continue building bridges between teams to help them find solutions, build partnerships, and work to drive innovation at CMS.

Innovation thrives where collaboration flourishes, and the TEA team exemplifies this through their unwavering commitment to driving progress within CMS. As they continue to forge ahead, the impact of their work reverberates throughout the organization. With their unique blend of expertise and forward-thinking mindset, TEA remains poised to shape the future of technology within CMS, ensuring its seamless evolution to meet the needs of its diverse audience.