A new toolkit offers step-by-step guidance for city and state officials looking to launch digital service teams, aiming to improve access to government services and address challenges with technology and staffing.
New York City has established a dedicated digital services team, making it the largest U.S. city to launch such an initiative aimed at improving government efficiency and the resident experience. The team, called Public Interest Technology Crews (PIT Crews), began work last month and will focus on developing digital solutions to address city challenges, starting with an online portal to help residents file complaints about difficult-to-cancel, costly subscriptions.
The PIT Crews bring together product managers, engineers, data specialists, and user researchers to modernize how New York City delivers services. Their broader mission includes making it easier for residents to access resources like housing and child care assistance through user-friendly, technology-enabled platforms.
Toolkit Offers Practical Steps for Launch
As more state and local governments look to create digital service teams, a new toolkit from the nonprofit U.S. Digital Response (USDR) provides practical guidance for structuring, staffing, and expanding these teams. The toolkit, released last week, draws on USDR's experience working with government agencies at all levels and is designed for leaders, IT professionals, and program managers.
The guide outlines two main models for organizing digital service teams. The executive model places the team within a leadership office, such as the mayor's or governor's, allowing for faster coordination but making the team more vulnerable to leadership changes. The enterprise model embeds the team within broader government operations, offering greater stability and suitability for long-term projects, though it can complicate cross-agency coordination and funding.
Some governments may choose to start with an executive model and transition to an enterprise approach as the team's capacity grows. The toolkit notes that initial funding is often limited, but as the value of digital service teams becomes clearer, more agencies are willing to invest upfront.
Assessing Digital Maturity and Building Consensus
The toolkit recommends that government leaders assess their agency's digital maturity-its ability to design, build, and improve digital services-before launching a team. Agencies may range from an "exploring" phase, where digital work is ad hoc, to a "leading" phase, where high-quality digital services are consistently delivered.
While advanced digital maturity is not required to start a team, the guide warns that lacking foundational elements can lead to unclear roles, limited capacity, and difficulty sustaining progress. Leaders are encouraged to define the team's mission, user groups, job roles, and digital infrastructure early in the process.
Identifying the right stakeholders is also critical. The toolkit suggests involving policymakers, technology leaders, procurement managers, and HR staff to ensure a shared vision. Cross-agency workshops-such as one- or two-hour sessions-can help clarify priorities, responsibilities, and next steps, while also surfacing concerns and strategies for measuring impact.
Growing Interest in Digital Service Teams
Interest in digital service teams is rising as governments face ongoing budget and staffing challenges. These teams are seen as a way to modernize public services and improve access for residents, especially as more interactions move online. According to USDR, governments should focus on building the right foundations and aligning stakeholders to ensure long-term success.
Efforts to strengthen digital government are also prompting calls for robust data safeguards and accountability. As highlighted in a recent Farmington Voice report on government data sharing, experts emphasize the need for privacy and security as agencies expand digital services.
For cities like New York and others across the country, the new toolkit offers a roadmap for building digital service teams that can adapt to changing needs and deliver better outcomes for residents.
