> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://usdr.gitbook.io/digital-service-toolkit/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://usdr.gitbook.io/digital-service-toolkit/assess-your-readiness/process-for-assessing/organization-structure.md).

# Organization Structure

Understand how your government is structured and where digital services work will fit

## Understand Your Government's Current Structure

Where a digital service team sits within your organization can affect its authority, access to resources, relationships, and ability to work across government. Understanding your government’s current structure will help you identify where the team could operate effectively and which leaders, departments, and agencies would need to support it.

**Review your government’s most recent organizational chart to understand:**

* Which departments or agencies deliver services directly to residents
* Where shared functions such as IT, HR, procurement, finance, and communications are located
* How department or agency leaders connect to executive leaders and governing bodies, such as:
  * **City:** Mayor, city manager, or city council
  * **County:** County executive, administrator, or county commission
  * **State:** Governor, cabinet officials, or other statewide leaders
* Which teams support work across multiple departments or agencies
* How decisions involving more than one department or agency are coordinated

{% hint style="info" icon="head-side-gear" %}
Focus on the parts of the organization most likely to support, influence, or be affected by digital services work.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:orange;"><strong>Example</strong></mark><strong> Government Structure Findings</strong></summary>

A city may find that IT manages technology centrally, individual departments oversee their own services, and the city manager’s office coordinates priorities involving multiple departments. These relationships can help identify where a digital service team could be located and how it would work across the organization.

In this example, the **city manager’s office** could be a strong placement option if the team needs to coordinate work across departments, provided it maintains a close partnership with IT.

</details>

## Identify Existing Capabilities, Partners, and Gaps

Once you have a good understanding of the formal structure, look more closely at the people, capabilities, and potential partners already supporting digital services.

<figure><img src="https://2300667447-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvrFiXac7VON42MNzAMFq%2Fuploads%2FEYZPGmDcGmSeEmeZ9rrv%2FCapabilities%20Partners%20and%20Gaps%202.png?alt=media&amp;token=7d091119-65d4-488f-9048-67242bc59428" alt="Infographic titled “Identify Capabilities, Partners, and Gaps” with three columns. Existing work and capabilities include digital tools and systems, service ownership and delivery, resident and staff research, and product, design, and technical skills. Partners and enablers include expertise, approvals, operational support, and cross-department coordination. Gaps include missing skills, limited capacity, limited access to support, and unclear ownership."><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

**Look across your government to identify:**

* Who manages websites, online applications, data systems, and other digital tools
* Who works directly with residents or staff to understand and improve services
* Where product, research, design, accessibility, engineering, and delivery skills exist
* Which teams could provide expertise, approvals, or operational support
* Which capabilities are missing, limited, or difficult to access

{% hint style="info" icon="head-side-gear" %}
This will help you identify who should be involved, which existing capabilities the team can use, and what additional roles or support may be needed.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:orange;"><strong>Example</strong></mark><strong> Existing Capabilities and Partners</strong></summary>

A city may find that communications manages the public website and content, IT maintains applications and infrastructure, individual departments oversee service delivery, and an innovation or performance team conducts research and improves processes.

These groups could become important partners for the digital service team. Mapping their capabilities may also reveal overlaps and gaps, such as a need for additional product management, user research, service design, accessibility, or delivery expertise.&#x20;

{% hint style="info" icon="head-side-gear" %}
See [Key Roles in a Digital Service Team](/digital-service-toolkit/digital-service-teams/key-roles-in-a-digital-service-team.md) for an overview of the capabilities the team may need.
{% endhint %}

</details>

## Develop Initial Placement Options

Use what you learned about your organization’s structure, capabilities, and potential partners to identify one or two realistic placement options for the digital service team.

Revisit [Digital Service Team Models](/digital-service-toolkit/digital-service-teams/digital-service-team-models.md) to consider how an executive, enterprise, or hybrid model could operate within your organization. For each option, document:

1. Where the team could be located
2. The benefits and limitations of that placement
3. The authority and resources the team would have
4. The leaders, departments, or agencies whose support would be needed

{% hint style="info" icon="head-side-gear" %}
You do not need to select a final model or placement yet. These options will help stakeholders compare tradeoffs and provide a starting point for discussion.
{% endhint %}

<details>

<summary><mark style="color:orange;"><strong>Examples of</strong></mark><strong> Digital Service Team Fit</strong></summary>

1. A city focused on a small number of mayoral priorities might place the team in the mayor’s office, giving it strong **executive** support and the ability to move quickly across departments.&#x20;
2. A state seeking to improve services across multiple agencies might place the team within central IT or a statewide administrative agency, providing consistent access to agencies, shared systems, and **enterprise** resources.

</details>