eBenefits Audit

Problem

VA/DoD eBenefits (eBenefits) is an online resource for Veterans, Service members, their family members, and authorized caregivers to securely access personalized VA and DoD information as well as a self-service benefits applications and management platform. This collaborative effort between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) was established in March 2007 by Executive Order 134261 by the Commision on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors and a Task Force on Returning Global War on Terror Heroes. The Commission identified a need for these user groups to be able to access to benefits and information with single sign-on (SSO).

eBenefits supports 4.3 million logins per month (as of December 2018), the platform lacks funding and development resources needed to maintain the services on the platform. While eBenefits may be doted on as a recognizable brand across the VA and DoD, it is an antiquated product built on outdated technological solutions and poses long term issues for the VA’s enterprise-wide digital modernization strategy if it remains at status quo. 

With advancements in VA's modernization efforts and consolidation and simplification of websites for a better user experience, eBenefits became somewhat obsolete. The VA decided not to continue developing the site and reduced support from modernization to maintenance, only. Meanwhile, the benefits and services offered by eBenefits became more easily accessible on VA.gov, and easier to use.

Solution

After relaunching VA.gov under the brand consolidation project in November 2018, eBenefits became the focus of a comprehensive audit and recommendations to further consolidate the site's functionality with VA.gov, with the intent of systematically deprecating eBenefits. The remaining services needed to be migrated off eBenefits strategically in accordance with USDS’s Digital Services Playbook and the VA Digital Services Handbook.

Process

I performed a comprehensive audit of eBenefits, MyHealtheVet, and VA.gov, cataloging components related to benefit applications and management to determine the features, functionality, content, and applications on each platform. In addition to auditing features and functionality, I evaluated and reviewed the platform to ensure it was meeting requirements, such as those for the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), finding many of the benefit applications and forms had lapsed and no longer met federal regulations for PRA.

Next I provided guidance to inform consolidating eBenefits to VA.gov or deprecating duplicative services across all three platforms. Working with subject matter experts and product owners at VA, I was able to better understand what, if any, need there was for services only offered on eBenefits and how to coordinate a migration from there to VA.gov.

Outcome

As a result of my audit, there was an expedited depreciation of some services on eBenefits, favoring the more modern, user friendly versions of the benefit content, applications, and management on VA.gov. This audit empowered VA subject matter experts and product owner wary of deprecating services on eBenefits while providing them with a strategy to reduce redundant information and tools, while implementing a redirect strategy to allow veterans to easily apply, manage, and track their benefits without a disruption of service.

While eBenefits still exists and is the only place to access certain benefits and information, what could be removed was and there is a strategy in place to deprecate the remaining services over time.

This project was completed while I was working at the US Digital Service’s team at the Department of Veterans Affairs.