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Defense Digital Service

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Do not recommend, try USDS instead - Product Manager Defense Digital Service Employee Review

1.0
29 May 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Defense has an intriguing mission, culture, and many national security challenges they need assistance solving. DDS is challenged though.

Cons

Management is a challenge at DDS. There is both a lack of empathy, as mentioned by another employee here, and there is also a high level of hubris that makes management difficult to work for at DDS. After reading these posts I was compelled to join because these reviews highlight serious organization problems. The organization keeps responding and saying “nothing to see here”, then throwing out statistics that can be manipulated and used in support. If I contact all the employees who have left in the last year and ask them to post here would the organization finally recognize they have problems? Is management wise enough to correct their lack of empathy and regain the trust of the employees?

Explore other reviews about Defense Digital Service

5.0
22 Oct 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Very talented team of unique characters with diverse backgrounds. You have near-complete autonomy to get what you want out of this position. You often have the freedom to choose projects that interest you. Your work often has direct impact on the warfighters' lives. If you push yourself and can chart your own path you will find this job to be very productive and rewarding. You are encouraged to present at conferences and participate on panels and grow your skills. You are in a good position here to help influence change across the DoD through policy and advocating for best-practices.

Cons

Depending on the partner organizations and external stakeholders involved there can be a lot of bureaucracy to navigate. If you aren't good at raising concerns early or don't have solid people skills you can get buried. There has been a lot of bureaucratic churn over the past few years with a number of leadership changes but current leadership is very capable, a strong advocate for the team, and will have your back. The workload is very streaky – feast or famine. You need to be able to find things to do without someone telling you. Not all have this ability and will lurk in the shadows from time to time.

5.0
15 Oct 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Researching, planning, designing important software UX supporting our troops, government, and working in agile, nimble way with the amazing (PM/Eng/Design) experts around you. - Fully remote - with travel as needed and required. - Once in a lifetime experience for senior product designers to make a difference and learn about working at the DoD and in Gov. - This isn't your typical tech job - it's really exceptional. Expect the unexpected. - Flat org; the director you're hired under is important (I was lucky and had a couple of great ones!). Everyone on team is treated at same senior level.

Cons

- Projects can sometimes stall or lag due to authorizations and approvals and reviews or customers and outside partners schedules. - The larger CDAO org DDS has become a part of is sometimes helpful - sometimes not; priorities are changing within CDAO; not sure DDS has seen lots of benefits yet. - Newer tools - if not on the approved list - can be harder to get but mostly DDS has a solid, modern tech stack already.

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