I run a small Drupal CoE supporting the main enterprise content management for a government agency. We also support small Drupal-based apps that are available to the public. This is a relatively new operation, and while the team is slowly maturing, we may not be optimally set up. I am looking to gather information to help me "right-size" the team and prioritize investment. Do you have any advice?

It’s easy to get caught up in technology decisions, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the content. If you can maintain that focus, then Drupal just becomes one of several tools in your kit. Parts of the work—like complex theming or specialized security tasks—can be outsourced if it makes sense. The bigger question is: who are the end users, and what do they actually need from your content? Maybe it’s the general public looking for quick answers, or internal teams who need a secure way to manage key documents. Once you pin down your audience and their goals, you can cut the fluff and concentrate on delivering real value.

For a simple roadmap, start by locking down your most important content goals and user requirements. That naturally leads you into figuring out the right technical approach, whether that’s heavy customization on Drupal or a leaner setup with some third-party integrations. The point is, you don’t want to invest a ton of time or money into features that won’t pay off or might not exist in a couple of years. Keep things flexible and review your roadmap regularly—if something no longer serves your users, let it go. Aim for steady progress on core priorities, and you’ll be in a great position to adapt to future needs without blowing your budget.

While I do not have direct experience managing or leading Drupal CoE per se, I have managed SAP CoE for build and testing in the past. So, sharing my 2 cents based on that experience: Start by evaluating your current team structure, skill gaps, as-is processes, and workflows. Align your team's mission by emphasizing compressed digital core, security, scalability, and innovation. 

Benchmark against industry and peer standards to determine appropriate staffing, including developers, QA, DevOps, and security specialists. We determine based on RICEF objects in the SAP domain. Prioritize investments in training, automation tools (like CI/CD pipelines), and monitoring solutions for better efficiency and compliance. Develop a maturity roadmap with short-term goals to address immediate gaps, medium-term plans for workflow optimization, and long-term strategies for innovation and advanced capabilities. And most important, communicate frequently and regularly with key stakeholders to showcase the CoE's value through measurable outcomes. I would also recommend checking with government and federal bodies for CMS stuff.

I hope this helps.