DOD Ticketing System Case Study

The DOD regularly received multiple requests from many email accounts into one general email account. These requests were getting lost in the inbox. Clients used different formats and requested different things. Nothing was standardized, which made their situation even more difficult to handle.

The entire process was reengineered and digitally transformed for a streamlined and efficient workflow. The goal was to develop a more efficient system that would improve the process. 

We developed a ticket system that allows users to submit standardized tickets and route them to the correct department. Instead of getting lost in the email inbox, the ticket would be stored inside the centralized platform. 

This platform also provides a track record of each ticket. The track record included information about the data, the attachments, and when the ticket was answered. Communication is done through the application instead of email which could get lost in the mix. 

We used a variety of tools and Power Platform Power apps to build the application. The client already had a license for these tools with Microsoft 365. Power Automate was used for distributing and routing. This meant we didn’t need to purchase additional software tools or go through additional security requirements for implementation. 

We created several iterations to help guide the client’s decisions based on their current needs. The final product was a ticketing system with admins and users with various levels of access. This system is expandable for both users and features. Administrators can assign users, and view data analytics and metrics to see incoming tickets, ticket locations, and user categories. 

We created several types of training resources and training was provided based on the user’s access level. There were different steps of training for the target group. 

We wrote documentation within the application so users can see examples of using the app. This made it easy for users to navigate and use the software. We created training presentations and videos that were specific to the various levels of access. 

Finally, we provided testing scripts to help users get familiar with the ticketing system. Process owners ran those test scripts to learn how to use the system before implementation. 

The new ticketing system was implemented slowly. The DOD had over 10,000 users for their email system and implementing the new system to 10,000 users at once could cause lots of confusion and errors. 

We performed a slow rollout to 50 users. This allowed us to focus on their process and provide help when needed. Once we were satisfied with the results, we scaled the system to 500 users and targeted different groups of the process. Once we were satisfied with those results, and all users had been trained on the new system, we implemented the ticketing system for all users. 

The system is also expandable. After the initial release, we added new features based on the DOD’s needs. 

The result is a robust system that streamlines the process and improves the workflow, quality, and communication. The system is now more efficient and easier to use.

Users now have a way to track requests that were previously getting lost in a single inbox. Previously, there was no way to see the status, and requests were not standardized. Now, users can find all of the information in a centralized location with a standardized application.