Rapidly modernizing the Air Force’s audit management solution

Summary:

The Air Force Audit Agency (AFAA) manages audits across the Department of the Air Force and monitors audit engagements by external audit organizations. Their previous audit tracking and management solution was discontinued, creating the opportunity to build a modernized solution and process that improves efficiency and user experience and allows for continued development based on evolving needs.

We built a custom audit management system—using the ServiceNow Platform—tailored to the AFAA’s distinct needs. The solution collects audit topics from the Air Force workforce and allows AFAA auditors to interact with auditees and plan, conduct, and report on the results of Air Force audits. The solution also provides internal and external stakeholders with near real-time access to review audit information.

Challenge:

The AFAA receives a significant number of audit inquiries each year. There are many applications surrounding the entire audit process, but the core application did not track audits to conclusion.

Due to the imminent end-of-life (EOL) of their existing solution, the AFAA needed a modernized replacement—quickly. They determined ServiceNow was the right platform but needed help developing a prototype that securely streamlined audit tracking and management while improving user experience.

In upgrading their system, the AFAA also wanted to avoid problems that plagued the previous process due to an outdated solution. The agency requested a full overhaul of the user interface and audit process to improve efficiency and allow for a central fully integrated system with near real-time information.

Solution:

Our dedicated team of developers worked with Air Force to create their ServiceNow instance and capture relevant information—such as audit demographics—critical to the auditing process.

We used those findings to create a custom audit portal prototype. The prototype leverages ServiceNow’s platform and provides a two-sided solution including a user-friendly front-end interface for internal Air Force stakeholders and a back-end portal for the AFAA team.

The front-end interface notifies stakeholders when a response or suggestion to an audit is required but is separate from confidential audit information. The interface gathers all the pertinent information needed to address a potential audit and allows stakeholders to enter and access that information quickly. The back-end portal allows the AFAA to securely collect front-end responses, organize confidential information, and track findings to the audit’s conclusion.

Because the Air Force’s preferences and needs are continuing to evolve, we intentionally developed the back-end portal in a way that could leverage ServiceNow’s innovation modules—should the Air Force determine that as a better fit in the future.

Where we are now:

The upgraded system is designed to prioritize audits and update information quickly, providing a cohesive experience and interface for all impacted parties. It improves the speed at which recommendations can be received and auditees can communicate a corrective action plan—all leading to a speedier end-to-end audit process.

By working iteratively with the agency, we delivered on the first phases of this project operating with a short turnaround time and sharp deadlines for execution. The AFAA began testing in early 2021. As they identify areas of needed efficiency and improved interface, our team continues to build a platform better tailored to their specific requirements.

Thanks to an innovative team of experts working in tandem with the agency, this auditing system allows the AFAA to effectively plan and perform audits with improved efficiency and ease. While still under development, our iterative process allows us to continue to make enhancements to each phase of the build-out, with a full product launch slated for June 2022.