Department of Homeland Security

Case Study: Intellisoft Technologies and IBM Partner with USCIS for Enterprise-wide Transformation Program

Duration of the Project: 2009 -2017

Background

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) faced significant challenges due to its fragmented, paper-based operational environment. To modernize its processes and improve efficiency, USCIS initiated the enterprise-wide Transformation Program (IOE) with the goal of transitioning to a centralized, consolidated, and paperless environment. This large-scale, complex undertaking aimed to re-engineer USCIS-wide business processes and information technology (IT) infrastructure.

Objectives

The Transformation Program sought to achieve several key objectives:

1. National Security and Integrity: Enhance the integrity of the immigration system by effectively collecting, analyzing, and sharing information to verify the identity, eligibility, and status of individuals seeking to become U.S. citizens or to study, live, or work in the country.

2. Customer Service: Deliver world-class customer service by accurately adjudicating requests for benefits within acceptable timeframes, providing timely and accurate information about immigration benefits and customer request statuses, and promoting civic values.

3. Operational Efficiency: Develop an innovative, flexible, and accountable organization that invests in its people and infrastructure to ensure cost-effective and consistent results.

The Transformation Program (TPO)

The TPO provided a centralized management structure to oversee all transformation activities within USCIS. It coordinated several initiatives aimed at converting the existing mix of legacy infrastructure and paper-based business processes to electronic-based business processes. This transformation facilitated the creation of new online operational customer accounts to manage transactions, track activities, and reduce identity fraud. Additionally, the revised processes helped USCIS meet customer expectations for on-demand information and real-time electronic services over the internet.

Intellisoft Technologies’ Role

In partnership with IBM, Intellisoft Technologies played a crucial role in supporting the USCIS Transformation Program. Their contributions included:

1. Document Management and Digitization

   • Developed systems for managing documents electronically, reducing reliance on paper-based processes.

   • Digitized paper documents to create a comprehensive electronic records system, ensuring easy access and retrieval of information.

2. Business Analytics and Reporting

   • Created business analytics reports to provide insights into operations, helping USCIS make data-driven decisions.

   • Enabled the analysis of large volumes of data to identify trends, optimize processes, and improve service delivery.

3. User Interface Development

   • Developed user-friendly interfaces to enhance the experience for both USCIS employees and customers.

   • Ensured that the interfaces were intuitive, accessible, and responsive, facilitating seamless interactions with the system.

4. Service Integration through SOA-based Web Services

   • Implemented Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) to enable the integration of various services and applications.

   • Developed Web Services to facilitate communication between different systems, ensuring interoperability and efficient data exchange.

Results

The partnership between Intellisoft Technologies, IBM, and USCIS yielded significant benefits:

• Improved National Security and Integrity: The new system enhanced the ability to verify identities and eligibility, reducing fraud and ensuring the integrity of the immigration process.

• Enhanced Customer Service: The transformation enabled USCIS to adjudicate requests more accurately and quickly, provide real-time information to customers, and promote civic values.

• Increased Operational Efficiency: The shift to electronic processes reduced costs, streamlined operations, and improved consistency in results.

Conclusion

Intellisoft Technologies, in collaboration with IBM, played a pivotal role in the successful transformation of USCIS’s operational environment. By transitioning from a paper-based system to a modern, electronic-based infrastructure, USCIS significantly improved its efficiency, customer service, and ability to safeguard national security. This case study highlights the importance of strategic partnerships and innovative technology solutions in achieving large-scale organizational transformation.

Key Takeaways

• Strategic Partnerships: Collaboration between organizations can lead to successful large-scale transformations.

• Innovative Technology Solutions: Utilizing state-of-the-art tools and technologies can significantly improve operational efficiency and customer service.

• Comprehensive Support: Providing end-to-end support, from document management to service integration, is crucial for achieving transformational goals.

The USCIS Transformation Program stands as a testament to the impact of effective partnership and technological innovation in modernizing government operations.