Relocated to Joint Base Hickam to work directly alongside operators. This wasn't a research trip — it was embedding. Observed live case handling, attended briefings, and participated in shift handoffs to understand where the software was actively failing people.
Documented every step of the case management workflow against what the software required versus what operators actually did. The gap was significant: the tool was optimized for audit compliance, not for the person closing a case at the end of a shift.
03Rapid redesign with operators
Co-designed revised workflows with the operators who used the system daily. Prioritized changes that would survive the operational environment — low cognitive load, clear status signals, and minimal clicks to complete routine tasks.
04Policy revision leadership
Worked with leadership to convert workflow improvements into formal policy — not just product changes. This was the inflection point: new standards couldn't be rolled back with a software update, and they propagated to other teams that handled similar workflows.