Bringing clarity and structure to case intake, classification, and reporting
This project focused on simplifying a case management system that had become inconsistent and difficult to use.
The goal was to improve clarity, reporting, and day-to-day usability for staff.
Define
- Reviewed existing case intake and workflows
- Identified inconsistencies in classification and data entry
- Mapped how cases were actually being used
Refine
- Simplified case types and categorization
- Improved intake flow and required fields
- Reduced duplication and unnecessary complexity
Reset
- Cleaned up structural issues impacting reporting
- Established a more consistent foundation for future use
Refine
The challenge
This system was originally built to support case intake and tracking, but over time it became clear that some of the structure was working against us.
The main issue was that Case Reason was carrying too much responsibility. It was being used to represent different kinds of things at once, which made it harder to keep data consistent and harder to report on cleanly.
The insight
The problem was not volume or user error, it was that the structure itself was doing too many jobs at once. Case Reason was acting as:
- a classification system
- a workflow signal
- and sometimes a catch-all for edge cases
That kind of overlap creates confusion, even with a small number of users.
The solution
Instead of trying to clean up usage, the structure of the system was refined to better separate responsibilities.
- Primary categorization was moved into the Type field
- Supporting structure was introduced where needed instead of overloading one field
- Case Reason was simplified so it no longer carried multiple meanings
- The structure was aligned with how cases are actually processed
The goal was to make the system clear by design, not dependent on perfect usage.
The result
With the structure clarified, the system became easier to use and more reliable:
- Case data is more consistent without extra effort
- Reporting is clearer and more reliable
- The system is easier to train and easier to use correctly
Most importantly, the structure now supports the work instead of relying on people to interpret it.