Case Study Summary: WatchTower – Modernizing Federal Background Investigations

As both a field agent and the product manager, I designed and built WatchTower, a powerful case management and analytics tool developed using Microsoft Access and VBA. WatchTower integrates with a 1980s-era IBM mainframe via API and delivers modern, user-friendly dashboards and documentation tools to support background investigation agents across the U.S. Deployed on federal laptops, it was credited with eliminating a 4-year backlog in cases.

Highlights

  • Built with Microsoft Access and VBA for wide compatibility across federal laptops

  • API integration with legacy IBM mainframe for real-time case data

  • Generated summary caseload dashboards for each agent

  • Created detailed dashboards for individual cases with interactive timelines and issue tracking

  • Produced auto-formatted briefing documents, detailed maps, and case timelines to reduce preparation time

  • Included report-writing tools that guide agents through required formats and highlight missing data

Technology and Skills

Relational Databases, VBA, SQL, Mainframe API Integration, Data Visualization, Workflow Optimization, Government Compliance, User-Centered Design, Solo Full-Stack Development.

Impact

  • Eliminated a 4-year backlog of background investigations

  • Cut case briefing time by 40% with visual timelines and summarized key events

  • Reduced report writing time by 50% by outlining reports in the agency’s required format

  • Enabled real-time oversight and decision-making across dispersed investigative teams

Why It Matters

WatchTower is a rare example of a product designed by a field agent for field agents. Combining deep operational insight with hands-on technical execution, it brought modern functionality to outdated infrastructure, dramatically improving investigator efficiency, oversight, and mission outcomes. By increasing productivity by up to 200% and reducing manual workload, WatchTower has delivered an estimated $2M–$4M in annual savings since 2018, representing $14M–$28M in cumulative impact to date, aligning seamlessly with the agency’s goals for mission assurance, resource optimization, and real-time operational visibility.