2014–2020
Paperless Records & Global Compliance Transformation
Services
Service Design, Digital Transformation, Change Management, Training & Enablement, Information Governance, Process Design
Team
USAID Office of Acquisition & Assistance, Records Management Leadership, Global Mission AORs/CORs, IT and Policy Stakeholders
Designing a Paperless-by-Default Government at Global Scale
Digital Records Transformation
Global Compliance at Scale
Human-Centered Governance
Paperless Operations
Federal Digital Mandates
Overview
ASIST (Agency Secure Image and Storage Tracking) is USAID’s official electronic records system for managing AOR and COR award files across missions worldwide. Mandated as the sole system of record, ASIST marked a fundamental shift from fragmented, paper-heavy practices to standardized, digital-first recordkeeping aligned with federal records law. I worked as an Innovation Expert and Digital Transformation Lead, shaping the service, processes, and adoption model that enabled more than 100 missions to move away from paper while remaining audit-ready, compliant, and operationally efficient. The work balanced strict federal governance with the realities of day-to-day work in diverse global contexts.
Context & Challenge
From Fragmented Paper Files to a Single Digital Source of Truth
Before ASIST, USAID’s AOR/COR records were managed through a patchwork of local paper files, shared drives, and informal practices. Documents were stored in filing cabinets across missions, making retrieval slow, audits resource-intensive, and compliance inconsistent. Hybrid paper-digital files were common, increasing risk and rework. At the same time, federal pressure was increasing. Records legislation and government-wide “digital by default” mandates required agencies to manage official records electronically, end hybrid filing, and improve auditability. For USAID, operating in more than 80 countries, this was not just a technology challenge—it was an operating model and behavior change challenge. ASIST was positioned as the official, mandatory repository for AOR/COR records. Only documents filed in ASIST would be treated as the official record, forcing a decisive move away from paper and informal storage toward standardized, agency-wide practices.
Design Approach
Turning Policy and Compliance into Usable, Human-Centered Systems
My role focused on translating complex federal records requirements into workflows that AORs and CORs could realistically follow. I led and co-led discovery with missions to understand how paper files were actually created, maintained, and used, and where compliance and usability broke down. Using service design methods, I helped shape end-to-end workflows for award file creation, maintenance, and close-out. This included defining standardized folder structures, metadata, and naming conventions, and clear user journeys that aligned with real work rather than abstract policy. Equally important was enablement. I co-created training materials, coaching approaches, and practical guidance that made ASIST usable, not just mandatory. The goal was behavior change at scale: helping people understand not only what to do, but why it mattered for audits, continuity, and decision-making.
Implementation at Scale
Landing a Digital-First Operating Model Across 100+ Missions
ASIST was rolled out globally with automated folder creation, and notifications triggered when AORs and CORs were designated in USAID’s procurement system. This reduced manual setup and reinforced consistent practices from day one. As the system became embedded, day-to-day work changed. Records could be accessed securely from anywhere, audits could be conducted remotely, and central oversight teams no longer depended on physical file retrieval. Paper storage rooms and ad-hoc filing practices gradually disappeared. Crucially, ASIST was not implemented as a standalone IT system. It was integrated into governance, training requirements, and authorization to perform award administration, making digital recordkeeping part of how work was done, not an optional add-on.
Impact
Paper Reduction, Audit Readiness, and Digital Governance at Scale
The ASIST transformation contributed to USAID’s shift toward a majority-digital records profile, with roughly two-thirds of agency records fully digital by 2022. Missions reduced reliance on physical storage, improved document retrieval times, and strengthened audit readiness across portfolios. By standardizing workflows and enforcing a single system of record, USAID reduced compliance risk, improved consistency in AOR/COR files, and aligned operations with federal electronic records mandates—while freeing up physical space and staff time previously tied to paper.
~65%
Digital Records Adoption
By 2022, approximately two-thirds of USAID records were fully digital, reflecting a decisive shift away from paper-based filing.
100+
Global Missions Enabled
ASIST supported standardized, compliant recordkeeping across more than 100 missions worldwide.
40%
Time Returned to Core Work
By eliminating manual file searches and physical retrieval.
$5M
Paper & Storage Cost Avoidance
By moving award files to a digital-only model, USAID avoided millions of dollars cost wise.
// Pictures are for two different award days, USAID global hierarchy chart. //
Reflection
This project was as much about people and culture as it was about systems and policy. I worked across multiple countries and missions, meeting teams where paper-based workarounds had evolved out of necessity, not resistance. Every location had its own constraints connectivity, staffing models, risk tolerance, local habits and ASIST only worked when those realities were acknowledged and designed for. I spent significant time traveling, listening, running trainings, adjusting workflows, and co-creating practical tweaks that respected both federal compliance and human behavior. That meant aligning legal requirements, technology limitations, and cultural differences often mediating between policy owners, IT teams, auditors, and frontline staff. Designing compliance, in this context, meant making the right thing also the easy thing. Seeing missions successfully adopt a digital-first way of working and ultimately being recognized with an award for the impact of this work made the complexity worthwhile. It reinforced my belief that large-scale digital transformation succeeds when service design bridges governance, trust, and real work on the ground.
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