In our project, we tackled the complex challenge faced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with their Audit Data as a Service (ADaaS) platform, ATAS2. The initial on-premises hosting approach was proving to be expensive, inflexible, and a hindrance to integrating new digital platform data, including strategic reference architectures. This situation necessitated a transformation to a modern, flexible, and cost-effective solution to store and make audit data accessible for compliance and fraud detection purposes.
Our solution was to develop a cloud-based platform as a Proof of Concept (PoC) to support and enhance the ADaaS offering. This entailed migrating the ATAS2 solution to a cloud environment, enabling efficient data ingestion and improving accessibility for compliance teams. The development process was rooted in agile delivery management and DevOps techniques, ensuring close collaboration with DWP staff. This approach led to the creation of a cloud Most Viable Product (MVP) that significantly improved the storage and interrogation of audit data.
The transition to a cloud-based ADaaS solution marked a significant leap forward for DWP, effectively addressing the initial challenges related to cost, flexibility, and practicality. By leveraging cloud technology, agile methodologies, and DevOps practices, we established a robust, secure, and scalable audit data management platform. This transformation not only enhances DWP’s capability in fraud detection and compliance but also paves the way for future digital transformation initiatives within the organisation.
Key achievements of our project included:
- Gaining approval from the Design Authority for our cloud-based solution.
- Enabling a data platform that allowed ATAS2 customers to connect and send their encrypted audit data.
- Implementing essential security measures throughout the cloud-based solution, including proactive alerts and monitoring solutions.
- Extending the MVP functionality to wider customers within DWP.
- Facilitating knowledge sharing sessions with DWP staff for a thorough handover of the solution.
- Developing a Target Operating Model that included service operations and transition.
- Implementing release and change management for the AWS solution.
- Establishing sandbox or development environments for the engineering team to explore AWS and Azure cloud instances, aiding in planning migration activities from on-premises to the cloud.
Our work represents a digitally driven and socially empowered approach, laying the groundwork for DWP to effectively manage audit data and setting a precedent for digital innovation within the public sector.
