Public retirement system boosts process maturity with ESM

Modus Create helped an award-winning public retirement system modernize internal operations across multiple departments by implementing and expanding Atlassian’s Jira Service Management (JSM). The result: greater transparency, faster response times, and standardized workflows that align with HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, and state government compliance requirements.

Our work involved

• Zendesk-to-JSM migration
• Cross-functional workflow design and optimization
• Process mapping, change management, and reporting enablement
• Multi-phase JSM expansion across IT, HR, Facilities, and Benefits Administration

Impact

Many public sector companies face significant challenges in their transformation efforts. Too often, they’re stuck with legacy systems that lead to inefficiencies and slow innovation, making it difficult to scale and meet regulatory demands.

However, progress is possible, as an award-winning public retirement system proves. Here’s their successful IT modernization story.

CHALLENGE

Outdated tools and fragmented workflows slowed process maturity

An award-winning public retirement system for municipal employees across one of the largest states in the US was operating with outdated tools and informal communication workflows. While effective at a small scale, their previous system—Zendesk, supplemented by emails and in-person communications—lacked the transparency, control, and auditability needed for a regulated institution.
As demands for compliance, cybersecurity, and board-level accountability increased, the company’s leadership sought to modernize its operations. The newly appointed CIO and CISO brought experience from larger enterprises, where structured service management was the norm. They aimed to bring that level of discipline and visibility to the public retirement system without overwhelming the lean internal team.

They needed a solution that would:

• Support ITIL-aligned practices across incident, change, and asset management
• Enable robust reporting to stakeholders and the board
• Replace ad-hoc communication with structured, scalable workflows
• Serve as a foundation for cross-departmental transformation

SOLUTION

Building a scalable service management framework with Jira Service Management

The public retirement system selected Modus Create following a competitive RFP process. Our approach stood out: no out-of-the-box implementation, no cookie-cutter templates, and a certified team of Atlassian experts with a proven track record of leading teams in transformation.

The company recognized that Modus would take the time to understand their unique environment and craft a solution tailored to their long-term success, one built for their people, processes, and regulatory realities.

Phase 1: Migrating from Zendesk to Jira Service Management

Focused on migrating the company’s IT department from Zendesk to JSM. We designed a fully customized portal and backend to support:

• Incident and service request management
• Change and asset management
• Role-based access and workflow routing
• Reporting aligned with board-level KPIs

Following the success of the IT rollout, the company expanded JSM to two additional departments.

Phase 2: Standardizing workflows across HR and facilities

Included HR & Facilities, where staffing changes and process fragmentation created urgent needs for workflow standardization and documentation.

Phase 3: Ensuring compliance and auditability in benefits administration

Focused on Benefits Administration, which manages sensitive retiree-related financial operations that require airtight audit trails and regulatory compliance.

In all 3 phases, Modus worked shoulder-to-shoulder with key company stakeholders to build workflows that mirrored their real-world processes while introducing scalable, repeatable improvements.

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DELIVERY

Driving change through cross-functional collaboration and process design

The public retirement system needed a partner who could help the team think strategically. Modus collaborated closely with the company’s internal staff, asking smart questions, mapping current state workflows, and proposing improvements grounded in industry best practices.

In addition to tool implementation, we helped facilitate the following initiatives:

• Conducted in-depth requirements gathering and documentation
• Trained staff on new systems and processes
• Guided change management and stakeholder alignment
• Ensured regulatory alignment for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), and state government compliance

After seeing the impact of our implementation, additional departments were eager to adopt JSM, reflecting the trust we built and the results we delivered.

IMPACT

Improving process maturity, visibility, and operational efficiency

The public retirement system has now fully transitioned three departments to JSM. The benefits go beyond tooling and include:

• Faster response times and clearer ownership across support functions
• Cross-departmental visibility and standardized processes
• Reliable, board-ready reporting with metrics tied to KPIs
• Audit-ready workflows that meet HIPAA and SOX requirements
• Improved employee satisfaction through streamlined portals and structured support

With Modus as a strategic partner, the company is moving confidently toward a future of greater transparency, accountability, and agility.

A foundation for scalable, compliant service management

By standardizing workflows and implementing Jira Service Management, the organization established a strong foundation for scalable and compliant service operations. Improved visibility, streamlined processes, and enhanced collaboration across teams now enable more efficient service delivery while supporting ongoing growth. This transformation not only increased process maturity but also positioned the organization to continuously adapt and evolve its service management capabilities.

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