AI Studio: Subcontractor Billing
Context
Subcontractor billing at GH is handled across regions using a mix of enterprise systems and manual tools. Workflows differ by role, client, and geography, and much of the process lives outside formal documentation. This work focused on making the current state visible and accurate.
What Was Unknown
There was no shared view of how subcontractor billing actually worked end to end. Teams validated the same data multiple times across systems, relied on spreadsheets to reconcile gaps, and adapted workflows as processes changed. These behaviors were understood anecdotally, not documented.
My Role
I co-researched this project with another researcher and worked across interviews, synthesis, and research documentation.
How the Research Was Done
Work started with a draft journey map to outline assumptions and open questions.
I co-conducted interviews with GH internal teams in the US and Lithuania, focusing on daily billing tasks, system use, handoffs, and error handling across PeopleSoft, Workday, ADP, Excel, and client trackers.
Each workflow was captured in detail before synthesis to avoid flattening role-specific differences.
Early, hypothesis-based journey map used to surface assumptions and guide interviews
How the Data Was Synthesized
Interview data was clustered using affinity mapping to compare workflows across roles and regions. This made it possible to see where steps repeated, where ownership broke down, and where system limitations forced manual work.
The journey map and supporting process flows were updated as patterns stabilized and as additional interviews were completed.
Role-specific workflows captured separately to preserve regional and functional differences
What the Research Showed
Billing work is driven by reconciliation rather than flow.
Teams:
Rely on spreadsheets and side trackers to validate system data
Repeat checks and corrections due to delayed or incomplete updates
Follow different workflows for the same billing tasks depending on region or client
Work without a single source of truth
Absorb frequent process changes that introduce new manual steps
These behaviors shape the real billing experience more than the systems themselves.
Affinity mapping used to compare workflows across roles, regions, and systems
Research Outputs
A validated journey map grounded in interview data
End-to-end process flows documenting actions, handoffs, and system touchpoints
Synthesized findings and research notes organized for reuse
All outputs reflect the current state only.
Why This Work Matters
This research replaced assumptions with documentation. It captured how subcontractor billing actually operates today and created a shared reference that did not exist before.
Validating the User Journey Map
Reflection
In complex operational spaces, clarity is the outcome. The value of this work came from slowing down synthesis, preserving variation, and resisting the urge to simplify workflows that are inherently messy.