Role Based Access - Account Management & Session Control (ONB-SC03)

Scenario 1 – Multi-Role Access Management for Cross-Department Operations

Scenario Description

A utility employee with multiple departmental roles needs seamless access to different system modules based on their current operational context without compromising security or creating access conflicts.

Objective (Why)

• Business Goal: Optimize operational efficiency by allowing qualified employees to perform multiple functions while maintaining strict role-based security controls and audit compliance.
• Consumer Goal: Ensure uninterrupted service delivery through flexible workforce management that allows cross-trained staff to handle diverse customer needs.
• System Goal: Provide dynamic role switching capabilities that maintain data integrity and security while enabling multi-departmental access.

If Not Set – Business Impact

• Operational Inefficiency: Staff cannot respond to urgent cross-departmental requests, leading to delayed customer service and increased operational costs.
• Security Vulnerabilities: Without proper multi-role management, employees may be granted excessive permanent permissions, creating security risks and compliance violations.
• Customer Service Degradation: Unable to leverage cross-trained staff during peak periods or staff shortages, resulting in longer resolution times and decreased customer satisfaction.

Scenario Explanation - in short

Case Study: Sarah Martinez works as both a CSO Manager and Meter Manager at Pacific Water Utilities. During morning hours (8 AM - 12 PM), she handles customer service operations with full CIS access, managing consumer accounts, complaints, and service orders. In the afternoon (1 PM - 5 PM), she switches to her Meter Manager role, accessing meter data validation, device management, and reading supervision functions. When a critical meter reading discrepancy affects billing for 500+ customers, Sarah needs to access both roles simultaneously - using her CSO permissions to communicate with affected customers while using Meter Manager permissions to investigate and resolve the technical issue. The system must track her actions under the appropriate role context for audit purposes.

Does it fit in SMART360

Yes, it fits with enhancements needed

Based on the user story documentation, SMART360 currently supports role-based permissions but needs enhancement for multi-role management. Here's how it can be implemented:

Step-by-Step Implementation:

1. Enhanced User Profile Configuration

• Current: Single role assignment per user
• Enhanced: Multiple role assignments with time-based activation
• Fields: user_id, primary_role, secondary_roles[], active_role, role_switch_timestamp
• Sample Values:
  • user_id: "sarah.martinez@pacificwater.com"
  • primary_role: "CSO Manager"
  • secondary_roles: ["Meter Manager", "Billing Specialist"]
  • active_role: "CSO Manager"

2. Dynamic Permission Matrix

• Extend existing permission framework to support role context switching
• Add role_context field to all permission checks
• Sample configuration:
  • User: Sarah Martinez
  • Active Role: CSO Manager
  • Available Modules: CIS (Full), Communication Hub (Full), Reports (Full)
• Role Switch To: Meter Manager
• Available Modules: Meter Data (Full), Device Management (Full), Integration Hub (Full)

3. Role Switching Interface

• Add role selector dropdown in main navigation
• Current role indicator with visual distinction
• Role switch confirmation dialog with reason logging
• Landing page adaptation based on active role

4. Enhanced Audit Trail

• Extend existing audit logging to include role_context
• Track role switching events with business justification
• Sample audit entry:
  • timestamp: 2025-09-08 14:30:00
  • user_id: sarah.martinez
  • action: role_switch
  • from_role: CSO Manager
  • to_role: Meter Manager
  • reason: "Critical meter discrepancy investigation"
  • affected_customers: 500+

5. Session Management Enhancement

• Extend account management (AU01US03) to show active role in session details
• Role-specific session timeout policies
• Concurrent role session prevention

Scenario 2 - Emergency Response Multi-Role Coordination

Scenario Description

During utility emergencies, designated staff must temporarily access elevated permissions across multiple departments to coordinate response efforts while maintaining security and accountability.

Objective (Why)

• Business Goal: Enable rapid emergency response by allowing pre-authorized staff to access critical systems across departments during outages, leaks, or safety incidents without waiting for individual approvals.
• Consumer Goal: Ensure minimal service disruption and faster restoration times through coordinated emergency response that leverages cross-departmental expertise and resources.
• System Goal: Provide emergency access protocols that maintain audit compliance while enabling temporary elevated permissions for qualified emergency coordinators.

If Not Set - Business Impact

• Response Delays: Emergency coordinators cannot access necessary systems to dispatch field crews, update customers, or coordinate repairs, leading to extended outages and safety risks.
• Regulatory Non-Compliance: Inability to properly document emergency response activities across departments may violate utility commission reporting requirements and emergency preparedness regulations.
• Customer Safety Risks: Delayed access to critical systems during gas leaks or water contamination events could endanger public health and result in legal liability.

Scenario Explanation - in short

Case Study: During a major water main break affecting 2,500 customers in downtown Denver, Emergency Coordinator Mike Thompson needs immediate access to multiple systems. As an O&M Manager, he normally only accesses Service Orders and Asset Management. However, during this emergency, he needs CSO Manager permissions to send mass notifications to affected customers, Meter Manager access to isolate meter readings in the affected zone, and Billing Manager permissions to process service credits for extended outages. The system activates his emergency role profile at 3:47 AM, providing temporary elevated access for 24 hours. All actions are logged under emergency protocol AU-EMRG-2025-003 for regulatory reporting. Mike coordinates with field crews through Service Orders, notifies 2,500 customers via Communication Hub, isolates 847 meters in the affected zone, and pre-approves service credits totaling $12,400 for customers experiencing over 8 hours without service.

Does it fit in SMART360

Yes, it fits with emergency protocol enhancements needed.

SMART360's existing role-based permission system can be extended to support emergency response scenarios through the following implementation:

Step-by-Step Implementation:

1. Emergency Role Profile Configuration

• Extend user management to include emergency_roles alongside standard roles
• Create emergency permission templates that combine multiple department access
• Fields: user_id, emergency_role_id, activation_authority, max_duration, auto_expire
• Sample Values: user_id: mike.thompson@denverwater.com emergency_role_id: WATER_EMERGENCY_COORDINATOR standard_role: O&M Manager
  emergency_permissions: [CSO_Manager_Communications, Meter_Manager_Isolation, Billing_Manager_Credits] activation_authority: Utility Administrator or System Emergency Protocol max_duration: 24 hours auto_expire: true

2. Emergency Activation Interface

• Add emergency access request button in user dashboard
• Emergency situation selection dropdown (Water Main Break, Gas Leak, Power Outage, etc.)
• Automatic notification to Utility Administrator
• Emergency incident number generation for tracking
• Sample activation flow: Emergency Type: Water Main Break Estimated Duration: 12 hours Affected Customers: 2,500 Authorization: AUTO-APPROVED (Water Emergency Protocol) Incident ID: AU-EMRG-2025-003

3. Enhanced Permission Matrix for Emergency Roles

• Create emergency role templates combining multiple standard roles
• Time-based permission activation with automatic expiration
• Emergency audit category for all actions
• Sample emergency role configuration: WATER_EMERGENCY_COORDINATOR includes:
  • Service Order Management: Full Access
  • Communication Hub: Mass notification rights
  • CIS Consumer Accounts: Read-only for affected area
  • Meter Data: Zone isolation capabilities
  • Billing: Service credit authorization up to $25,000

4. Emergency Audit and Compliance

• Separate audit trail category for emergency actions
• Automatic regulatory report generation
• Emergency action summary with customer impact metrics
• Sample audit entry: timestamp: 2025-09-08 03:47:00 user_id: mike.thompson emergency_role: WATER_EMERGENCY_COORDINATOR incident_id: AU-EMRG-2025-003 action: mass_customer_notification affected_count: 2,500 message_type: service_interruption regulatory_category: emergency_communications

5. Automatic Role Expiration and Cleanup

• Scheduled job to expire emergency roles after maximum duration
• Automatic notification before role expiration
• Emergency extension approval workflow if needed
• Post-emergency access review and documentation

Required System Modifications:

1. User Management: Add emergency role templates and activation workflows
2. Permission Engine: Implement time-based permission elevation
3. Audit System: Emergency-specific logging and regulatory reporting
4. Notification System: Emergency activation alerts and expiration warnings
5. Business Rules: Emergency authorization logic and automatic cleanup

Scenario 3 - Seasonal Role Adaptation for Billing Cycles

Scenario Description

Utility staff require temporary role modifications during peak seasonal operations like winter heating bills or summer irrigation billing to handle increased workload and specialized tasks.

Objective (Why)

• Business Goal: Optimize workforce efficiency during seasonal peaks by temporarily expanding staff capabilities without permanently altering role structures or creating security vulnerabilities.
• Consumer Goal: Maintain consistent service quality during high-demand periods when billing volumes increase and customer inquiries spike due to seasonal usage patterns.
• System Goal: Provide flexible role enhancement that adapts to cyclical business needs while preserving core role-based security and maintaining proper audit trails.

If Not Set - Business Impact

• Service Level Degradation: Inability to handle seasonal spikes leads to delayed bill generation, longer customer wait times, and increased complaint volumes during critical revenue collection periods.
• Revenue Impact: Processing delays for high-value seasonal bills (heating, irrigation) can defer revenue recognition and impact cash flow, with average delays costing $50,000+ per week in deferred collections.
• Regulatory Penalties: Failure to meet seasonal billing deadlines mandated by utility commissions can result in fines and required process improvement plans.

Scenario Explanation - in short

Case Study: At Mountain Gas Utility, Customer Executive Lisa Chen normally handles consumer accounts and complaints year-round. However, during winter heating season (November-March), she needs additional Billing Specialist permissions to process high-value heating bills and Meter Reading Supervisor access to validate unusual consumption readings that trigger customer disputes. Lisa's seasonal role expansion activates automatically on November 1st, adding permissions to access Bill Generation for accounts over $500, Meter Validation for readings exceeding 150% of historical average, and Advanced Analytics to identify billing anomalies. During February 2025, Lisa processes 340 high-value heating bills averaging $847 each, validates 89 unusual meter readings preventing $23,400 in billing disputes, and identifies 12 meter malfunctions before they impact customer bills. Her expanded permissions automatically revert on March 31st, with all seasonal activities documented for performance review and process improvement.

Does it fit in SMART360

Yes, it fits with seasonal role management enhancements needed.

SMART360's role-based permission system can be enhanced to support seasonal operations through the following implementation:

Step-by-Step Implementation:

1. Seasonal Role Template Configuration

• Extend role management to include seasonal_role_templates
• Create date-based activation and expiration rules
• Link seasonal roles to business calendar events
• Fields: base_role, seasonal_template_id, activation_date, expiration_date, enhanced_permissions
• Sample Values: base_role: Customer Executive seasonal_template_id: WINTER_HEATING_ENHANCED activation_date: November 1 expiration_date: March 31 enhanced_permissions: [Billing_Specialist_High_Value, Meter_Validation_Anomalies, Analytics_Seasonal_Trends] auto_activate: true notification_advance: 7 days

2. Business Calendar Integration

• Create seasonal business periods in system configuration
• Map seasonal role templates to calendar events
• Automatic activation scheduling with advance notifications
• Sample calendar configuration: Season: Winter Heating Period Start Date: November 1, 2025 End Date: March 31, 2026 Affected Roles: [Customer Executive, Call Center Representative, Recovery Executive] Enhanced Capabilities: High-value bill processing, consumption anomaly validation, seasonal analytics access Expected Volume Increase: 300% in billing inquiries, 150% in meter reading disputes

3. Enhanced Permission Matrix with Seasonal Overlays

• Extend existing permission framework with seasonal modifiers
• Create permission inheritance rules for temporary access
• Implement usage limits and thresholds for enhanced permissions
• Sample seasonal permission configuration: Base Role: Customer Executive (Year-round)
  • CIS Consumer Accounts: Full Access
  • CIS Complaints: Full Access
  • Billing Bill Master: Read-Only
  Seasonal Enhancement: Winter Heating (Nov 1 - Mar 31)
  • Billing Bill Generation: Limited Access (accounts >$500)
  • Meter Data Validation: Limited Access (readings >150% historical average)
  • Reports Analytics: Seasonal Access (heating-related reports only)
  • Daily Limits: 50 high-value bills, 25 meter validations

4. Seasonal Activity Tracking and Analytics

• Track enhanced permission usage during seasonal periods
• Generate seasonal performance reports
• Compare year-over-year seasonal metrics
• Sample tracking data: user_id: lisa.chen seasonal_period: Winter 2025 enhanced_permissions_used: Billing_Specialist_High_Value actions_count: 340 bills processed average_bill_value: $847 disputes_prevented: 89 cases estimated_savings: $23,400 performance_rating: Exceeds seasonal targets

5. Automatic Role Reversion and Cleanup

• Scheduled job to remove seasonal permissions on expiration dates
• Grace period for completing in-progress seasonal tasks
• Post-seasonal performance review and documentation
• Sample reversion process: reversion_date: March 31, 2025 11:59 PM grace_period: 48 hours for completing active cases notification_schedule: 30 days, 7 days, 24 hours before reversion performance_summary: Auto-generated for management review next_activation: November 1, 2025 (if role template renewed)

Required System Modifications:

1. Role Management: Add seasonal template functionality and calendar integration
2. Permission Engine: Implement date-based permission overlays and usage limits
3. Scheduling System: Automated activation/expiration with notification workflows
4. Analytics Dashboard: Seasonal performance tracking and year-over-year comparisons
5. Business Rules: Seasonal permission logic and automatic cleanup processes

Scenario 4 - Vendor Partner Access with Time-Limited Permissions

Scenario Description

External vendor partners require temporary, project-specific access to SMART360 modules while maintaining strict security boundaries and ensuring access automatically expires upon project completion.

Objective (Why)

• Business Goal: Enable efficient collaboration with external partners for specific projects like meter installations or system upgrades while maintaining strict security controls and minimizing long-term access risks.
• Consumer Goal: Ensure service quality during vendor-assisted projects through proper coordination and information sharing, while protecting customer data privacy and maintaining service continuity.
• System Goal: Provide secure, time-limited access framework for external partners that maintains audit compliance and automatically revokes access when projects end.

If Not Set - Business Impact

• Project Delays: Vendors cannot access necessary information to complete installations or maintenance, causing project delays averaging 3-5 days per incident and increasing customer dissatisfaction.
• Security Vulnerabilities: Manual vendor access management creates risks of forgotten active accounts, excessive permissions, and potential data breaches from unrestricted external access.
• Compliance Violations: Improper vendor access controls may violate data protection regulations and utility commission requirements, risking regulatory penalties and audit findings.

Scenario Explanation - in short

Case Study: TechFlow Solutions is contracted to install 500 smart meters for Central Valley Electric over 60 days. Vendor Project Manager David Kim needs limited access to specific SMART360 modules to coordinate installations. His temporary account includes Asset Management read-only access to view installation locations, Service Order limited access to update installation status, and Communication Hub restricted access to notify customers about scheduled appointments. David's access is limited to the 500 meters in Project CVE-2025-SM500, with automatic expiration on project completion date of October 15, 2025. During the project, David updates installation status for 487 completed meters, schedules 156 customer appointments, and identifies 13 location discrepancies that prevent installation delays. His account automatically expires on October 16, 2025, with all project activities documented in compliance report CVE-VND-2025-TF001 for audit purposes.

Does it fit in SMART360

Partially fits - requires significant vendor access management enhancements.

The current SMART360 system supports the Printing Vendor role but needs expansion for comprehensive vendor partner management. Here's how it can be enhanced:

Step-by-Step Implementation:

1. Vendor Partner Role Framework

• Extend user management to include vendor_partner_roles separate from internal roles
• Create project-based access templates with built-in expiration
• Implement sponsor approval workflow for vendor access requests
• Fields: vendor_company, project_id, sponsor_user, access_template, expiration_date, data_restrictions
• Sample Values: vendor_company: TechFlow Solutions project_id: CVE-2025-SM500 project_name: Smart Meter Installation Phase 1 sponsor_user: mike.rodriguez@centralvalley.com (O&M Manager) access_template: METER_INSTALLATION_VENDOR start_date: August 15, 2025 expiration_date: October 15, 2025 auto_extend: false data_scope: 500 designated meter locations only

2. Project-Based Permission Templates

• Create vendor access templates tied to project types
• Implement data filtering based on project scope
• Add usage monitoring and threshold alerts
• Sample vendor template configuration: Template: METER_INSTALLATION_VENDOR Permitted Modules:
  • Asset Management: Read-only (project assets only)
  • Service Order: Limited write (installation status updates only)
  • Communication Hub: Restricted (customer appointment scheduling only)
  • CIS Consumer Accounts: Read-only (contact info for assigned meters only)
  Data Restrictions:
  • Geographic filter: Project boundary coordinates
  • Asset filter: Project asset IDs only
  • Customer data: Contact information only, no financial data
  • Time restriction: Business hours only (8 AM - 6 PM)

3. Sponsor Approval and Oversight System

• Internal sponsor required for all vendor access requests
• Sponsor notifications for vendor activity and approaching expiration
• Override capabilities for project extensions or emergency access
• Sample sponsor workflow: Access Request: David Kim, TechFlow Solutions Requested Access: Meter Installation Template
  Project: CVE-2025-SM500 Sponsor: Mike Rodriguez (O&M Manager) Approval Status: Auto-approved (pre-authorized project) Sponsor Notifications: Weekly activity summary, 7-day expiration warning Emergency Contact: 24/7 sponsor override for urgent project needs

4. Enhanced Audit and Compliance for Vendor Access

• Separate audit categories for vendor activities
• Real-time monitoring of vendor data access patterns
• Automatic compliance reporting for vendor management
• Sample vendor audit trail: timestamp: 2025-09-15 10:30:00 user_id: david.kim@techflow.com user_type: vendor_partner project_id: CVE-2025-SM500 sponsor_id: mike.rodriguez action: service_order_update asset_id: MTR-45789 customer_impact: Installation completed, service activated data_accessed: meter_location, customer_contact_info compliance_category: vendor_project_activity

5. Automatic Expiration and Project Completion

• Automated access revocation on project end dates
• Project completion triggers for early access termination
• Vendor offboarding workflow with data return confirmation
• Sample expiration process: project_completion_date: October 15, 2025 access_expiration: October 16, 2025 12:00 AM advance_notifications: 30, 14, 7, 1 days before expiration final_report: Auto-generated vendor activity summary data_return_confirmation: Required from vendor before final deactivation sponsor_signoff: Required for project completion and access termination

Required System Modifications:

1. User Management: Add vendor partner account types and project-based provisioning
2. Permission Engine: Implement project-scoped data filtering and access controls
3. Project Integration: Link vendor access to project management workflows
4. Audit System: Enhanced logging specifically for vendor partner activities
5. Notification System: Sponsor oversight and expiration management workflows