Haldimand County: Business Process Optimization

PROJECT: BUSINESS PROCESS OPTIMIZATION

DESCRIPTION

Funded by the provincial Municipal Modernization program, the County was looking to review a series of business processes and to train their staff on conducting similar exercises in future.

OUTCOME

We worked with the County team to identify, prioritize and select 15 candidate processes and services for business process optimization. We trained County staff on our methodology by leading 5 BPO review processes, mentoring County staff through the next 5 processes and supporting and advising on the final 5 processes.

For each of the 15 BPO candidates we ran online working sessions to capture as-is business processes, to identify process improvements and to design new to-be processes. The output was a BPO package that presents a recommended to-be process, actions (and budgets) required to implement the improved process, and a cost-benefits assessment that identifies the return on investment. In this case, of the 15 processes reviewed, 8 emerged as high potential candidates with clear ROI, and with a collected benefit of over $700,000 in annual savings.

PROJECT DATA

Budget: $45k
Timeline: 4 months
Year: 2020

Waterloo Region: Development Tracking Systems Review

PROJECT: DEVELOPMENT TRACKING SYSTEMS REVIEW

DESCRIPTION

The Region operated various databases and systems to track and manage development approvals. This piecemeal approach resulted in an incomplete view of the development process. Under pressure to speed the approvals process - the Region was looking to evaluate its options and determine a path forward.

The Region wanted to know whether to enhance one of the existing systems, whether to build a new system or whether to go to market to purchase a commercial product.

OUTCOME

Our team worked with Regional staff to assess the existing solutions in use and their suitability for future development.

We conducted discovery sessions and workshops to identify business requirements.

We conducted a market scan, talking to vendors and municipalities that have recently implemented development tracking systems - to assess whether the Region's requirements could be met.

Finally, we developed recommendations on the best approach, and provided budget and staffing estimates to implement and sustain the new development tracking system.

PROJECT DATA

Budget: $45k
Timeline: 4 months
Year: 2020

Halton Hills - Website RFP

PROJECT: WEBSITE RFP

DESCRIPTION

We worked with the Town of Halton Hills to develop a Corporate IT Strategy. One of the key projects identified was a need to replace the Town's website, while introducing a range of new online services. Town leadership saw the importance of the project, but didn't have the resources available to get the project moving in the short-term.

OUTCOME

We worked with internal stakeholders to prepare business requirements and build an RFP document for the new website and online services. We worked with the Town's purchasing team to facilitate the running of the RFP, to review responses, shortlist and conduct interviews - with key stakeholders involved throughout. Once a selection was made, we handed over the Town's project team and selected vendor to implement.

PROJECT DATA

Timeline: 3 months
Budget: 20k

Richmond Hill - GIS Strategy

PROJECT: GIS STRATEGY

DESCRIPTION

Having worked with the Town previously on a corporate IT Strategy, we were asked to help with a GIS Review and Strategy. Like many organizations, GIS units had grown in Engineering, Planning and in IT, with other GIS staff sprinkled throughout the organization.

GIS was being integrated into the Town's core systems - Work Management, CRM, Permitting, Licensing and Land and the Town's dependence on GIS systems and GIS data was ever-growing.

Work practices and coordination had not kept up, and this was hindering

OUTCOME

Through an extremely collaborative process, involving all players in the GIS we developed a strategy that recommended a series of changes.

This included the creation of a centralized GIS unit, the establishment of a GIS leadership position, a redefinition of all GIS roles and responsibilities with new job descriptions, a new governance model to ensure expected service levels to all areas of the business could continue to be met and a series of projects to standardize and improve datasets of high importance to the organization.

PROJECT DATA

Budget: 75k
Timeline: 6 months
Participants in Strategy Development: 30+

City of Vaughan: Digital Strategy

PROJECT: DIGITAL STRATEGY

Building executive engagement, support and funding for an ambitious digital strategy

DESCRIPTION

Having previously worked successfully with the City on its IT Strategy in 2014, and based on our extensive experience in eGovernance and Digital planning we were invited to assist in the development of the City’s Digital Strategy in 2017. We worked closely with the Office of the CIO and with the Senior Management Team to co-develop a digital strategy with extensive input from across the organization, and from vendors and partners. The strategy focused on 4 central pillars, tie-ing together a range of diverse strategies, including the IT, GIS and data management strategies. The digital strategy has become the overarching strategy that is guiding all technology initiatives across the organization.

OUTCOME

Exceptional level of engagement, support and commitment from the City’s Senior Management Team and the City Manager’s Office to digital initiatives, resulting in investments in Digital in the 2018 budget.

The Digital Strategy 2.0 is available at the City of Vaughan’s website -  http://www.vaughan.ca/cityhall/departments/ocio/Pages/Digital-Strategy.aspx

PROJECT DATA

Pop: 300,000
IT Department: 40
Project: Digital Strategy
Budget: $40k
Timeline: 9 Months (City’s Timeline)
2017

Grey County: Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan

DESCRIPTION

Grey County engaged Perry Group to develop an organization-wide business risk assessment and impact assessment to guide recommendations for a disaster recovery plan. A precise evaluation of the services each department delivers with a qualitative and a quantitative assessment of the potential impact of losing those services is unlike many other disaster recovery assessments that focus on technology.

Town of Whitby: Corporate IT Strategic Plan

PROJECT: Corporate IT STRATEGIC PLAN

Revitalizing it in response to the  cao’s challenge to become more digital and customer centric.

DESCRIPTION

A new CAO joined the Town with a vision for digitizing the customer experience, and a new IT Manager in an organization that had historically treated IT as a back office function. This project focused upon educating senior management upon the importance of technology, establishing the right conditions for the Town to become more tech savvy and establish the foundations to realize the CAO’s vision. Our assessments identified key challenges in the infrastructure area which needed to be rapidly addressed, and a need to replace a number of aging business systems, including the core ERP system. We provided a project plan to assist them in staying focused on the priorities while not getting distracted with new opportunities.

OUTCOME

The creation of a CAO chaired ‘Technology Transformation Team’, a governance body to oversee the modernization of the technology environment was a central recommendation helping the Town focus on the key issues. Recommendations to invest in a new ERP, re-organize and revitalize the IT Department with the addition of a number of new supervisory and business analyst positions were also included in the strategy.

PROJECT DATA

Pop: 130,000 growing to 200,000 in the next 10 years
IT Department: 15
Project: Corporate IT Strategic Plan
Budget: $50k
Timeline: 6 months
2017

City of Burlington: CMMS Review

Project: CMMS SYSTEM REVIEW

Building and negotiating consensus on the strategic path forward with corporate maintenance management systems description

The City had implemented a Maintenance Management system (MMS) 8 years earlier, but the system had not met expectations, implementation was incomplete and overall satisfaction with the solution was low. We conducted a review of all of the City’s current multiple work and maintenance management systems (linear, facilities, and fleet) and supporting business processes. We analyzed the current situation and identified shortcomings and opportunities. We facilitated a market scan and an environmental scan of other municipal MMS implementations - identifying lessons learned. We incorporated findings and research into a recommended strategy, that clearly identified the way forward, resource and budget requirements.

OUTCOME

A clear direction on the MMS was set and approved by the IT Governance Committee, budgets and resource requirements were provided to support the budget process

PROJECT DATA

Pop: 180,000
IT Department: 35
Projects: IT Strategy, eGovernment Strategy
Timeline: 6 months
2017

City of Guelph: BRM Program

Project: BRM PROGRAM

Improved business partnership through a focus on business relationship management

DESCRIPTION

We worked with the City's GM of Innovation and Technology to help reorganize the IT department to establish clear lines of accountability, and create leadership around digital, data analytics disciplines. One key area of focus was the creation of a Relationship Management function within the IT department, designed to build stronger relationships with business units.

OUTCOME

The Business Relationship function has had a major impact upon the ability of the IT organization to truly partner with business units, ensuring that IT is actively involved in business led technology initiatives.

PROJECT DATA

Pop: 125,000
IT Department: 32
Budget: $20k
Timeline: 2 months
2016

City of Burlington: IT Strategy

PROJECT: IT STRATEGY

Taking a mature it organization to the next level

DESCRIPTION

We have worked with Burlington on a number of occasions over the last 10 years, developing previous IT Strategies and eGovernment plans. The City has a mature and well managed IT environment with stable and strong leadership. Nonetheless, an IT Strategy represents an opportunity to look closely at what improvements can be made. In this case, a number of areas emerged. One was a need to more effectively coordinate Information Management activities across the organization as a result of work in the Enterprise Content Management, Data Analytics, Business Intelligence domains. A second was a need for the IT team to increase its agility, by enabling and empowering tech savvy departmental staff to become increasingly self-sufficient.

OUTCOME

Strategy themes included building a corporate tech savvy culture, a revised IT governance model, a modernization of IT services, a re-organized IT team, an increased focus on Information Management, and a modernization of technology – including cloud strategy and mobility roadmap.

PROJECT DATA

Pop: 180,000
IT Department: 35
Projects: IT Strategy, eGovernment Strategy
Timeline: 6 months
2016

Hastings County: IT Review

PROJECT: IT REVIEW

DESCRIPTION

The CAO of the County felt that IT was underperforming and area municipalities were interested in exploring a shared service arrangement for IT. The County thus initiated an IT review and strategy. Upon our review It quickly became evident that the County’s technology infrastructure was not sufficiently robust to support its aspirations, its practices were not mature and the IT team was not set up to be successful. We recommended numerous changes to the situation, with the central recommendation being the creation of a new Director of IT position, as a member of the Senior Management Team who would lead the renewal of IT service delivery.

OUTCOME

The County hired an experienced IT Director to stabilize the IT environment and renew the core infrastructure. This has been achieved, and now the IT team is providing strategic value to the corporation, with IT at the table for key County decisions.

Project Data

Pop: 40,000
IT Department: 7
Budget: $50k
Timeline: 6 months
2016

Innisfil: IT Master Plan

PROJECT: IT MASTER PLAN

DESCRIPTION

The Town was growing rapidly with an innovative leadership team excited to use technology. Unfortunately, the IT team was strapped for resources with only 3 staff at the time. The question was, how can we move the technology agenda forward with so limited a staff base?

OUTCOME

We worked with IT and organizational leadership to increase the profile of IT within the Town (bolstered more recently by the Town winning a number of MISA Ontario awards). We recommended, and the Town followed through on growing the IT team with the addition of new resources, including GIS and Business Analyst staff. The Town also used third party vendors, service providers and contracting to augment their limited resource base. A growth in the IT funding operating and capital envelope was also secured and a governance model was established to ensure alignment of technology and business priorities. Major enhancements have been seen around IT customer service and project delivery, GIS and the mobilization of field staff.

PROJECT DATA

Pop: 30,000
IT Department: 3 staff
Project: IT Master Plan
Budget: $40k
Timeline: 5 months
Year: 2015