Challenge

Following an analysis conducted by Gentofte Municipality, five strategic disciplines were identified as drivers to improve the municipality's efficiency. At the same time, the municipality had two ageing systems: An intranet and an ESDH system (Capital/ScanJour).

Therefore, the municipality chose to put the two solutions up for tender in a combined tender given that the conclusion in the municipality's analysis was as follows:

"There is still a need to have a platform that supports intranet and ESDH functionality - but there is also a need to redefine the terms and create a coherent platform that can integrate intranet and ESDH functionality and support collaboration between all employees in the entire municipality."

The goal with the new solution was thus to free up and consequently make use of the large volume of knowledge and experience the employees have with the purpose of creating better work processes and collaboration.

Solution

Through an agile implementation process split between three sub-deliverables, Netcompany has established the new cooperation platform together with Gentofte Municipality.


The platform is built on three cornerstones:

• An intranet that ensures ongoing communication and information to the employees.
  
  
• ESDH with Netcompany's standard case platform, GetOrganized, which contains the formal journalising, access to documents and archiving requirements for reference cases, geo cases (cases that are localized with the municipality's GIS system) as well as citizen cases. The solution supports the political case and selection process with agenda production and minutes of meetings and, with integration to eDagsorden (eAgenda), politicians can get access to published agendas and associated appendices. The solution integrates with KOMBIT's service platform in regard to CVR and CPR data, digital mail as well as remote printing.
  
  
• A collaboration room, also based on GetOrganized, which, through collaboration elements such as discussion forums and social technologies, facilitates dynamic teams that need to coordinate work and initiatives across administrations, time and place. The platform's foundation, on Microsoft technology, creates a transversal synergy effect where seamless integration between the cooperation platform, the Skype for Business and Office package, enables the employees to cooperate on cases and documents in both real time and asynchronously. 

In extension of awarding this contract, Gentofte Municipality chose to also award the task as operations supplier to Netcompany. Thus, in addition to being responsible for the establishment of the solution, Netcompany also attends to the daily operations.

The platform is geared for the expansion of other system and process areas through the GetOrganized "app builder", which can be continuously consolidated on the platform. In this way, Gentofte Municipality is equipped to meet the needs of the future for effective management and to support working procedures.

Result

The solution has created a new virtual workplace where, on one and the same platform, there is easy access to colleagues and the municipality's knowledge as well as cases that play a direct part in the municipality's daily operation and citizen service. The solution has proved popular and easy to become familiar with for the individual employee.

The solution has proved so popular that it was a self-starter. Jeppe Bøgh Andersen, director of Economy, Citizen Service, HR, Business Development and IT says:

"The learning agents have created a cooperation room themselves where they have gathered knowledge about the new system. Here, they have used the discussion forum intensively to clarify possibilities and questions, which now means that questions and answers are documented so the other learning agents and the rest of the municipality can benefit from them."

With the platform, each employee has been given a personal page in which activities, personal documents and a visualisation of the municipality's organisation and location of employees are accessible.

Gentofte Municipality has gained more than a new IT system. They have gained a platform that can be easily expanded with new areas and journal systems.

For example, the municipality implemented a new politician solution on the platform in a few weeks upon request from the Mayor. This followed from a decision about the implementation of a task committee according to the Danish Municipal Administration Act, Section 17 (4). 
Gentofte Municipality itself was responsible for the implementation by using the platform's function elements, assembled for the specific purpose.

Gentofte Municipality regularly considers which emerging management needs or consolidation initiatives the platform can help assist.

For instance, the municipality is already busy expanding the platform with a Business Intelligence centre in which business information can be displayed and further developed by managers and other stakeholders.

In the pipeline there is already a use of the platform for:

• Contract management
• Institution areas
• Process support of, e.g. mayorial letters
• ITSM system

On the whole, Gentofte Municipality has gained a modern IT platform which supports the municipality's breadth in one overall system.