Challenge
Like many government organizations, the City of Charlotte relied on manual processes that were inefficient, sometimes ad hoc and prone to error. When the city needed to find a new solution for its helpdesk system, planners saw an opportunity for efficiency organization-wide. But they would have to act fast — the new system needed to be up and running in just a couple months — and they would have to find something that worked well with the city’s large SharePoint investments.
Solution
Charlotte’s K2-based helpdesk system was built and implemented by 5th Method in less than 90 days. All processes — application submission, communications, hiring and onboarding — are automated, paperless and easy to use. The solution works across multiple line-of-business systems, content management systems and record centers. SharePoint, which Charlotte employees were already familiar with, acts as a foundation for the entire system. Documents and information are stored here, and tasks are accessed and completed here. Built-in notifications and escalations, handled by the K2 workflow engine, keep the processes moving; rules and policies prevent errors; and K2 visibility and reporting capabilities give Charlotte meaningful information that can lead to better decision-making or allow business consultants to identify process weaknesses. K2 offers multiple designers with simple interfaces, so applications can be created and changed by non-developers — without writing code. This ensures processes suit the organization’s needs perfectly; and it is important for the City of Charlotte, whose IT resources are often limited.
Results
With the success of this project, 5th Method was tapped to build out a vehicle requisition process, which works across many domains — police, administration, aviation, utilities and more — and other applications. Support and training In addition to these solutions, Charlotte engaged 5th Method for training and support. According to Drury and Hawkins, those services have been invaluable.
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