Digital Office with Innovative Transformations in Dordrecht (DOIT)

Dordrecht municipality has developed generally applicable software that offers: * strongly improved municipal services; * multichannel, multichannel post, web, telephone, mail; * better work manageability (higher transparency in employment opportunities, upward career mobility, lead times, service standards) * higher quality due to exchange of information; * online connection between municipality/relations; * continuous case information availability, i.e. status and file information. * phased rollout of innovative computerisation concept; * over 100 digitised processes; 100,000 > transactions * best practice permit processes method, but generically applicable; * applied in 3 regional municipalities of Drecht cities.

Policy Context

Other government, 65% electronic services, New Spatial Planning Act where digital zoning plans will serve as basis for accessibility, General Provisions for Environmental Law Act (an act in which interrelated case types are handled through 1 counter, 1 competent authority and 1 resolution and 1 objection and appeal procedure), Cornerstone IV in the Netherlands Coalition agreement (Balkenende administration) http://www.government.nl/policy/balkenende4/regeerakkoord/government_an…

Description of target users and groups

This method is used to serve all relations. The generic model, in particular, enables the municipality to handle the cases through this infrastructure. Over 50,000 transactions processed annually.

Description of the way to implement the initiative

- A money awareness process was initiated by the local government - Subsequently a multitude of interrelated projects were submitted to the same government - Followed by the formation of a multidisciplinary programme team headed by an Information Manager - A programme director was then appointed by the higher echelon - Support was created by a steering committee with directors, an e-parliament for line managers and user meetings with employees - An explicit manifestation of the urgency by the higher echelon and propagation of successes in a permanent message flow also formed part of the policy Multi-channel issues: The municipality operates through various channels. The Dordrecht e-government platform supports mail, web, physical counters as well as telephonic interaction.

Main results, benefits and impacts

- customer reactions (see annexes) - website visitors (see annex with hits) - other municipalities applying it as well - GFO case - EGEM leading-edge municipality jury report - January 2007 Keller report (annex) - SGB studies over previous years - Number of handled cases (over 7,000 between 1-6-2006 and early June 2007) Innovation: Organisation: A generic but flexible process and information architecture have been opted for (Front office – mid-office – back-office) and applied in over 100 processes (from extracts to tree felling permits and new address notification to financial aid for wheelchairs) to which all process owners can relate. The entire process is incorporated in one multidisciplinary team headed by the town clerk and programme manager. Process: Collaborative effort among line managers, political direction and a motivated team of professionals. Ultimately secured in the processes and through a central information management department. An in-house R&D team that also develops the software. Qualities that make it stand out as a unique and innovative municipality among other municipalities. Information management functions in other municipalities are generally organised in an ad hoc manner. Software is presently sold, in part, to CapGemini and constitutes the basis for the tender document of the nationwide GovUnited mid-office software. Technical aspect: A fully web-based and open source infrastructure, we can manage all formats and message services in terms of interoperability.

Return on investment

Return on investment: Not applicable / Not available

Track record of sharing

- EFQM Award 2005 - 2003 and 2006 Webwijzer award - 2006 Inaxis patent, learning circle practices - EGEM leader - 2005 NVVB annual prize (The Dutch Association for Civilian Affairs) - GovUnited tender document - GFO case 1.0 - E-municipality monitor: Papendrecht holds the # 8 spot in the national top 10 and # 1 spot in its own category - E-municipality monitor: Dordrecht holds the # 1 spot in all categories

Lessons learnt

1 – Working from the outside in, where customer’s need is given prime importance; do not allow yourself to be boxed in by existing theories about limitations in technique and organisation, think outside the box. So much more can be achieved than initially thought. 2 – Devise specific interventions that can be implemented through feasible procedures/decisions, manifest them (by "arguing", if need be), find the coalition and set the example (do) and then start the detailing process (implement). Here’s a good example: The region’s motto "all together or not at all" opened a can of worms of a discussion about the right software that lasted over a year. The Dordrecht programme manager simply went about performing an intervention with the Papendrecht city clerk and announced this at the city clerk’s meeting and simply set to accomplishing his goal in Papendrecht (against the established order). Shortly after, every Drecht city was in a rush to do the same, there are now 5 Drecht cities on-line" 3 – Leverage the power of marketing means (exploit the success, let external media run your story) and, internally, conduct yourself as enterpriser (with your own factsheets, programme logo, websites, customer testimonials, workshops and gadgets). Scope: Local (city or municipality), National, Regional (sub-national)