Riverside is the 59th most populous city in the United States and the 12th in California. As of the 2010 Census, Riverside had a population of 303,871. The city sought to leverage SharePoint technology to modernize their intranet, public website, and various business automation functions.

Challenge

In 2008, Riverside decided to explore the potential of SharePoint for several key IT projects. After validating our expertise, we were chosen to manage approximately six subprojects, aimed at enhancing community engagement and automating municipal services.

What We Did

  • Collaborative Team Integration: Joined forces with Riverside’s IT department, integrating deeply with their team and navigating the complexities of municipal project management.
  • Community Outreach Portal: Developed the “Riverside Renaissance” public site, a SharePoint-based content management system designed to inform residents about local projects and benefits. The site featured dynamic updates on project timelines, neighborhood activities, types of projects, and budget allocations.
  • Portal Migration: Transitioned a Visual Basic portal to SharePoint, including a full review of navigation, information architecture, user permissions, and document management policies.
  • Public Service Websites: Created and converted public-facing websites for the Fire and Police Departments into SharePoint CMS, enabling easier content management and updates by department staff.
  • Process Automation: Automated the Police Department’s training request system, streamlining approvals through an 8-level hierarchical workflow and providing email notifications upon approval or rejection.

The Result

The project was completed successfully on time and within budget, laying a robust SharePoint foundation for Riverside’s future growth. This foundation has not only streamlined operations but has also enhanced the city’s ability to communicate effectively with its citizens and improve community engagement.