Challenge
A major city department responsible for building and safety processed over 35,000 construction plan submittals annually, including building, electrical, mechanical, grading, solar, and zoning plans. The department’s modification request process was paper-based, requiring customers to email PDFs that staff manually entered into the permitting system.
This manual workflow was inefficient, error-prone, and time-consuming. The department needed a secure, web-based solution that allowed customers to submit modification requests electronically, select pre-filled forms, route submissions to the appropriate reviewers, and track status updates, all while integrating with payment and document archive systems.
Solution
A custom web-based interface was developed using MVC C# .NET programming, SQL Server, and MongoDB databases. The solution integrated with Okta for authentication, the city’s online payment gateway, and existing document management systems.
A team of senior developers, business analysts, testers, and a project manager collaborated with department subject matter experts to design, build, and deploy the system. The project included a flexible workflow engine for routing requests, concurrent multi-department approvals, automated notifications via email and SMS, and pre-filled forms drawn from the Land Management system. Staff were trained and provided with comprehensive documentation, and the solution underwent rigorous testing before go-live.
Services Delivered
- Custom web-based interface development (MVC C# .NET)
- SQL Server and MongoDB database integration
- Okta authentication integration
- Payment gateway and document archive integration
- Workflow engine design and implementation
- Business analysis, testing, and project management
- Staff training and final project documentation
- Automated notifications via email and SMS
Benefit
The solution streamlined the modification request process, significantly reducing manual data entry and errors while improving processing speed. Customers gained visibility into the status of their requests and received timely notifications of approvals, denials, or required resubmissions.
The department also benefited from a flexible workflow engine supporting concurrent approvals and integration with existing systems, increasing operational efficiency and ensuring consistent, reliable handling of modification requests. The project was completed on schedule and within budget, meeting all technical and business requirements.
