Midlothian Council - Workflow Configuration

 
Midlothian Council decided they did not just want to implement a Document Management and Workflow system but wanted to improve how work was managed in the service.
 
The goal was not only to achieve significant improvements once the new system and procedures had bedded in, but also to increase the staff’s ability to identify measures which would further improve performance themselves. To accomplish this goal they needed consultants who were experts in Document Management and Workflow systems, Business Redesign and Performance Management.
 
With Nigel McAvoy and Duncan Baxter they found consultants with expertise in all these areas and a track record of success in applying their skills in the Local Government sector.
Key to the success of the project were the following elements:
  • Clear objectives for improvement were set at the beginning of the project
  • Before configuration started, Midlothian's processes, policies and structures were redesigned in order that they could take full advantage of the functionality of the new system
  • A proven, methodical approach was used to configure the system to support the the changes in processes, so it was right first time
  • The consultants and Midlothian staff worked as a joint team from the beginning to end, to ensure ‘ownership’ of the system and facilitate ‘knowledge transfer’
“Duncan and Nigel (now Directors at Destin Solutions) helped us get the system to do what we needed it to do. They helped focus the project on achieving improvements in performance rather than installing a new system.”
 
Scott Stewart
Midlothian Council