SITUATION:
The client, one of the largest tribunals in Albania, relied on an internal database for their daily operations within a typical bureaucratic government framework. The Public Relations office was burdened with the task of manually managing appointments and disseminating public information, resulting in the laborious daily display of Excel sheets printed on A4 paper at the institution’s entrance. This process was not only inefficient but also prone to errors and inconsistencies, complicating access to court dates and related information for the public.
GOAL:
The project aimed to digitize the publication process, decentralize decision-making, and significantly reduce the reliance on paper-based methods.
RESEARCH:
A comprehensive research phase was undertaken to inform the project, including:
- Analysis of the current situation and evaluation of existing assets.
- Interviews with key stakeholders, including shareholders, stakeholders, past and present users.
- Development of Personas and Journey Maps to better understand user interactions.
- Engagement through direct and indirect interviews, observations, and the distribution of questionnaires and surveys.
- Utilization of Card Sorting techniques to identify and prioritize user needs.
This research phase led to a reorganization of the information architecture of the existing database to meet both internal and public user requirements more effectively.
PRE-DESIGN:
The project then progressed to the pre-design phase, which included:
- Ideation sessions to generate innovative solutions.
- Paper prototyping and usability testing to refine user journeys.
- Presentation of research findings to stakeholders for validation.
- Feedback collection and subsequent reevaluation to ensure alignment with project goals.
- Consolidation of the proposed structure and formal introduction to the design team.
.NET DEVELOPMENT INTEGRATION:
Transitioning to the development phase, we leveraged the .NET framework to transform the internal database into a public-facing service. This included:
- Development of a .NET Web API: Creating a secure, scalable web API using .NET Core to serve as the backend, facilitating real-time data access and manipulation.
- Entity Framework for Database Management: Implementing Entity Framework for efficient database operations, ensuring seamless interaction between the .NET backend and the SQL database.
- Security and Authentication: Integrating robust authentication mechanisms to protect sensitive data and ensure that only authorized users could access certain database functionalities.
- Front-End Development: Developing a responsive, user-friendly front-end using ASP.NET, offering intuitive access to information for the public and internal users alike.
- Cloud Deployment: Hosting the solution on a cloud platform to enhance scalability, reliability, and accessibility, ensuring the tribunal’s services were available to the public anytime, anywhere.
By incorporating .NET technologies, we established a modern, efficient, and user-centric system. This digital transformation not only streamlined the tribunal’s operations but also significantly improved public access to information, effectively eliminating the previous system’s inefficiencies and inaccuracies.
OUTCOME:
The conversion project was a resounding success, markedly enhancing the client’s operational efficiency and public engagement. The integration of .NET technologies played a pivotal role in modernizing the tribunal’s services, demonstrating the power of digital transformation in governmental institutions.