DECEMBER - 20229GOVERNMENT CIO OUTLOOKSalesforce. Like other government agencies pre-pandemic, we trained by having a trainer sit in a room running through the training program while the trainees sat in front of screens and followed along. We knew we could use Teams and perform the training but that required changing the curriculum and re-training the trainers. It is also more difficult to tell if a person being trained is involved/participating while remote. We learned to add frequent quizzes, force trainees to use their video (to see any confused faces!) and `plant' some questions within the trainees to make sure the sessions were interactive, supportive, and successful. The modified training program(s) worked well and our staff was ready to go.Ready for Launch!In August 2020, we had our first "go live" with our new Recorder system. There was no traditional `war room' - we were remote. There was no way to hand hold users if they struggled so we had to frequently asked users if they were able to work and if they had any questions. We successfully migrated millions of official records, dating back to the 1906 earthquake (as all City records were destroyed then). The launch was a success and the efficiencies forecasted were achieved (e.g., citizens can request and receive copies of official records online). Next came the larger launch­ the property tax assessment system.In January of 2021 we had the `go live' with the property tax assessment system. Again, the launch was successful, on time and more upgrades are coming. The revenue managed in the new system is critical to the City- despite property sales dropping by 14 percent in 2020 we only saw a decrease of 9 percent in transfer tax dollars because of process efficiencies. ConclusionWhile the pandemic did create technical challenges it also created great an opportunity to become nimbler. Using a combination of older technology and newer technology allowed us to stay on schedule and keep revenue streams flowing. Having an open mind and support from the top of the organization were the keys to our success. While the pandemic did create technical challenges it also created a great opportunity to become nimbler
< Page 8 | Page 10 >