Automating & Systematizing the Generation of Documents Related to Water Rights

Tim WallinTim WallinWater Rights Program ManagerWater Rights Program Manager

Oregon Water Resources DepartmentOregon Water Resources Department

June 8, 2015

Challenges

Backlogs make faster & more accurate processing of Backlogs make faster & more accurate processing of business products an imperativebusiness products an imperative

Document creation & editing is labor-intensive; the Document creation & editing is labor-intensive; the introduction of human error by repetitively typing introduction of human error by repetitively typing potentially referential information is a certaintypotentially referential information is a certainty

Too few staff in IT to respond quicklyToo few staff in IT to respond quickly

use technology to facilitate work & eliminate backlogsuse technology to facilitate work & eliminate backlogs

Objective

You are a Symbol ManipulatorYou are a Symbol Manipulator

smooth flow of information is vital to successsmooth flow of information is vital to success

the attention of skilled people is very expensivethe attention of skilled people is very expensive

incrementalism is anything but incremental:incrementalism is anything but incremental:

– creates FTE out of thin aircreates FTE out of thin air

– allows staff to work at a higher cognitive levelallows staff to work at a higher cognitive level

SolutionsSolutions

Originating rights: Originating rights: use a system of templates use a system of templates with custom macros to with custom macros to receivereceive data from the data from the enterprise database (WRIS) in WORD, & enterprise database (WRIS) in WORD, & distribute it automaticallydistribute it automatically

Transfers:Transfers: use Excel to compare POU data from use Excel to compare POU data from two rights in WRIS to highlight differences two rights in WRIS to highlight differences (QQ = smallest POU “pixel” in WRIS) (QQ = smallest POU “pixel” in WRIS) draw the draw the caseworker’s attention to them (large-scale caseworker’s attention to them (large-scale maps illustrate finer POU details)maps illustrate finer POU details)

Three ApplicationsThree Applications

Data Entry AppModPod

Edit WRIS

Audit

WRIS data into Excel

WordDocGen

software applications provide the ability to software applications provide the ability to sendsend WRIS WRIS data to WORD directly in real-time, thus offering the data to WORD directly in real-time, thus offering the prospect of systematization (uniformity) and automation prospect of systematization (uniformity) and automation of document productionof document production

OpportunityOpportunity

WRIS

DocGen

WORD TemplateCustom Macro

Embedded

WORD Document

WORD Document

Template-Specific Macro (Finalize)

Runs

Cascades infoSelects & updates

IS Maintenance Boundary

DocGen Passes Control to Word

Noteworthy Features 1Noteworthy Features 1

Completed documents can be generated via several mouse clicks

Complex formatting is synchronized among all documents, thus precluding the need for reformatting after cut & paste operations

Data occurring more than once in documents is cascaded throughout the document automatically (e.g., transfer number, certificate number, etc.)

Noteworthy Features 2Noteworthy Features 2

Personalized contact information for each caseworker is inserted automatically in documents

The content of headers & footers is dynamic, with information and formatting self-adjusting automatically (no editing required)

Virtually all functionality is transparent to the user

Switch to DocGenSwitch to DocGen

Generate Final Order & Permit Generate Final Order & Permit for G-XXXXXfor G-XXXXX

Switch to AuditSwitch to Audit

Compare POUs for T-XXXXXCompare POUs for T-XXXXX

SignificanceSignificance

dramatically reduces the introduction & dramatically reduces the introduction & propagation of errors in business processes, & propagation of errors in business processes, & thus WRISthus WRIS

makes resulting documents more uniformmakes resulting documents more uniform

speeds document productionspeeds document production

precludes the preparation, approval, & data-precludes the preparation, approval, & data-entry for correcting orders (because they don’t entry for correcting orders (because they don’t exist)exist)

Quantitative ImprovementQuantitative Improvement

Pending water-right application caseloads:Pending water-right application caseloads:– Originating Rights: 1500 Originating Rights: 1500 250 250– Transfers: 780 Transfers: 780 200 200

Qualitative improvement Qualitative improvement even more even more importantimportant– High cost of re-work by staff & management ($$$)High cost of re-work by staff & management ($$$)– Legal exposure: win eventually, but at what cost?Legal exposure: win eventually, but at what cost?

AdvantagesAdvantages

real-time interaction with WRISreal-time interaction with WRIS

– when used with a WRIS-editing application, allows staff to edit data when used with a WRIS-editing application, allows staff to edit data directly directly does not require dependence on others does not require dependence on others staff can “own” the staff can “own” the entire edit entire edit reduces transactional friction (a trip to Data Center) reduces transactional friction (a trip to Data Center)

simpler document-generation system (not path-dependent) simpler document-generation system (not path-dependent) allows allows a simpler electronic file storage & retrieval system for business a simpler electronic file storage & retrieval system for business productsproducts

allows the Sections to retain control of modifications to document allows the Sections to retain control of modifications to document content & formatting content & formatting frees IS from maintenance programming frees IS from maintenance programming

initial programming investment can be leveraged by all agency staffinitial programming investment can be leveraged by all agency staff

Questions / Comments ?Questions / Comments ?

extend DocGen capability across organization:extend DocGen capability across organization:cover letterscover letters

formsforms

noticesnotices

????