Electronic Content Management System Evaluation

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

Ottawa County completed an extensive four-year study to verify the cost and benefits of the County’s Electronic Content Management (ECM) system. The ECM system is designed to image, manage, deliver, and archive justice system documents in digital/electronic formats. The system is one of the most comprehensive ever developed in the nation. The ECM System Evaluation is the first known study to utilize a full-scale Time-Study and Materials Analysis to quantify the impact of an ECM system.. The level of efficiencies (i.e. savings) that were actually achieved in terms of labor hours and material usage from the ECM system were verified through the Analysis. The time-study revealed that 12,492 hours of regular staff time are saved annually as a result of implementing the ECM system. These labor efficiencies are being used to reduce staffing through attrition. The study is also being used to justify the need for legislative changes at the state-level that would encourage greater utilization of the technology, thereby further reducing labor and material costs. The County will achieve a return on its investment and realize a cost of $12.9 million over 25 years from the ECM system if the legislative amendments are enacted.