Replacing County Laptops to Enable Remote Work

About the Program

Category: Information Technology (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

IT planned to replace about 800 desktop computers in 2020. However, when County Administration asked most employees to work remotely due to the pandemic, the scope shifted to replacing approximately7,500 laptops for staff to work remotely.Employees could pick-up their computer in-person in downtown Minneapolis, but most opted for home delivery by Hennepin County staff. IT used GIS maps to coordinate and schedule delivery times. As the pandemic worsened, and used USPS to ship laptops. To return computers, employees had the option to drop-off their equipment at a few county-sanctioned locations or wait for it to be picked-up, similar to the delivery experience.Hennepin County is using a beta tool called Autopilot from Microsoft, which allows devices to download and image software remotely. Hennepin County is among the first government agencies in the nation to use Autopilot and USPS for home delivery.