Strategic Planning at Topeka – Improving Data Dissemination and Operational Efficiencies through GIS Development, CMMS Consolidation and Integration

The city of Topeka's Public Works Department manages the city's infrastructure. Over the years, each of the department's divisions had acquired and implemented different information systems to support their critical business processes. Besides obvious inefficiencies of maintaining multiple similar systems, city staff recognized the benefits of integrating key business systems.In 2004, the city initiated the development of a strategic Information Management Master Plan (IMMP) to guide their vision of implementing a more holistic and integrated enterprise-wide management and decision support system. Together, city staff defined the operational objectives and key performance indicators (KPI) for each division and mapped the work processes to achieve these objectives and KPIs. A gap analysis was then performed and recommendation developed for minimizing organizational constraints and improving the processes, data and information systems involved. This resulted in a five-year strategic IMMP for the department to adopt and implement.