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Self-Service Portal
Self-Service Portal
Overview
Client Background
Challenge
Solution
Implementation
Outcome
Next Step
Overview
Client Background
Challenge
Solution
Implementation
Outcome
Next Step
Overview
DataHouse assisted a state government agency with developing and implementing a modern self-service portal. The portal provides the public with secure access to case information, payment and disbursement transactions, account balances, and document request services. The new portal replaced a previous version that provided limited access to case information and lacked required security compliance.
The new self-service portal leverages the agency’s AWS Gov Cloud environment and integrates seamlessly with existing AWS databases, security, and administration services. DataHouse architected and configured its AWS environment to reduce costs and allow for greater security, scalability, and future expansion.
Client Background
Industry
Government
Organization
Child social services program
Challenge
Problem Statement
The agency’s mission and strategic goals are to provide quality customer service to its clients. The agency faced challenges in fulfilling its mission with limited features, security, and access to data from its current web portal. The web portal was also built on aging, on-premise technology that limited the agency’s options to add features to improve services to its clients.
Impact
Limitations with its existing web portal resulted in lower client satisfaction and increased calls to customer service representatives to get the required information. This increased workload and overhead due to higher call center volume and follow-up activities. The aging technology platform impacted the agency’s willingness to invest in new features to improve customer service and reduce client calls. The agency preferred to make new investments in a future platform rather than aging technology that would need to be eventually replaced.
Solution
Proposed Solution
The agency has already embarked on a long-term AWS cloud strategy to replace its mainframe and on-premises computing environments. The first phase was to design, configure, and implement a FedRAMP-certified Gov Cloud environment to serve as their future platform. The environment also included replicated databases using AWS Data Migration Services to synchronize data from their existing systems with AWS RDS databases.
The solution to its aging web portal was to leverage the newly implemented AWS Gov Cloud environment to develop a modern, self-service portal using cloud-native AWS services. DataHouse developed the new portal using its preconfigured application platform and worked with the agency’s IT staff to codevelop the portal application functions. By working with DataHouse, the agency staff learned about cloud application development and best practices that enabled them to continue to support the application internally after implementation.
Key Features
The modern self-service portal includes the following features:
Homepage, which displays the latest news and announcements
My Account Dashboard, which provides case status, notifications, and snapshots of client cases
Disbursements Inquiry, which enables the search and display of complete disbursement histories
Enforcement Inquiry, which enables the search and display of complete enforcement histories
Hearings Inquiry, which enables the search and display of complete hearing histories
Document Request, which enables online requests for forms and documents
Administrative Functions, which enable user account management, workflow approvals, and reporting
Implementation
Deployment
The project leveraged a robust and scalable AWS architecture to deploy the portal solution.
The solution includes the following AWS components:
AWS Gov Cloud
The AWS Gov Cloud encapsulates the entire cloud environment.
Availability Zones (AZ)
AZs ensure high availability and fault tolerance.
Edge Services
Edge Services securely manages the public’s access to resources within the AWS Gov Cloud.
Public Services
The Application Load Balancer distributes incoming application traffic across multiple targets, ensuring even distribution and high availability.
Application Services
The application is based on a microservices architecture using AWS Lambda for microservices and Docker/ECS Fargate for containerization.
Database Services
The solution uses PostgreSQL RDS for the database and includes AWS Data Migration Services to replicate on-premise data from core systems to the cloud.
Integration
The solution includes data integration capabilities with the existing mainframe system, ensuring that accurate, timely data is available to the public. AWS Data Migration Services automatically replicates data from the mainframe to keep data in the AWS Cloud synchronized and up to date.
Customization
The system was customized based on federal guidelines, agency requirements, and stakeholder feedback, ensuring it meets the agency’s needs and improves its ability to service clients.
Outcome
Achievements
The modernized portal was successfully launched and currently serves thousands of clients. During the transition period, the agency continued to allow access to its legacy portal and eventually shut it down after all clients were using the new portal. The new portal features and the access to complete case data have helped reduce call center volume and follow-up activities. The agency plans to continue enhancing the modernized portal to improve its efficiency and customer service.
Key Features
Improved customer satisfaction
Reduced call center volume and follow-up activities
Replaced aging, outdated technology
IT staff trained in cloud technologies
Enhanced security compliance with two-factor authentication
Next Step
Future Plans
The agency plans to continue enhancing customer service through an omnichannel strategy that empowers users with information and enables them to interact with the agency through the web portal, iPhone and Android mobile apps, interactive voice response, and customer service representatives.
Ongoing Support
The portal’s ongoing support is provided by the agency’s IT staff, who were part of the portal modernization project. One goal of the project was to train the agency’s IT staff on cloud technologies so they could support future cloud infrastructure and applications. DataHouse continues to provide as-needed support to the IT staff and assist with future modernization initiatives.
About DataHouse
DataHouse is Hawaii’s longest-standing IT consultancy, known for solving complex IT problems for our clients since 1975. Our expertise in leveraging AWS services and solutions demonstrates our commitment to using cutting-edge technology to positively impact the local and global communities our clients serve. As an AWS Advanced Partner, DataHouse continues to drive innovation in partnership with public and private organizations.
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