As part of our local government IT project management strategy, we zeroed in on the manual process of issuing zoning permits
What happens when a zoning permit takes longer to process than the actual site construction?
That’s the kind of friction we saw—and one we knew we had to fix.
As part of our local government IT project management strategy, we zeroed in on the manual process of issuing zoning permits. It ran on paper, repeated tasks, and relied heavily on in-person follow-ups. Applicants felt the burden. So did the staff. The process didn’t just need a patch—it needed a redesign.
The Process: One Month, One Staff, One Mission
We began with empathy—literally. One of our ICT team members embedded themselves in the City Planning and Development Office for one to two months. No shortcuts. Just full immersion.
We used a system design thinking approach: observed the process, identified pain points, and documented every detail—from who handled what, to which form passed through whom, to when clients should pay and receive their clearance. We followed the people and their steps.
That made all the difference.
After gathering the data, we spent nearly three months building the system. We mapped the user journey, refined workflows, built digital forms, and programmed logic that reflected real-world scenarios. Then we launched parallel testing—running the manual and digital systems side by side to evaluate accuracy, speed, and ease of use.
The Result: Better for Staff, Smoother for Citizens
Now, clients submit zoning permits digitally—with clearer timelines, better tracking, and fewer in-person visits. The planning office monitors active requests, identifies pending actions, and spots common bottlenecks quickly. Most importantly, the staff focuses more on evaluating proposals and less on shuffling paperwork.
This is what local government IT project management looks like: not just deploying tech, but designing it around the people who use it.
Closing the Loop: Building Systems That Serve
This zoning permit project reminded us that project management is no longer just about construction. It’s about community service. It’s about solving problems—not just faster, but smarter.
If your LGU wants to start something similar, we’re ready to share our process—challenges, lessons, and results.
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