IT Governance Business Case
Improving Internal Communications and Analytics Communications
Background
The Communications Department conducts internal communications to the employees of the City, ensuring they are aware of City news, upcoming events, and services. An aspect of the internal communications is the utilization of City newsletters distributed via email. The Communications Department is seeking to improve their overall internal communications and employee engagement. To do so, Communications needs a consistent means of communication and access to data to evaluate employee engagement and determine communications methods that resonate most to maximize that engagement.
Business Problem
Communications has been leveraging MailChimp as their primary tool for internal communications and newsletter distribution. MailChimp, which is an email marketing tool that has several limitations that have impacted Communications ability to provide consistent messaging to the City of Durham employees as well as to gain the necessary intelligence needed to improve communications and employee engagement.
Current Pain Points
• MailChimp is designed for external communications and email marketing and allows for recipients to unsubscribe from emails. This impacts Communications reach to the City of Durham employees due to email marketing tools regulatory requirements.
• Lack of analytics needed to gauge employee engagement and sentiment.
• Lack of HCM integration to provide accurate ListServe. Communications relies on recurring Munis exports to maintain an accurate list of employees.
Strategic Alignment
City of Durham's Strategic Objective:
Objective 4.3: Strengthen interdepartmental collaboration and communications
TS Departmental Business Plan Objective 3: Maintain and modernize all the City's assets to align to the evolving and emerging technologies in the marketplace for City business units
Future State Benefits
• Comprehensive internal communications solution
• Communication analytics
• Improved employee engagement
• Increased communications to recipients
• Integration with Oracle HCM
• Increased interactivity within communications
Analysis and Recommended Solution
Analysis of Internal Communications Platforms
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Requirements
• Accurate and comprehensive open and click rate analytics
• Integration with Outlook and/or HRIS system
• Bulk import of both active and inactive contact lists
• Department-level reporting
• No unsubscribe option
• ability to create buttons within emails (not just hyperlinks)
• The ability to send text (SMS) messages in addition to email
• Integration with Canva
Recommended Solution: Approve Communication's request for a new Internal Communications solution and issue an RFP
Description
Based on the number of enterprise business solution services on the market capable of meeting communications need, the recommended solution would be to conduct a competitive RFP process and evaluate vendors for capability to meet the requirements and add innovation
Pros
• Improved targeted communications
• Improved employee engagement
• Analytics to guide decision making
• Integration with ERP reducing manual processes
Cons
• N/A
Architecture Review
The identified solution would be required to meet the architectural standards of the City of Durham.
Cybersecurity Review
The identified solution would be required to meet the cyber security standards of the City of Durham. Many of the providers on the market, including the vendors identified in this business case advertise SOC 2 certification.
Recommended Solution - Project Financial Estimate
Risk Identification
Mitigation Risk (Costs)
• N/A
Contingency Risk (Costs)
• N/A
Our ask
We are asking the IT Governance Steering Committee to approve and score the business case to implement a new internal communications and analytics tool for the Communications Department. The approved and ranked business case will be submitted to the Budget Management Services Department for funding and approval by the City Manager.