Gravity Union helps a Canadian municipality with a strategic EDRMS roadmap and plan
A mid-sized Canadian municipality with 35,000 residents partnered with Gravity Union to transform their outdated records management practices. The municipality needed a compelling business case to secure budget approval for a modern Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS). Through strategic planning and comprehensive assessment, Gravity Union delivered a roadmap for implementing Microsoft 365 solutions that would streamline workflows, improve compliance, and create a foundation for long-term records management success.
About the Municipality
This progressive municipality provides essential services including public safety, infrastructure maintenance, and community development to its residents. Like many local governments, they faced the challenge of managing growing information resources while maintaining operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.
Technologies
SharePoint Online
Microsoft Purview
ShareGate (content migration)
Harmon.ie (email management)
By the Numbers
+35,000 citizens served
Business Context & Goals
Despite recognizing the need for improved records management for years, the municipality struggled to gain momentum. Previous attempts stalled due to:
Competing organizational priorities
Understaffed Records Management department
Lack of a clear implementation strategy and budget justification
When they approached Gravity Union, their directive was straightforward but ambitious: develop a comprehensive business case and budget to support a full-scale EDRMS implementation that would finally "get it done."
Our Approach
A practical step-by-step approach to build a roadmap
1. Current State Assessment We conducted a thorough evaluation of existing records management practices, identifying pain points, inefficiencies, and compliance gaps across departments.
2. Content Audit and Analysis Our team performed a high-level audit of digital documents to understand:
Content volumes and storage patterns
Document structure and organization
Redundancies and information architecture issues
3. Collaborative Vision Development Through interactive workshops with key stakeholders, we:
Defined a shared vision for the future EDRMS
Established implementation priorities
Aligned on critical functionalities and user requirements
4. Implementation Planning We created a comprehensive organization-wide rollout strategy that included:
Phased deployment approach to minimize disruption
Resource allocation recommendations for "tiger teams"
Realistic timeline projections with flexibility built in
5. Detailed Financial Analysis Our cost assessment provided financial clarity with:
Implementation cost estimates covering strategy, training, departmental rollouts
Licensing and software requirements, including migration tools
Resource allocation budgeting options with varying implementation speeds
Results & Impact
Strategic direction
The project delivered three critical outcomes:
1. Strategic Direction: A comprehensive Microsoft 365 roadmap with SharePoint Online and Purview at its core, providing clear implementation steps.
2. Budget Justification: A detailed business case that quantified benefits and costs, giving the Legislative Services team powerful ammunition to secure leadership approval.
3. Implementation Framework: A practical, scalable plan for transitioning to the new EDRMS platform that accommodated the municipality's resource constraints while maximizing efficiency.
With Gravity Union's guidance, the municipality transformed their records management vision from an aspiration into an actionable plan with a strong business case, positioning them for successful implementation and long-term information governance success.
Ready to build your roadmap?
At Gravity Union, we specialize in transforming information management challenges into practical plans and solutions. Our team is well-versed in building comprehensive business case justifications and strategic roadmaps for Microsoft 365, records management, and automation/AI investments.
Whether you're struggling to gain organizational buy-in, need help quantifying the ROI of modern information management, or require a clear implementation strategy, our consultants bring the expertise to make your vision a reality.
Let's start the conversation about your information management needs today. Use the form to connect with our team and discover how we can help you build a compelling business case and plan for your next initiative.
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