uMzimvubu Local Municipality - Polelo DMS - Implementation Roadmap
uMzimvubu: Polelo DMS Implementation Roadmap
Section titled “uMzimvubu: Polelo DMS Implementation Roadmap”Total Timeline: 6 weeks to go-live + 3 months optimisation Approach: Phased rollout by department to minimise disruption
Phase 1: Foundation (Week 1-2)
Section titled “Phase 1: Foundation (Week 1-2)”Week 1: Infrastructure + Configuration
Section titled “Week 1: Infrastructure + Configuration”| Day | Activity | Owner | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Provision production environment (SA-hosted) | ISU Tech | Live server with SSL |
| Mon-Tue | Configure municipality branding (coat of arms, name, colours) | ISU Tech | Branded system |
| Tue-Wed | Set up NARSSA file plan (customise series for uMzimvubu) | ISU Tech + Records Manager | File plan aligned to local structure |
| Wed-Thu | Create departments, roles, user accounts | ISU Tech + IT | All staff accounts active |
| Thu-Fri | Configure system settings (retention periods, SLA, POPIA IO) | ISU Tech + Records Manager | System ready for data |
Week 2: Integration + Testing
Section titled “Week 2: Integration + Testing”| Day | Activity | Owner | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon-Tue | Set up automated backups + DR | ISU Tech | Encrypted daily backups verified |
| Tue-Wed | Configure email + SMS notifications | ISU Tech + IT | Notifications working |
| Wed-Thu | Integration with existing systems (Payday/Munsoft if applicable) | ISU Tech + IT | API connections tested |
| Thu-Fri | Internal testing + UAT preparation | ISU Tech | Test plan + test data loaded |
Phase 1 Exit Criteria:
- System accessible via HTTPS with municipality branding
- File plan configured and approved by Records Manager
- All user accounts created with correct roles
- Backups running and verified
- Notifications working (email + SMS)
Phase 2: Migration + Onboarding (Week 3-4)
Section titled “Phase 2: Migration + Onboarding (Week 3-4)”Week 3: Pilot Department
Section titled “Week 3: Pilot Department”| Activity | Duration | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Select pilot department | Day 1 | Recommend: Corporate Services (most document-heavy) |
| Import existing documents | Day 1-2 | Scan and upload key active documents |
| Configure department workflows | Day 2-3 | Map approval chains for the pilot department |
| Pilot department training | Day 3-4 | 2-hour session: upload, classify, search, approve |
| Supervised usage | Day 4-5 | ISU Tech on standby for questions |
Week 4: Remaining Departments
Section titled “Week 4: Remaining Departments”| Activity | Duration | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Department onboarding (batch 1) | Day 1-2 | Financial Services, Community Services |
| Department onboarding (batch 2) | Day 3-4 | Infrastructure, Planning, Public Safety |
| Workflow configuration per department | Ongoing | Each department’s approval chains |
| Document import assistance | Ongoing | Priority documents per department |
Phase 2 Exit Criteria:
- All departments onboarded with at least 1 trained champion per department
- Pilot department actively using the system for 1 week
- Key workflows configured and tested
Phase 3: Training + Go-Live (Week 5-6)
Section titled “Phase 3: Training + Go-Live (Week 5-6)”Training Schedule
Section titled “Training Schedule”| Session | Audience | Duration | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| General User Training | All staff (groups of 10-15) | 2 hours | Login, dashboard, upload, search, tasks, basic workflow |
| Records Manager Deep Dive | Records Manager + deputies | 4 hours | File plan management, classification, disposal, compliance reports, legal holds |
| IT Administrator Training | IT team | 3 hours | User management, system settings, API tokens, backup monitoring, troubleshooting |
| Management Dashboard | Municipal Manager, Directors | 1 hour | Dashboard overview, compliance charts, scheduled reports |
| Workflow Champions | 1 per department | 2 hours | Workflow design, approval routing, escalation configuration |
Go-Live Checklist
Section titled “Go-Live Checklist”- All departments onboarded and trained
- File plan approved and populated
- Workflows configured for all critical processes
- Backup verified with successful restore test
- POPIA settings configured (Information Officer, privacy policy)
- SMS gateway tested
- Management dashboard reviewed with Municipal Manager
- Go-live communication sent to all staff
Hypercare Support (Week 6)
Section titled “Hypercare Support (Week 6)”- ISU Tech support available 08:00-17:00 SAST
- Dedicated WhatsApp/phone line for urgent issues
- Daily check-in with Records Manager
- Issue resolution within 4 hours
Phase 4: Optimisation (Month 3-6)
Section titled “Phase 4: Optimisation (Month 3-6)”| Activity | Timeline | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Backlog scanning (optional) | Month 2-4 | Prioritise by department; scanning partner available |
| Advanced reporting setup | Month 2 | Configure scheduled reports for management |
| Additional integrations | Month 3-4 | GIS, additional municipal systems |
| Performance review | Month 3 | System usage metrics, user adoption, compliance scores |
| Quarterly review meeting | Month 3, 6 | Progress report, roadmap alignment, feedback |
Success Metrics
Section titled “Success Metrics”| Metric | Target (3 months) | Target (6 months) |
|---|---|---|
| Documents uploaded | 500+ | 2,000+ |
| Classification rate | 70%+ | 90%+ |
| Active users (weekly) | 60%+ of accounts | 80%+ of accounts |
| Workflow completion time | 50% reduction vs. manual | 70% reduction |
| AG audit finding reduction | Baseline measurement | Improvement documented |
Risk Mitigation
Section titled “Risk Mitigation”| Risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Low user adoption | Department champions + training + SMS reminders |
| Resistance to change | Start with new documents only; physical filing continues in parallel |
| Connectivity issues | Nextcloud offline sync + load-shedding resilience |
| Staff turnover | Train-the-trainer approach + recorded training materials |
| Data migration quality | Validate imported documents before go-live |
Team Requirements from uMzimvubu
Section titled “Team Requirements from uMzimvubu”| Role | Commitment | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Project Sponsor (Director Corp Services) | Decision-making, remove blockers | Throughout |
| Records Manager | File plan configuration, classification standards | Heavy in Phase 1-2 |
| IT Contact | Infrastructure, user accounts, integration | Heavy in Phase 1, as-needed after |
| Department Champions (1 per dept) | Training, adoption, feedback | Phase 2 onwards |
Prepared by: ISU Technologies (Pty) Ltd Contact: Nhlanhla Mnyandu | nhlanhla@isutech.co.za | www.isutech.co.za