Customer Case Study: State Government Agency Modernizes Public Services with the Informat Platform
Government digital transformation faces unique challenges: legacy systems measured in decades, procurement processes designed for physical infrastructure, political and bureaucratic complexity, and the highest possible stakes — services that citizens depend on for health, safety, and economic security. This case study examines how a state government agency — referred to here as the "Department of Citizen Services" (DCS) — used the Informat low-code platform to modernize service delivery, achieving dramatic improvements in processing times, citizen satisfaction, and operational efficiency while navigating the constraints of government IT environments.
DCS administers a portfolio of citizen-facing programs — benefits applications, licensing and permitting, grants management, and constituent services — serving approximately 3 million citizens annually. The agency employed 1,800 staff across 40 offices, supported by an IT department of 35 managing a portfolio dominated by mainframe applications from the 1990s, Access databases built by individual departments, and manual processes connected by paper, email, and spreadsheets. The gap between citizen expectations — shaped by digital experiences with banks, retailers, and service providers — and DCS's service delivery was wide and widening. Citizens applying for benefits waited 4-6 weeks for determinations that should take days. Professional license applications spent more time in inter-office mail than in actual processing. Constituent inquiries took an average of 5 days to receive a substantive response. The agency's leadership recognized that incremental improvement to existing systems was insufficient — a fundamental reimagining of service delivery was needed.
The Solution: Digital Service Transformation on Informat
DCS selected the Informat platform after a competitive evaluation that emphasized: government-grade security and compliance (FedRAMP equivalent, CJIS for law enforcement data, strict access controls); rapid development capability with a lean IT team; the ability to integrate with legacy mainframe systems without replacing them; and citizen-facing digital experiences that met modern usability standards. The transformation was structured in phases, each addressing a specific service domain and delivering measurable improvements.
Phase 1 — Benefits Application Modernization (14 weeks): The first phase tackled the highest-volume, highest-impact process: benefits applications. The new digital service, built on Informat, provided: an online application portal with intuitive, accessible design that guided citizens through eligibility screening and application completion; automated eligibility verification through integration with federal and state data sources, reducing manual verification time from days to seconds; automated workflow routing applications to the appropriate processing team based on program, complexity, and workload; real-time application status tracking for citizens and case workers; and automated notification of determinations, next steps, and appeal rights. Application processing time dropped from 4-6 weeks to an average of 3 days. Application errors — primarily incomplete or inconsistent information — decreased 70% as the digital application prevented common mistakes. Citizen satisfaction with the application process improved from the 22nd percentile to the 58th percentile of government service benchmarks. Case worker productivity improved 40% as automation handled routine verification, routing, and notification that previously consumed the majority of processing time.
Phase 2 — Professional Licensing Digital Service (10 weeks): The second phase digitized professional licensing — a process that was almost entirely paper-based. The new Informat application provided online application and renewal with digital document upload; automated verification of education, examination, and background check requirements; digital license issuance with online verification for employers and the public; and automated renewal reminders and processing. License processing time decreased from 4-8 weeks to an average of 5 business days. Paper handling, postage, and storage costs decreased 80%. And professional associations — historically critics of the licensing process — became advocates after experiencing the improved digital service.
| Metric | Before Informat | After Informat | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benefits Application Processing | 4-6 weeks | 3 days average | 90%+ reduction |
| Application Error Rate | Baseline | -70% | Digital prevention |
| License Processing Time | 4-8 weeks | 5 business days | 85%+ reduction |
| Paper/Postage/Storage Costs | Baseline | -80% | Digital transformation |
| Citizen Satisfaction | 22nd percentile | 58th percentile | 164% improvement |
| Case Worker Productivity | Baseline | +40% | Automation of routine tasks |
Conclusion
The Department of Citizen Services' transformation with the Informat platform demonstrates that meaningful government digital transformation is achievable within the constraints of government IT environments. By taking a phased, citizen-centered approach; integrating with legacy systems rather than attempting to replace them; and investing in change management alongside technology, DCS achieved dramatic improvements in service delivery that citizens experience directly — faster processing, fewer errors, and the digital convenience they expect. The transformation has not just improved metrics — it has improved the relationship between citizens and their government, demonstrating that public services can be efficient, accessible, and respectful of citizens' time.