FOIA Platform Launch
One-Liner
Launched village-wide FOIA platform centralizing public records requests, saving 20 staff hours/week and improving response time and cross-department visibility.
Full Context
The Situation
FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests were handled manually—paper forms, email chains, and spreadsheet tracking. Requests often got lost between departments. Response times were inconsistent. Staff spent excessive time on administrative tracking rather than fulfilling requests.
Your Role
Identified opportunity, evaluated solutions, led implementation, created workflows, trained staff, and measured impact.
The Approach
- Assessed current state: volume, response times, pain points
- Evaluated platform options for municipal FOIA management
- Selected and configured platform for Village needs
- Designed intake workflow: request submission → routing → fulfillment → response
- Built cross-department visibility: status tracking, handoff protocols
- Created training materials and trained staff across departments
- Established metrics and reporting
The Outcome
Centralized all FOIA requests into single system. Saved 20 staff hours/week on administrative tracking. Improved response time consistency. Created visibility across departments for multi-department requests.
Metrics & Impact
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Staff time saved | 20 hrs/week | Administrative tracking |
| Coverage | Village-wide | All departments |
| Visibility | Cross-department | Status and handoffs |
| Response time | Improved | More consistent |
Process Changes
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Paper/email intake | Centralized portal |
| Spreadsheet tracking | Automated workflow |
| Manual routing | System-based assignment |
| Siloed handling | Cross-department visibility |
Skills Demonstrated
Primary Skills
Secondary Skills
Resume Usage
Appears in: 4/25 variants
Bullet Point Versions
Technical audience (detailed):
Implemented village-wide FOIA platform with centralized intake, automated routing, and cross-department tracking—saving 20 staff hours/week and improving response time consistency.
General audience (accessible):
Launched centralized system for public records requests, saving 20 hours/week of staff time while improving response times and transparency.
Leadership focus (strategic):
Drove FOIA modernization improving government transparency and operational efficiency—20 hours/week saved with better citizen service.
Abbreviated (space-constrained):
Launched FOIA platform; saved 20 staff hours/week.
Transferable Themes
- Problem-solving under ambiguity
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Technical execution
- Leadership / influence without authority
- Process improvement
- Innovation / creative solution
- Crisis management
- Data-driven decision making
- Stakeholder management
- Scaling / growth
- Cost reduction
- Revenue generation
Best theme for this project: Government modernization and efficiency
Interview Preparation
STAR Format
Situation: FOIA requests were handled through paper forms, email, and spreadsheets. Requests got lost between departments. Staff spent excessive time on tracking rather than fulfilling. Response times were inconsistent.
Task: Implement a centralized FOIA management system that would improve efficiency, visibility, and response times.
Action:
- Assessed current state and documented pain points
- Evaluated platform options and selected solution
- Configured platform for Village workflows
- Designed intake-to-response process
- Created cross-department visibility and handoff protocols
- Trained staff across all departments
- Established metrics and reporting
Result: Saved 20 staff hours/week. Improved response time consistency. Created cross-department visibility. Better citizen service with transparent tracking.
Likely Follow-up Questions
- “How did you get buy-in across departments?”
- “What challenges did you face with adoption?”
- “How did you measure the 20 hours/week savings?”
- “What made this project successful?”
Potential Challenges/Objections
| Concern | Response |
|---|---|
| ”20 hours seems significant” | Distributed across departments. FOIA requests touch multiple people—tracking, routing, handoffs. Centralization eliminated duplicate work. |
| ”Government adoption is slow” | True. Built coalition with department heads, demonstrated quick wins, involved staff in design. |
Related
Parent organization: Village of Morton Grove Similar projects:
Reflection
What went well:
- Cross-department stakeholder involvement
- Clear metrics demonstrated value
- Improved citizen experience
What you’d do differently:
- More upfront change management planning
- Better integration with document management
Unexpected lessons:
- Government transparency is emotionally important to staff
- Cross-department visibility surfaces process issues
Featured In
Main pages:
- what-ive-done — Demonstrates government modernization and cross-department implementation
- my-superpowers — Primary evidence for public sector expertise and process improvement
Target roles:
- GovTech & Public Sector — Primary evidence: municipal FOIA platform, 20 hrs/week saved
- Implementation & Professional Services — Supporting evidence: workflow design and cross-department coordination
Related: See Morton Grove Technology Modernization