Incompatible Systems Troubled Agency

Problem: The Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) regulates the rates, services, and practices of privately owned utilities and transportation companies. WUTC manages a lot of critical data to ensure that utility and transportation services are fairly priced, available, and safe. In the 1990s, WUTC began using Lotus Notes/Domino for email, calendaring, and custom applications. They also relied on Microsoft Office for daily desktop work.

The incompatibilities of these two platforms plagued WUTC for years. The problems got even worse when Microsoft Exchange was adopted by fellow state agencies. WUTC began the slow process of moving its e-mail and calendaring over to Exchange. The agency decided to seek expert help to accelerate this migration.

Solution: Working in a team with strategic partner Eclipse Solutions, Inc. Marquam Group analyzed WUTC's application portfolio - categorizing 35 core business applications and rating them on technical and business value. In addition to Notes applications, the Marquam team also identified a number of other outdated technologies supporting core business functions. From this, Marquam Group created an implementation plan and technology architecture strategy based on Microsoft products. WUTC was thrilled with Marquam's transition "roadmap." It made it easy for WUTC to follow a defined sequence of application replacement over the next three years.