The Challenge

JSI India’s MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity Project, funded by USAID, manages a vast repository of documents related to immunization programs, research, and technical assistance activities. The project faced significant challenges in document management:

• Inefficient Document Storage & Retrieval: Without a centralized system, project documents were stored across multiple locations (individual computers, shared drives, email threads), making retrieval time-consuming and unreliable
• No Version Control: Multiple versions of critical documents circulated without a systematic way to track changes, leading to confusion about the authoritative version
• Weak Access Control: There was no granular user permissions system, making it difficult to control who could access, edit, or share sensitive documents related to the MoHFW and Government of India
• Poor Search Capability: Finding specific documents or information within documents required manual searching through folders and files, with no full-text search or metadata-based filtering
• Security & Compliance Gaps: The handling of sensitive health data related to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare required robust security measures, including encryption, audit trails, and compliance with data protection standards
• Infrastructure Uncertainty: The project needed expert guidance on whether to deploy the DMS on-premises or in the cloud, considering factors like scalability, cost, security, and maintenance

Velocity’s Solution

Scope of Work

Velocity delivered a comprehensive Document Management System encompassing infrastructure analysis, solution architecture, development, deployment, and ongoing support — providing JSI India with a secure, scalable, and user-friendly platform for managing its entire document ecosystem.

Key Features & Deliverables

• Infrastructure Recommendation & Analysis:
• Assessment of JSI’s requirements, current document management practices, anticipated volume, user base, and scalability needs
• Evaluation of on-premises vs. cloud-based deployment with cost-benefit analysis
• Hardware, networking, and database engine recommendations
• Backup and disaster recovery plan
• Regulatory compliance and data security considerations
• Training for JSI IT staff on infrastructure management

• DMS Solution Development:
• User Authentication & Permissions: Secure login protocols (username/password, Multi-Factor Authentication, Single Sign-On) with granular role-based access control
• Document Storage & Retrieval: Hierarchical folder structures, tags, and metadata-based organization for intuitive document management
• Version Control & Revision Tracking: Complete document change history with collaboration support
• Advanced Search: Full-text search, metadata filtering, faceted search, and search indexing for rapid document discovery
• Collaboration Features: Document sharing, commenting, annotation, workflow automation, and task management
• Tagging & Metadata Management: Rich metadata schema for document categorization and retrieval
• Responsive Web Interface: User-friendly interface accessible across all devices
• Data Encryption: Industry-standard encryption at rest and in transit
• Audit Logging: Comprehensive tracking of user activities, system events, and security incidents

• Document Indexing, Tagging & Metadata Support:
• Collaborative definition of document categorization criteria and metadata schema with JSI team
• Manual tagging assistance for existing documents
• Document indexing strategy for fast and accurate retrieval
• Training for JSI personnel on best practices
• Initial migration of existing documents including data cleansing and metadata population
• Ongoing optimization of indexing and tagging processes

• Security Audit: Complete audit by CERT-IN accredited agency ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements

Technology Stack

• Custom DMS application with responsive web interface
• Full-text search engine (Elasticsearch or equivalent)
• Database engine (recommended based on infrastructure analysis)
• MFA and SSO authentication protocols
• Industry-standard encryption (AES-256 at rest, TLS in transit)
• Cloud or on-premises infrastructure (based on recommendation)
• Audit logging and monitoring framework

Implementation Approach

The project followed an accelerated 3-month timeline across four major deliverable phases:

1. Planning & Design (By July 20, 2024): Detailed inception report including architecture design, requirements specification, project plan with milestones, risk management, and infrastructure recommendation — Payment: 10%
2. DMS Development (By July 26, 2024): Fully functional DMS meeting all specified requirements including UI prototype, advanced search, document indexing and tagging implementation — Payment: 25%
3. Pilot Testing (By August 9, 2024): Pilot testing with 5-10 real users, gathering feedback and refining the system — Payment: 30%
4. Final Delivery & Support Planning (By August 26, 2024): Production rollout with deployment assistance, user documentation, training materials, and ongoing support plan — Payment: 20%
5. Contract Closure & Handover (By September 6, 2024): Official handover plan outlining transition of responsibility from Velocity to JSI — Payment: 15%

Key Outcomes & Impact

• Centralized Document Repository: All project documents organized in a single, searchable platform, eliminating scattered storage and improving accessibility for all stakeholders
• Robust Security Framework: CERT-IN accredited security audit, encryption, and comprehensive audit trails ensured compliance with data protection standards for sensitive government health data
• Efficient Knowledge Retrieval: Full-text search and metadata-based filtering reduced document retrieval time from minutes (or hours) to seconds
• Version Integrity: Complete revision control ensured that teams always worked with the latest, authoritative version of every document
• Collaborative Workflows: Annotation, commenting, and task management features streamlined team collaboration on document review and approval processes
• Sustainable Operations: Comprehensive training and documentation enabled JSI personnel to independently manage the DMS after handover
• Infrastructure Clarity: The detailed infrastructure analysis and cost-benefit comparison provided JSI with a clear, evidence-based foundation for their technology investment decisions

Why Velocity

Velocity was selected for this project because of:

• Enterprise DMS development expertise with experience building secure, scalable document management solutions for organizations handling sensitive data
• Infrastructure advisory capability combining technical architecture expertise with business-oriented cost-benefit analysis for optimal deployment decisions
• Security and compliance knowledge essential for a system handling Ministry of Health and Government of India data, including experience with CERT-IN audit requirements
• Rapid delivery capability meeting the aggressive 3-month timeline from planning through production deployment
• Strong knowledge management methodology for document indexing, tagging, and metadata schema design that ensured long-term usability and searchability
• USAID project experience ensuring compliance with donor-specific requirements for data handling, privacy, and intellectual property