I called it grand for a reason.

Digitalizing the Local Government Unit's tasks and functions, one step at a time.

...a continuation...

From the moment I hopped-in to the world of open internet forums where random people help each other and everyone else, the sharing-and-caring ideals inspired me to want to create meaningful things that can be of help to other people, even just a little. Here's me working to bringing those ideals to life thru my own way, especially now that I have become part of a local government body.

Grand's a continuation project because this was a rolling implementation of all the ideas that came-and-comes-to-mind, packed into a simple-but-well-thought-out Django project. For the record, I formally started programming in late 2017. (whew!) But I was already curious and fascinated by technology since high school. ;)

This is a yet-to-be-pitched-in project that I have been working on (for more than a year now) whenever I get the luxury of having spare time at work and at home. I dreamed of transforming the decades-old, paper-based system (that the LGU is still operating upon) into a digitalized one:

improving turn-around times (TATs)
removing the need to always be physically at the office to work (for certain office tasks like reporting and encoding)
removing information censorship, reliance to key personnel to ask for copies, and delays (but up to a certain level only, of course)
improving overall efficiency
...well, maybe just read more below? 😅

Github repo (for full logs and for interested django developers): https://github.com/tepong32/grand

Dual-Facing Web App

The original concept that's still carried-over to the current version of the app was that it was designed to serve as a public reference and portal to local government services, and an org-wide digital workplace and social media.

If you are not logged-in, it works as a Public Announcement page with general information the local citizens need in line with interacting with the LGU.

If you're an employee, just log in and it has personnel information pages where you can see Employee details, Personal Employment records, Payroll, Leave Application pages, etc. (more to be added and enhanced in the future). I also designed an Internal Announcements Board --- because every organization, even public ones, need private communications.

Default Home Page (Public):

Employee Dashboard (for someone assigned to the MSWD handling Educational Assistance Requests):

Public Pages designed with the Citizens in mind

(clicked on the email address and it brought up the send-an-email interface)

(clicked on the "chat with us on messenger" and it took me to messenger.com but i am not logged-in so, this was the page presented 😁)

One of the most crucial information needed by the public: Contact information.

People need to be able to reach-out to the right branch/department, and they need it fast.

Imagine having a fire at your neighborhood and nobody knows how to contact the Fire Department. Or someone needing emergency medical attention. Or witnessing a live crime scene. How much time would it take to ask for contact information from Barangay Personnel or search online while not being sure if what you'll get is an updated phone number?

Enter the Grand Project.

It's homepage is, of course, an Announcements Board.

But it also features all the essential contact information.

PLUS: you can just click on which ones you need and it will auto-trigger your preferred communications channel.

Need to call them fast? Click the phone number and your phone will auto-open your dial-er with that number.

Not in a hurry for information? Click on the email address and it will take you to your email app.

How about everyone's main comm's app: Facebook Messenger? It's included in there, too! (provided the department has a dedicated fb page)

And the normal ones being the cause of red tapes and fixers: downloadble forms?
Business License Application/Renewal? Check out the navbar, buddy. It's just a few clicks away.
A check-list for the requirements for applying for Educational Assistance?
All in there, as well.

OH! And speaking of Educational Assistance (or any form of financial assistance requests in the future), there's a cooler feature implemented:
You can view statuses online and receive email updates every time something changes from your request. Isn't that just plain awesome?
***Telegram updates were also in place on a prior version but not everyone uses telegram so, it's disabled/archived for now.

Many more Public Service features will be added with the help of the community's feedback. 😎

Internal, Department-based Views

Aside from those mentioned above for logged-in employees, there are also back-end features that everyone will be thankful for.

Deparment-based redirects & separation.

Of course, every department has its own SOP's (Standard Operating Procedures).
They also need their own file servers with internal accesses only.

Well, that's automatically handled and users are redirected by the web app's back-end logic.

You're plantilla's from the Treasury but you're assigned office is Accounting's? You'll be redirected to the Accounting Department's dashboard after logging-in. That workspace will only be yours and your department-mates'. You won't be able to see other department's dashboards and files unless you've been officially transferred there. (Admins take care of transfers, do not worry.)
That simple.

Other features:

Authentication features (registry and password resets/changes features)
Monthly records of leave credit accruals
Online leave application process (with file uploads & automated deduction process for hr-approved leaves) ---(note for devs: this features a legit, working Leave Mgt System with cron jobs in place, ran in a shared hosting environment)
Social-media-like display of Personal & Employment details (sensitive info hidden from other people peeking at your profile 😉)
...see repo for other notes 😆

(Admin account has immediate access to all employees signed-up on the app. Summaries and links to their profiles are also included for easier navigation. Download buttons per-department or all-employees are also made available for reporting sorted information.)

Everything designed as an Object

Admin UI screenshots:

...or, well, almost everything, I mean. 😅

Sure, I threw in a couple static HTML widgets and textboxes here and there, but the bulk of what you'll see on the site? It's all been carefully built out, thought through a lot, and tweaked over and over until the user experience just feels spot-on. (...aaand the user I was referring to?? ME. 🤣)

Announcements? Full CRUD magic.

Updating the Org Chart personnel? Seamless CRUD control.
Educational assistance requests, user profiles, posts, leaves—you name it!

Admins and model "owners" can manage it all with ease. That's the true elegance of OOP (Object-Oriented Programming) in action.

(Apologies for the jargons, they are programmer terms.)

Others:

Here are a few more screenshots of what I have (that works), so far.

One, which I am very proud of, is removing the need to have accounts for everyone interacting with the web app. I just placed a verification code requirement to be able to modify/update the requests. Code which only the requester should have access to since it will be sent to their email addresses upon request creation.

Educational Assistance Request Page includes three go-to links: Create, update, and request for re-sending access codes required for editing requests.

The form has built-in checkers in place (AJAX-ified).

Updating requests page.

Counterpart of Educational Assistance Request for Employees assigned to MSWD

Updating status of the requests. Requesters will receive email updates to every change saved by LGU employees on their requests.

Statuses for requests and files are also pre-defined so filtering will not be a problem. There's also a record of who-changed-what to impose accountability.

More features and screenshots to be added upon project updates. Stay tuned! 😁

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse