#Japan #Tokyo #Kintone #sougo-career #自治体DX

Saitama Prefecture's Groundbreaking Adoption of kintone

In an unprecedented move for local governments, Saitama Prefecture has fully implemented the kintone platform across its administrative departments. This initiative, which began in June 2024, marks a significant stride towards leveraging no-code tools to improve operational efficiency in government. The company entrusted with operational support for this initiative is the Comprehensive Career Options Co., Ltd., based in Tokyo. Under the leadership of President Kiyoshi Jimbo and Kohta Oizumi, the organization specializes in HR solutions and business process outsourcing (BPO).

Background of Saitama Prefecture's Digital Transformation

Saitama Prefecture recognized the necessity of digital transformation (DX) in enhancing its productivity amidst a declining population and an aging society. The rationale behind adopting kintone was twofold: government operations often require various small-scale systems and applications, and the lengthy time it takes to transition from budget requests to implementation presented significant challenges. Riho Sunakawa from the Planning and Finance Department, who spearheaded this initiative, highlighted the limitations of existing packaged systems to address specific governmental needs. With these unique challenges, the implementation of kintone provides a remarkable solution.

Sunakawa emphasized that kintone's user-friendly interface empowers government employees to create their applications without significant technical barriers, fulfilling the diverse application needs within governmental operations. Furthermore, kintone is recognized for its high security standards, having been registered with ISMAP, which makes it a preferred choice for administrative tasks.

The Role of Private Sector Expertise in Kintone's Implementation

Despite the strong potential that kintone offers, the task of training and supporting the over 10,000 prefectural employees was daunting. Sunakawa noted that the administrative department alone lacked the resources to handle the extensive training and inquiries necessary for such a vast rollout. It was clear that specialized knowledge from private enterprises was essential to facilitate structural reforms beyond just the mere replacement of systems.

To execute this plan, Saitama Prefecture initiated a competitive bidding process for the selection of a partner to provide operational support. By June 2024, Comprehensive Career Options was chosen due to its robust experience in BPO and extensive knowledge regarding the optimal use of kintone.

Comprehensive Support System by Comprehensive Career Options

The operational support activities provided commenced in a phased manner, beginning with the first phase from June 18, 2024, until May 31, 2025, and continuing into the second phase set to conclude in May 2026. Their support encompasses extensive training on no-code tools, regular follow-ups, and query handling. Notably, the establishment of a Q&A application on kintone which employs the platform's comment feature for real-time problem resolution has received particularly high praise.

Furthermore, Comprehensive Career Options has successfully implemented its BPO system, BENSYS, in various governmental operations, demonstrating their ability to customize solutions effectively. They have reported productivity increases of up to 130% since their implementation of kintone in 2019, thereby enhancing both their service delivery and efficiency.

Achievements and Future Directions

The result of these strategic layerings of support has enabled substantial efficiencies in the inquiry-response operations previously burdened with time-consuming processes. For instance, media inquiries concerning press releases, which used to involve cumbersome email exchanges and attached files, have now been streamlined through a unified no-code tool system. This consolidation has resulted in an impressive saving of around 4,500 work hours annually.

Saitama Prefecture’s organizational structure consists of approximately 20 departments and 200 sections, with many actively exploring kintone to enhance their workflows with support from Comprehensive Career Options.

Going forward, the Planning and Finance Department aims to establish a comprehensive cross-department database through diverse tools, ultimately enhancing the quality of services provided to residents. Comprehensive Career Options is committed to continuing their support and sharing insights from this large-scale project to advance digital transformation and productivity across various local government bodies.

Contributions and Collaborations

This initiative not only charts a path for digital transformation in Saitama Prefecture but also sets a precedent for other local governments seeking to implement innovative solutions to their operations to address existing societal challenges.

Interviewee:

Riho Sunakawa, DX Promotion Officer, Planning and Finance Department, Saitama Prefecture

As an advocate for the necessity of DX, Sunakawa's experiences have fueled her dedication to enhancing administrative efficiency, which she pursues passionately through strategic technological implementations.

Contact Information for Business Inquiries:

Comprehensive Career Options Co., Ltd.
Contact: Kamamoto & Hamachi
Inquiry Form: [Link]

Company Profile

Founded in August 2001, Comprehensive Career Options has been pivotal in bridging individuals' career aspirations with companies' staffing challenges through various HR tech solutions, contributing significantly to society’s capacity for meaningful work.