With a vision to deliver a transformative solution that would optimize their client’s permitting process, Quiddity Engineering turned to their long-time managed IT service provider, XPERTECHS, to develop a custom solution, leading to greater efficiency, transparency, and improved client experiences.

Among its many services, Quiddity manages the full life cycle of the permitting process for several drainage districts, including the Brookshire-Katy Drainage District (BKDD). BKDD, located west of Houston, is responsible for issuing a wide range of permits crucial for managing water resources and mitigating flood risks in their community. Each type of permit involves a detailed process to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, which helps manage water runoff, prevent flooding, and protect the public’s health, safety, welfare, and the environment.

Manual Process Faces Challenges with An Influx of Applications

When Quiddity started providing permitting services to this District, they only received a few applications a year. As the area continued to develop, those numbers increased substantially, overwhelming the manual processes in place.

As the Program Manager for BKDD, Quiddity witnessed firsthand the strain that manual permitting processes put on the District’s resources.

Rod Pinheiro, Vice President at Quiddity, explained, “Before the new team took over, there was very little technology involved. We began by enhancing our Excel tracking sheet, but it remained a manual process.”

The increasing volume of permit applications was taking time away from bigger District goals and putting strain on their staff. Quiddity knew they needed a solution that would allow BKDD to “do more with less,” but off-the-shelf software solutions fell short of their specific needs.

Innovative Technological Solution Leads to Successful Business Process Automation

Recognizing the limitations of standard permitting software, Quiddity began exploring more flexible options. The breakthrough came unexpectedly when Rod observed a business process automation that XPERTECHS had implemented for another Quiddity project.

“When I saw the automation in action, I instantly recognized the potential to apply the same technology to the permitting process we were struggling with,” Rod recalled.

This realization sparked a collaborative effort between Quiddity and XPERTECHS to create a tailored solution.

Rod brought the idea to Mike Mellott, President at XPERTECHS, and they began brainstorming. Mike then engaged the XPERTECHS automation team, and together, they worked closely with Quiddity to build a technology that would dramatically improve the process.

“It was pretty intense work because you must have all the details figured out,” explained Rod. “You need to understand how a permit application is going to move from A to B to C to D; then how it’s going to come back to A, and now it doesn’t go to B from A, it goes to C – and so on.”

Collaboration Transforms Initial Vision Into Viable Solution

The journey from the initial vision to a viable solution included many hours of work. Nailing down the specific workflows was the most time-consuming part of the design process. Workflows changed along the way as the combined Quiddity and XPERTECHS teams optimized capabilities, worked around limitations, and incorporated client feedback.

“I cannot say enough good things about Mike Mellott and the XPERTECHS Team,” said Rod. “They were amazing to work and collaborate with. I learned a lot along the way.”

Once the automation was complete, the Quiddity Marketing Team took it to the next level, giving the interface a more professional look and feel to provide an even better user experience.

Key Outcomes: Efficiency, Transparency, and Improved Client Experiences

The collaborative effort between Quiddity and XPERTECHS resulted in a transformative solution for BKDD. With the new technology operational, the applicants have expressed a significantly improved and positive experience with the BKDD permitting process. Every applicant has access to a customized dashboard in the permitting portal, allowing them to communicate and easily track the status of their applications in real time.

Not only has the permitting process become transparent, but it has also become significantly more efficient to manage, leading to cost savings for BKDD as the Quiddity team now requires fewer staff hours to administer the permitting process.

“The list of outcomes is long, but here are my top three,” said Rod. “Number one is transparency, with instant information availability, enhanced visibility, improved communication, and accountability for everyone involved. Number two is significant efficiency gains. Number three is customer satisfaction; as an applicant, you can clearly understand what you need to do, know where you are in the process, and have all this live information at your fingertips. We would be unable to operate efficiently today without this technology and process improvement.”

Building on Success with the XPERTECHS Team

The success of this project has opened new possibilities for both Quiddity and XPERTECHS. Quiddity is already exploring additional ways to leverage automation to improve efficiencies and enhance the experience for both staff and clients.

This complex transition from a manual process to a fully digital system demonstrates how the right technology partner can help organizations like Quiddity turn operational challenges into opportunities for their clients.

“We couldn’t have partnered with anybody better than XPERTECHS,” said Rod. “They went above and beyond to make things happen, providing all the support we needed and meeting all our needs and expectations.”

About Quiddity Engineering:

Quiddity is an award-winning, full-service civil engineering, planning, surveying, and consulting firm. With more than 500 employees in 10 offices across Texas. Our team is organized around 11 services that support nearly 20 public and private market sectors. Our mission is simple – enhance lives through engineering excellence. Whether it’s designing a new master-planned community, delivering a new wastewater treatment plant, or solving traffic issues, we strive to improve the communities where we live and work. Quiddity was established in 1976 with core values – quality, collaboration, accountability, respect, and ethical behavior – that continue to drive our firm and inspire our people to this day. Remaining true to this vision has helped our team be consistently voted a Top Workplace and an Engineering News-Record Top 500 National Firm. https://quiddity.com/