Acuavalle

A communication channel exclusively for the urbanizing ally.

The context

ACUAVALLE S.A. E.S.P is a public sector company that provides water, collection, and sewage services. Currently, the company provides aqueduct and sewer services in 33 municipalities in the Valle del Cauca region of Colombia and has 717,054 domestic users.

Likewise, the company provides aqueduct and sewer services to urban developers, who are legally responsible for building the necessary local or secondary networks for the execution of urban projects and the effective provision of aqueduct and sewer services. In these cases, ACUAVALLE S.A. E.S.P is required to conduct technical supervision of the execution of these projects.

The challenge

In order to manage urban development projects, Acuavalle had an on site service channel (P.A.U) where requests from urban developers were addressed. Among other things, developers had to make multiple trips to Acuavalle’s offices during the project to make payments and submit documents. The process was time-consuming, and all documentation had to be scanned for storage on the company’s servers.

The Solution

Develop a web application that optimizes operational resources, streamlines the required procedures, and consolidates process documentation for clients in the cloud.

This new channel should provide the customers in the construction sector with differentiated attention during its urban development project processes.

How did we do it?

1 Scope Preparation
The first step before diving into the process was to focus on the long-term vision that Acuavalle had for this product. During this phase, we held several meetings where we spoke with the project coordinator and gained firsthand knowledge of the issue. We gathered all the necessary information to size up and prevent obstacles in the following phases, and we developed the project brief.
2 Product Rationale and Technological Scope
In the following weeks, several working sessions were scheduled with all company departments involved in the urban development projects process. From these meetings, the process was transformed and redesigned for the digital channel. Simultaneously, with the provided information, the definitive list of user stories and the necessary functionalities were created to draw initial conclusions in a Proof of Concept (POC). Alongside the meetings, our UX/UI team and the software architect prioritized addressing all the questions that arose during the preparation of the technological scope and developed a memorandum with project specifications.
3 Prototype
A prototype was developed to simulate the platform’s journey and interaction. The experience with the prototype was very similar to what would be expected with the final product. This phase was suitable for testing the information architecture, UX, and presenting a tangible progress of the product to all those involved in the project.
4 Development and Testing
Having obtained approval for the prototype and technological specifications of the project, we proceeded to develop the tool using agile methodologies. Once the tool was completed, a dedicated QA team conducted thorough testing to ensure that the tool was in optimal condition for its launch.

Key features

User information is protected by a login.
The platform has registration forms, login, and account recovery options.
Navigation bar with direct access to projects, notifications, settings, and support resources.
Video tutorial that teaches users how to use the platform.
Notification module where the user is informed about the progress of their projects.
Direct access to platforms for invoice consultation and online payments.
Data update module where users can modify their registration information.
Projects indexed by consecutive numbers, associated with a contract to identify the corresponding invoice.
Tracking area where users can view in real time which step of the process their project is in.
Project creation form that adapts to the needs of each construction company.
Document attachment module for projects.
Search filter by keyword and status to quickly find projects.
Project list with status, date, and notification alert.

Demo day

The project concluded with an event designed to communicate to the construction ally the improvements in the new service and the benefits they now have in managing their projects through the platform.

The event was attended by:

The Results

The company's digital communication channels were strengthened.

Administrative and commercial processes were systematized and integrated for internal and external clients.

Electronic billing for these services was ensured, reducing unidentified payments.

With the improvements identified in the new workflow, the platform guarantees the correct installation of micro and macro measurement.

The platform provides greater commercial, financial, and operational traceability for different construction projects.

The development allows the consolidation of databases for projects, construction companies, and requests for viability and feasibility.