A systems integrator used Actuate and BIRT technology to create an interactive portal for a state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to analyze vehicle safety inspection data. The portal provided real-time dashboards and reports to help managers identify issues and make better decisions. It integrated data from multiple sources and empowered non-technical users to self-serve analysis needs. This improved usability, timeliness of information, and decision making compared to previous dependence on IT developers. The solution was cost-effective and rapid to develop using BIRT frameworks. It drove better performance for vehicle inspections through alerts on delays and metrics to assess operations.

1. Case
Study
BIRT One-stop Portal Drives Performance
for Vehicle Safety Inspections > INDUSTRY
State Government /
“With BIRT, you can integrate data from external sources, such as government, news and weather Systems Integrator
websites to create a mashup application, spanning the spectrum of user needs. This is a State of the
Art application for this type of state program, unique in this domain.” > APPLICATION
Vehicle Safety Inspection
— Business Intelligence Architect
When state and provincial governments need Raw data from emissions testing of vehicle > CHALLENGES
• Decision makers needed
help with their department of motor vehicles inspections and on-board diagnostics from
intuitive charts with drill down
(DMV) safety inspection programs, they look tests each inspector runs flow into the vehicle for analysis
to a systems integrator for solutions, to make inspection database (VID). This gets broken • Reduce dependence on IT devel-
it easy for DMV management and employees down into various tables that reports go opers for reports
to get their metrics, reports and dashboards against, spanning a variety of monthly and • Needed real-time information
portal
in a format they can understand, and easy for quarterly periods, as well as quality assurance
them to digest. information. Each of the reports can address a
> SOLUTION
variety of different metrics, such as how many
One system integrator working with Actuate • BIRT mashboard, iServer, one-
tests were done for a certain type of vehicle stop interactive portal
provides solutions using Actuate and BIRT
over a specified time period, how long did • Triggers alert managers to de-
technology in vehicle inspection programs
each take, lane utilization and throughput, lays, aid corrective action
in four of the top 20 states and provinces in
vehicle wait times and more.
North America, representing over 50 million
> BENEFITS
residents. Department managers at a large state DMV
• Dashboards, metrics show
were especially dependent on IT developers
Challenge to create reports and then supply them
real-time results, drive better
decisions, save money
to the end users. Often the information • BIRT frameworks, libraries save
Flooded with raw data from vehicle safety
produced was not readily apparent or was development time
inspections, state and provincial DMVs face
difficult to understand and analyze. They were • Self-service portal, ad hoc query,
a daunting challenge—organizing and intuitive charts with drill down
looking for more intuitive reports, with data
presenting the data, then slicing and dicing empower users
visualization to help them discern trends in
that into various metrics for users in a timely
the making. And they needed them quickly,
manner to produce actionable information
with access to up-to-the-minute information.
and drive better decision making.

2. Case Study: Vehicle Safety Inspection
State DMV safety inspections are highly Frameworks and libraries were created so
susceptible to bottlenecks, which cost developers and users got up to speed very
taxpayer money and lead to frustration for quickly. Even personnel unfamiliar with
both inspectors and vehicle owners. The Actuate were able to use BIRT, using drag
system needs to inform managers as delays and drop to create reports.
happen. Having alerts and triggers for wait
times that can be identified is critical, so Benefits
corrective action can be taken quickly.
Both the technology integrator and its state
They were looking for a one-stop portal government customers enjoy significant
encompassing a number of key features that benefits from leveraging Actuate and BIRT
would allow users to: technology. These include:
• Create and schedule reports without IT Self-Service Empowers Users
• Access data in near real time (five minutes
A self-service portal, ad hoc query, intuitive
or less)
charts and drill down empower managers
• Create rich, colorful charts to aid
and users, who can view information
understanding and support decision making
in a number of different formats,
• Use parameterization
access scheduled reports and real-time
• Export to PDF and Excel ©
dashboards, email and more. Usability has
• Categorize reports
improved significantly for the state due to
convenience, timeliness and ease of use.
Solution With BIRT, business users can query the
From both a cost and technology actual VID database directly, author their
perspective, Actuate was an excellent fit. own reports, and schedule canned reports
Compared with other BI vendors leveraging themselves. “This was a brand new feature
an open source code base, the integrator for them and has been very helpful. They
and the state would be significantly or don’t need to translate their information
totally dependent on a forum, whereas with needs to IT—they can do it themselves
Actuate there is both strong forum support quickly and easily through the intuitive GUI
as well as award-winning, direct support. environment in BIRT, setting their own filters
and criteria,” explained the BI Architect.
BIRT components were selected for design
and display, with deployment using the Better Decisions, in Real Time
iServer for information delivery from Linux-
Dashboards and metrics show managers
or Solaris-based Oracle vehicle inspection
how their operations are running in real
databases. Initially, about 100 canned reports
time, which drives better decision making
were created for up to 100 users.
and saves money. The BIRT solution delivers
“The customer wanted a portal look and decision makers a superior quality reporting
feel, where users log in to the application, system, with a variety of dashboards and
which presents information by category, KPIs, on daily and hourly measurements.
subdivided by tabs. The Actuate mashboard These are the eyes and ears of how their
application was very convenient for creating system is working, and enables them to
dashboards, has a nice integrated portal… make informed decisions quickly, saving
it is very simple and intuitive to use,” money for the state and ensuring smoother
commented the BI Architect. operation of vehicle inspection facilities.
2

3. Case Study: Vehicle Safety Inspection
The application has brought a lot to the state
government, in how they run their operation
Actuate - the people
and look at their data. With BIRT, they are behind BIRT
able to integrate data from external sources,
such as government, news and weather Actuate founded and co-leads the Eclipse
websites to create a mashup application. BIRT open source project. ActuateOne
is a unified suite of products for rapidly
“We get them real-time information, and developing and deploying BIRT-based
push out the reports with the data they custom Business Intelligence applications
need,” stated the BI Architect. “So as and and information applications. Applications
when needed, we can scale up and add built with ActuateOne provide one user
widgets to create a one-stop shop within the experience regardless of task or skill
application for whatever they need.” level; are supported by one server for any
deployment including cloud and are built
Faster Development, Turnaround
with one BIRT design that can access and
BIRT frameworks and libraries saved a integrate any data source - including high
great deal of development time, and BIRT’s volume print streams. ActuateOne adds rich
intuitive design enables new users to quickly data visualizations, including interactivity,
pick it up. “Any new developer can just look dashboards, analytics, and deployment
at the spec, use drag ‘n drop components, options to web and mobile BIRT applications,
make minor modifications and the report is helping organizations drive revenue through
ready,” stated the BI Architect. higher customer satisfaction and improved
Combined with the rich information operational performance.
environment of BIRT and support for Actuate has over 4,800 customers
a variety of formats that can be emailed globally in a diverse range of business
to managers and users, the integrator areas including financial services and the
was able to deliver a superior look and feel public sector. Founded in 1993, Actuate is
while ensuring they could hit their deadlines headquartered in San Mateo, California,
with confidence. with offices worldwide. Actuate is listed
BIRT and the JavaScript API provide a on NASDAQ under the symbol BIRT. For
very intuitive designer tool that enables more information, visit the company’s web
easy, rapid development, and the ability site at www.actuate.com or visit the BIRT
to produce reports quickly, publish to the community at www.birt-exchange.com.
iServer from inside the BIRT environment,
and check-in and check-out reports.
“This hasn’t happened before for other
vehicle inspection and compliance domains
in other states, so with Actuate, this is a State
of the Art application for this type of state
program, unique in this domain,” stated the
BI Architect.
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