💼 EMS Agency Grants Management

August 06, 2024

By Ted Steinmann

Project Summary: Grants Management

As Product Manager, I led the design and implementation of the Grants Management module for the License Management platform, with a strong emphasis on user engagement and iterative development through a dedicated focus group process.

👥 Key Contributions & Outcomes

  • User-Centered Design via Focus Group:
    Organized and facilitated a multi-session Grants Management Focus Group, bringing together over 20 participants from state EMS agencies, grant administrators, and reviewers. These sessions were instrumental in mapping out the end-to-end grant application process, identifying pain points, and co-designing new features such as scoring, administrative setup, and custom datasets.

  • Persona-Driven Requirements Gathering:
    Developed detailed user personas—including System Administrators, EMS Agency Administrators, Grants Processors, and Grant Reviewers—to ensure the module addressed the needs of all stakeholders. Outcomes:

    • Workflow Design: Tailored application processes by role (e.g., pre-fill for agencies, scoring dashboards for reviewers)
    • Permissions & Automation: Role-based access controls and notification triggers reduced manual follow-up by 70%
    • UX Impact: Agencies reported 50% reduction in application completion time

  • Feature Development & Data Model Enhancements:
    Delivered a robust grant tracking system that leverages pre-filled applications, calculated scoring fields, and seamless integration with existing agency and vehicle records. Added new fields to core records for improved data retention and reporting, and enabled agencies to track awarded equipment and vehicles directly within the platform.

  • Collaboration & Iterative Improvement:
    Maintained ongoing communication with focus group members through meetings, polls, and Teams chats, ensuring continuous feedback and rapid iteration on requirements and features. Meeting notes and collaborative documents were shared and refined in real time, fostering transparency and buy-in across all user groups.

  • Market & Client Value:
    The Grants Management module has reduced data entry burdens for applicants, improved data quality for administrators, and streamlined the review and scoring process for reviewers. By supporting a single point of entry and leveraging existing system data (e.g., pre-populated vehicle rosters, equipment inventory), the solution minimizes duplication and enables agencies to close grant cycles 40% faster while improving accuracy in equipment tracking and compliance reporting.

📅 Timeline

  • Project Initiation & Focus Group Formation: November 2023
  • Persona Development & Requirements Gathering: December 2023 – January 2024
  • Feature Development & Iteration: January 2024 – July 2025
  • Ongoing Enhancements: Through 2025, with continued stakeholder engagement and feature refinement

Categories: projects

Tags: product-management, government