- Organisation type
- Public administration at local level
- Use case area
- Government and public sector
- Geographic scope
- Denmark
- Domain
- Governance and implementation
Challenge:
The municipality of Norddjurs, Denmark, faced considerable challenges in efficiently managing and processing incoming emails, which often resulted in delays in case handling and administrative inefficiencies. While existing systems incorporate some automation, they lack the sophistication needed to accurately and promptly direct emails to the appropriate recipients. This limitation caused bottlenecks in workflow and reduces the overall effectiveness of municipal services.
Approach:
To address this, the development of "Smartmail," an AI-based email sorting solution, was initiated. Using AI, Smartmail analyses the content of incoming emails to identify the most suitable recipient within the municipality. Smartmail utilises the historical distribution of mails in an automatic Machine Learning system for the distribution of newly received mails. Mails that can be distributed with high reliability by the application are distributed, while the rest are sent for manual processing, or alternatively processed with rules. In this way, only a fraction of all emails must be processed by staff. The system continuously learns based on new data to become better at the task. This ensures that emails are accurately and efficiently routed, reducing administrative delays. The solution was initially tested between 2019 and 2021 in Norddjurs and three other municipalities, during which the algorithm was refined to enhance accuracy in email classification and routing. The project also involved collaboration with the OS2 Open-Source digitalisation community, a public sector initiative that supports the creation of shared digital tools. This partnership facilitated the development of an open-source framework, making it easier for other municipalities to integrate and customise the Smartmail system.
Outcomes:
The implementation of Smartmail has led to significant improvements in email management, achieving over 90% accuracy in routing emails to the correct recipient. This has substantially reduced case handling times, increased efficiency, and enhanced transparency in municipal processes, providing a more streamlined and responsive public service.
Data Sources:
The data sources include historical distribution of emails, recipient information database, case management systems, and other local email data.
Additional information:
- https://digst.dk/kunstig-intelligens/signaturprojekter/
- https://www.os2.eu/smartmail
- https://www.kl.dk/videncenter/viden-og-vaerktoejer/ai/signaturprojekter-og-indsatser#smartmail-intelligent-haandtering-af-mails-63
- https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/13643494/nye-signaturprojekter-i-midtjylland-skal-udforske-potentialet-i-kunstig-intelligens?publisherId=13560587
- https://www.droidsagency.com/smartmail
Point of contact:
- kac
norddjurs [dot] dk (kac[at]norddjurs[dot]dk)