SARTA
A high-tech method for measuring high tech growth.
In line with its mission to foster high tech entrepreneurial growth and attract private investment capital to the region, SARTA has developed an innovative tool, called the SARTA Technology Index™, to monitor the health and status of Sacramento's technology sector. Just as the S&P 500 acts as a bellwether for corporate America, the SARTA Technology Index is a barometer for how technology companies in the greater Sacramento region are performing.
Challenge
While there are several national and international indices of technology companies, the SARTA Technology is one of the first—if not THE first—regional index, covering both public and private technology companies based in the greater Sacramento area.
Developing such an index can be tricky business. The numerical value of the SARTA Technology Index is based on a proprietary formula that tracks several financial metrics for the participating companies. It requires an extremely efficient method for collecting and presenting accurate data.
SARTA, which developed the index in-house, was tracking and calculating it on a quarterly basis. However, the process for gathering information from each participating company and entering into the index for analysis was very labor intensive--a manual activity that was both time-consuming and error-prone.
Solution
Realizing the need for a more streamlined, automated process, SARTA engaged Blue River to build a Web-based solution that eliminates virtually all manual intervention. In addition to offering SARTA valuable strategic planning and project management, Blue River provided the technical expertise and programming skills to develop a bullet-proof application.
The new system enables SARTA to quickly gather company information, calculate index values, and create accurate reports.
Results
Since implementing the new online tool from Blue River, SARTA estimates the total time spent tracking and calculating the Index has dropped approximately 90 percent, freeing up valuable time to focus on its mssion toward increasing awareness of the greater Sacramento region's appeal to technology companies.
Project Details
Blue River Services: Strategy, Project Management, Database Development, Programming, Quality Assurance
Technology: Cold Fusion, XML, SQL Server, Java