Digital transformation in space management: AI solutions Istrian Development Agency with the support of EDIH Adria

Challenges

The key role of IDA is to provide financial support, education, management of entrepreneurial infrastructure and support to entrepreneurs and citizens through various channels and projects. Inquiries and the provision of IDA services are carried out mainly by e-mail and telephone conversations, which is now less and less adequate given the growth of user needs, especially in the evenings, weekends and holidays, with limited human capacities. For this reason, it was found that there is a need to introduce digitalisation, automate and improve the process of communication and service provision.

Solution

Through the “Test Before Invest” (TBI) programme and with the professional support of EDIH Adria consortium, IDA tested the potential use of artificial intelligence (AI) i.e. chatbots in order to solve these problems. The aim was to test whether chatbots, which would act as IDA's digital virtual assistants , could be applied to respond to typical user queries and to automate the space booking process at the Coworking Centre Pula with the aim of relieving employees of routine and repetitive tasks and increasing the availability of services.

As part of the TBI activity, two chatbot prototypes were tested:

1. Chatbot to generate answers to the most common user questions
2. Chatbot for booking space in the Coworking Center

Both prototypes are based on LLM (Large Language Model) technology. The goal of developing the first chatbot was to generate answers to the most common user questions such as information about educations and services, while the goal of developing the second chatbot was to automate bookings of agency space. Prototype solutions are created as application web services, which could be easily integrated into existing business processes and it would be possible to upgrade them with new functionalities depending on the needs of the agency or new user groups.

The prototype of the first solution is based on the Infobip commercial platform, while the second solution was developed on the Streamlit platform. Both solutions have an intuitive and simple user interface available through WhatsApp, a web browser. The systems use the Infobip platform, and the OpenAI GPT-4o-mini model, which enables the processing and generation of natural language in the Croatian language, and the system itself is integrated with a customized database of the most common and most important user queries in the interaction of users with IDA.

Video: Infobip chatbot to generate answers to the most common user questions

 Video: UNIPU chatbot for booking agency spatial resources

Results and Benefits

Tests conducted at IDA have shown significant potential of AI technologies to improve space management, enabling:

• Increased efficiency: Automated customer support allows users to ask questions related to services in natural language, and chatbot quickly generates accurate answers
• Improved accuracy and consistency: The use of AI models significantly reduces the possibility of human error or omission when booking space.
• Better resource allocation: Employees can direct their time to other tasks, instead of answering the same queries or repetitive actions, that is, reducing the administrative burden on employees and increasing productivity.
• Adaptability and system upgradeability: The database and AI model can be continuously updated and adapted to new information and user needs.
• Multilingualism: both solutions can be easily implemented in multilingual variants

Lessons learned

During the TBI phase, key insights for successful implementation were identified:

• Data quality and relevance: For optimal results, it was crucial to train the model on a pre-prepared knowledge base and test data provided by the IDA.
• Combined approach: Using two chatbots provides an overall solution – the ability to respond to queries and book space
• User interface: It is necessary to develop an intuitive interface that allows easy use of the system and interpretation of the results by the user without advanced technical knowledge.

Estimated effects of implementation

Based on prototype testing and analysis of existing processes, it is estimated that the full implementation of the AI system could significantly improve the processes of communication and provision of IDA services. The system would significantly reduce the administrative burden on employees, that is, it would reduce the need to respond to the same inquiries and perform repetitive simple tasks, which would enable employees to be more productive in performing other tasks, while users would be able to provide the desired information and services faster, easier and more accessible. Furthermore, it would also reduce the possibility of omissions or possible errors when booking the agency's premises, which would also provide users with more security when booking.

Conclusion

The “Test Before Invest” project carried out at IDA has successfully demonstrated that the use of AI to automate and streamline the process of communication and service provision is a very powerful solution and certainly needs to be considered. Acquired insights and developed prototype solutions provide a solid basis for making informed decisions about procurement and implementation of complete commercial solutions. EDIH Adria continues to support IDA and other SMEs as well as local self-government units (LGUs) in their digital transformation efforts, helping them to reap the benefits of advanced technologies for a more efficient, transparent and sustainable management of their resources.