JICA DOLAB PLATFORM IMPLEMENTATION PMO Consulting for Vietnam-Japan Employment Digital Platform

Vietnamese workers seeking employment opportunities in Japan often face fraudulent brokerage practices and illegal service fees. In response to this situation, JICA Vietnam needed to deploy a completely new digital platform (website and mobile applications on iOS and OneDrive), while ensuring direct connections between workers and employers, legal compliance, and effective operation in the context of the merger between the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs. 

This challenge requires a flexible, comprehensive, and effective project management approach to maintain progress, minimize risks, and ensure the quality of the final product.

Activities 1: Vendor Selection & Implementation supervision
Phase 1.1: Requirements Analysis and Detailed Design
Main activities
Business Research and Analysis 

• Interview end users and stakeholders to collect business requirements. 
• Study the existing business processes of the DOLAB database system to ensure continuity and integration. 
• Review Vietnamese legal regulations (circulars, decrees) and JICA compliance requirements. 

System Design 

• Design business process flows optimized for each functional module. 
• Design detailed functions (functional design) that meet user requirements and legal regulations. 
• Design user interface layouts (UI/UX) that are user-friendly and aligned with working culture. 
• Design architecture integrated with existing systems (DOLAB database, the Ministry of Home Affairs Public Service Portal, and other government systems). 

Infrastructure Planning and Budgeting 

• Develop the list of required hardware and technical infrastructure. 
• Prepare a detailed budget for development phases. 
• Plan and estimate infrastructure rental costs (cloud/on-premise) and operational costs. 

Phase 1.2: Vendor Selection and Implementation Supervision
Main activities 

Conduct evaluation and selection of vendors based on technical capability, implementation experience, and ability to comply with legal requirements.
Supervise software development using the V-model (Figure 3) to ensure quality, control risks, and manage changes throughout the project lifecycle.
Coordinate multiple stakeholders, particularly in the context of the ministry merger, to ensure information and decisions are communicated consistently among JICA, the Ministry of Home Affairs, vendors, and end users.
Ensure compliance with Vietnamese and Japanese legal regulations and standardize operational processes. 

Results 

• Detailed design document approved 
• Budget and implementation plan approved 
• Platform successfully deployed and operating stably 

Activities 2: Market research and Post- Trial Run Optimization
Critical Success Factor: Preliminary Research & Continuous Improvement

ABeam conducted comprehensive research on recruitment applications in Vietnam for Japanese market to ensure platform effectiveness: 

Market Research Activities:

• Competitive landscape analysis: Assessed existing Japanese recruitment platforms and applications operating in Vietnam 
• Information gap analysis: Identified gaps between jobseekers' needs and available information sources 
• User behavior study: Analyzed how Vietnamese workers currently access Japan employment information 

Pre- launch User Research:

• Conducted in-depth surveys and interviews with Service Enterprises (SEs) - first user group 
• Gathered valuable insights on platform feasibility and user experience 
• Identified specific improvement areas for optimization 

Five-Point Optimization Framework:

1. Define Improvement Points: Analyzed user feedback to prioritize platform enhancements 
2. System Dissemination: Coordinated initial awareness campaigns to Service Enterprises 
3. Marketing Channel Strategy: Defined effective channels to reach both jobseekers and SEs 
4. Business Process Alignment: Ensured DOLAB-JICA workflows matched SEs' current recruitment processes 
5. Risk Mitigation: Proactively addressed critical post-launch business process issues 

• Preliminary market research on Japanese recruitment applications in Vietnam 
• Legal framework analysis of Vietnamese labor export regulations 
• Data integration strategy connecting legacy government systems with new platform 
• Support platform marketing activities with Service Enterprises. 

Project Management Excellence

• Maintained timeline despite organizational merger 
• Managed change requests minimizing cost and schedule impact 
• Facilitated communication across JICA, Ministry of Home Affairs, vendors, and end-users 

Quality Assurance

• Implemented 8-pillar supervision methodology covering progress, risk, quality, scope, training, and operations 
• Conducted rigorous deliverable reviews 
• Ensured regulatory compliance throughout development 

Platform Status: Successfully launched and operational 
Direct Benefits:

• Workers: Zero intermediary fees, eliminated fraud risk, transparent processes 
• Government: Enhanced oversight, improved labor market data, digital transformation model 
• Employers: Direct access to qualified workers, streamlined recruitment 

Strategic Impact:

• Transformed Vietnam's overseas labor recruitment model 
• Protected vulnerable workers from exploitation 
• Established benchmark for Vietnam-Japan digital cooperation 
• Created foundation for platform expansion to additional countries 

1. Preliminary Research: Deep understanding of existing recruitment application landscape in Vietnam informed platform design and differentiation strategy 
2. User-Centric Approach: Continuous feedback gathering from Service Enterprises ensured platform met real business needs 
3. Adaptive Governance: Flexible project structure navigated ministry merger without derailing timeline 
4. Systematic Methodology: 8-pillar framework ensured comprehensive oversight across all critical areas 
5. Post-Launch Focus: Proactive optimization based on actual user experience ensured long-term platform sustainability 

Result: An operational platform protecting Vietnamese workers through direct employer access, informed by rigorous market research and optimized through systematic post-launch refinement.