> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://otakusolutions.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting Started

> How to use the Montgomery Civic Hub — from choosing your portal to asking your first question.

## Step 1: Visit the Civic Hub

Go to the Montgomery Civic Hub at [montgomery-civic-hub.vercel.app](https://montgomery-civic-hub.vercel.app). You'll land on the homepage with an overview of all six portals.

No account or login required — the platform is free and open to everyone.

## Step 2: Choose Your Portal

Click on the portal that matches your needs:

| If you are...                                                | Choose                | Route         |
| ------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------- | ------------- |
| A Montgomery resident with questions about your neighborhood | **Resident Portal**   | `/resident`   |
| A business owner or entrepreneur                             | **Business Portal**   | `/business`   |
| A city employee or government staff                          | **City Staff Portal** | `/citystaff`  |
| A researcher, journalist, or analyst                         | **Researcher Portal** | `/researcher` |
| A department head, mayor's office, or city leadership        | **Executive Portal**  | `/executive`  |
| A data analyst or planner wanting cross-district insights    | **Insights Portal**   | `/insights`   |

<Tip>
  Not sure which portal to use? The **Resident Portal** is the best starting point for general questions about Montgomery. You can switch portals at any time.
</Tip>

## Step 3: Explore the Dashboard

<Frame caption="The Resident Portal dashboard — AI chat on the left, interactive data views on the right.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/otakusolutions/FOF9Ash-8JM0rAsn/images/resident-dashboard.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=FOF9Ash-8JM0rAsn&q=85&s=723329c8b170657b17d2fb2766985129" alt="Resident Portal dashboard" width="1440" height="900" data-path="images/resident-dashboard.png" />
</Frame>

Each portal gives you a two-panel layout:

* **Left panel** — AI Chat (ask questions in plain English)
* **Right panel** — Data views (Map, Table, or Chart tabs)

The data panel has three tabs you can switch between:

* **Map** — Interactive map with color-coded data points
* **Table** — Sortable, filterable data table
* **Chart** — Trend visualizations

Many portals also have **dedicated sub-pages** accessible from the navigation bar. These provide specialized views like live newsfeeds, staffing dashboards, vacant land explorers, civil rights heritage maps, and more.

## Step 4: Ask a Question

Type any question into the chat. The AI assistant will:

1. Query Montgomery's ArcGIS datasets for structured data
2. Search the web for additional context when needed
3. Return a clear, data-backed answer
4. Optionally control the dashboard to show you relevant data visually

### Example Questions by Portal

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Resident Portal">
    * "What is the flood zone for 100 Dexter Ave?"
    * "When is my garbage pickup?"
    * "How many open 311 requests are in District 5?"
    * "Where are the community centers near downtown?"
    * "Show me the latest news about Montgomery infrastructure"
    * "What are the emergency contacts for my district?"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Business Portal">
    * "What permits are active near downtown Montgomery?"
    * "How many new business licenses were issued this year?"
    * "What's the zoning for parcels on Eastern Blvd?"
    * "Show me available vacant land in Capitol Heights"
    * "What city-owned properties are available for development?"
    * "Suggest reuse ideas for vacant parcels near downtown"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="City Staff Portal">
    * "Give me an executive briefing on District 3 paving projects"
    * "What's the 311 request trend this quarter vs last?"
    * "How many open code violations are in each district?"
    * "Show pavement assessment scores for major corridors"
    * "Generate a staffing report for the MPD"
    * "What's the 911 center vacancy rate?"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Researcher Portal">
    * "What's the spatial distribution of code violations by census tract?"
    * "Show business license activity trends from 2018-2024"
    * "Fly to the Rosa Parks Museum on the map"
    * "What civil rights landmarks are in Montgomery?"
    * "Show me the demographics breakdown by district"
    * "Compare pre and post-pandemic permit activity"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Executive Portal">
    * "Generate a morning briefing"
    * "Give me a detailed briefing with all metrics"
    * "What alerts need my attention today?"
    * "How are districts comparing on service delivery?"
    * "Show me the public safety pulse"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Insights Portal">
    * "Switch to the equity analysis tab"
    * "Show me the scorecard for District 4"
    * "Generate a data story about service equity"
    * "What are the trending metrics this quarter?"
    * "Compare 311 response rates across districts"
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Step 5: Interact with the Data

The AI can control the dashboard for you. Depending on the portal, it may:

* Switch to the Map, Table, or Chart tab automatically
* Toggle map layers on or off
* Adjust the year filter range
* Show or hide council district boundaries
* Navigate to portal sub-pages
* Generate reports and briefings
* Filter data by neighborhood, status, or category
* Fly to specific landmarks on the map
* Switch between dashboard sections and tabs

You can also control everything manually using the tabs and filters in the data panel.

## Take a Tour

Each portal includes a guided onboarding tour. Look for the **"Take a Tour"** button to get a walkthrough of all features.

<Card title="Explore Portal Guides" icon="compass" href="/portals/resident">
  Dive deeper into what each portal offers.
</Card>