STORIES & SOLUTIONS FOR THE MODERN BUSINESS USER

Between offices closing, switching to remote work, and the lack of a daily commute, so much of our lives was put on pause during the pandemic. Many state and local government organizations also put transformation initiatives on the back burner as they worked to adjust to a remote world and keep their employees, students, and citizens safe. Like the private sector, government organizations had to pivot overnight amid the struggle of outdated and inflexible technology.

Confidently executing towards a desired outcome can be full of noise – especially when assumptions and guesswork cloud the way. Often, people make decisions based on gut reactions, which isn’t always a bad thing, because when built on experience and exposure, guts can offer a foundation for decision-making. However, when individuals overweigh their perspectives and overlook human bias, faulty rationale can derail progress.

The process of embarking on a digital transformation can be daunting, and choosing the right partner is an important task that can make or break a project. Using contract vehicles, public sector organizations can streamline the procurement process to find partners that are vetted, understand the needs of public sector organizations, and are ready to partner for success. Here are three ways contract vehicles save time and money.

Changing student expectations are driving the need for transformation in higher education, yet the majority of colleges and universities are working with legacy systems that are 20 years old or older. Students today want to be able to register for classes, see their degree progress, pay their bill, accept their financial aid and many other critical student experience tasks using their mobile device.

You may be wondering, “what do dolphins and whales have to do with data and analytics?” Academic David Feeny first made the comparison between dolphins and whales with business by explaining that dolphins surface frequently to take short breaths and maintain contact with the rest of the pod. Whales on the other hand stay submerged for longer, meaning when they need to take a breath it takes more effort and is longer. Dolphins, not whales, set the example for sustaining change.

Higher ed has a greater share of older workers than other industries. The median age for higher education staff is 45, above the U.S. workforce average of 42. As baby boomers approach retirement age and exit the workforce in the coming decade, they will be followed by Generation X — a much smaller generation. At the same time, by 2030, it is expected that nearly one in five workers will be over the age of 65. As workers continue toward retirement, it can create challenges in the IT department as knowledge leaves the institution. For individuals who stay, it creates a training need for people to learn new systems and processes and adapt to change.

As every pilot knows, preflight checklists are essential, and when performed properly, everyone benefits. They help pilots plan and ensure safety and success. They help crew and passengers have a seamless and safe experience. For ERP implementations, a preflight checklist can ensure the right system is selected and that the organization is prepared for implementation and sustainable success. A pre-implementation checklist provides informed insight, action items and necessary steps for different teams in the organization.

The Avaap Higher Education team was thrilled to be back at the Ohio Higher Education Computing Council (OHECC) Annual Conference this year! After a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, it was great to see Ohio higher education leaders in person again. This year’s conference focused on transforming for the future, with the use of technology on campus and the impact it has on student success dominating discussions.

The last two years have been filled with disruption and change, requiring organizations in all industries to quickly pivot and adapt to changing employee and consumer needs. When uncertainty is the only certainty, organizations must rethink how they build community, strengthen relationships, coach and mentor, and reinforce shared purpose and culture.

In our last blog post, we covered what is CISOM and why you should care. In this post we will look at how a hospital or health system advances through the eight-stage model. When your hospital decides to start the CISOM journey, they can partner with a HIMSS Analytics certified partner for support of the process and to create a roadmap for outcomes improvement.