Insights

In this article, Van concludes his interview with Anthony Humphreys, a higher ed tech veteran and current President of BlackBeltHelp. They explore the intricacies of how integration of AI and automation in higher education administration is not just about embracing the latest trends, but is a strategic move that holds the potential to transform the very core of how institutions function.

In this article, Van continues his interview with Anthony Humphreys, a higher ed tech veteran and current President of BlackBeltHelp. Drawing insights from his expertise in education technology, Humphreys sheds light on these significant changes and what to expect in the future. They examine how the pandemic has revolutionized online learning and delve into factors contributing to this shift, including the necessity arising from the pandemic itself and the evolving demographics of the student population.

AI is playing an increasingly prominent role in higher education. Among its many applications, AI-powered technologies like chatbots are revolutionizing student services by providing personalized support and streamlining administrative processes. However, it is essential to strike a balance between leveraging new technologies and maintaining the personal connection between students and institutions. In this article, we interview Anthony Humphreys, a higher ed tech veteran and current President of BlackBeltHelp, the leader in artificial intelligence and predictive analytics-powered solutions for higher education.

In the third and last part of our series on remote work, we discuss benefits and management best practices for remote workers. With no “one size fits all,” this article lays a baseline for best practices when managing remote workers, but first reviews the advantages to opening your company up to this type of work environment.

In the second of our three-part series, we discuss best practices for managing remote work in an organization. While many remote enjoy the benefits, others struggle to find balance, comradery, and mentorship. Looking at Individual, Team, and Social workspaces discussed in this previous article, we discuss setting a solid foundation based on best practices to create a cohesive remote environment.

In the first of a three-part series on managing remote teams we introduce the concept of the "four remote working spaces" covering the individual, team, leader, and social life.

Even high-ticket B2B buyers today don’t want to have to visit or pick up the phone to purchase or obtain a quote. They are also not always at their desktop, so having access at their fingertips to do this part of the job just makes sense. They expect to be able to pull up your company website or mobile app from their smart device and have an Amazon-like experience, but buyers often report anything but that on B2B sites. Where the online purchase experience is often an afterthought, we find room for improvement and innovation, and those manufacturers that have a sound mobile commerce strategy are positioned perfectly to gain a competitive edge in today’s mobile-first market.

In this third of our three part series on digital government transformation we explore the people side of making change. With the Biden administration’s executive order on Customer Experience (CX) beginning to take effect in federal priorities, managing organizational change within bureaucracies is becoming increasingly important while simultaneously remaining the most difficult aspect of transformation.

Leading manufacturers have stepped outside their comfort zone in the past decade expanding their sales channels to include eCommerce. AI offers the opportunity to optimize the customer experience, address supply chain issues, and meet customers where and when they are.

In this second of our three part series in digital government transformation we explore the challenges government faces in maintaining, upgrading, and replacing legacy systems.

The pharmaceutical industry has been changing rapidly over the past 20 years, and that change has been accelerated due to COVID-19. With the rise of information technology, pharmaceutical treatments are being developed faster, cheaper, and more personalized. In this Insight, we interviewed Dominique Côté, founder of pharmaceutical consultancy Cosawi, to discuss the current transformation efforts underway and where the industry is headed.

In this three part Insight, we discuss the opportunities and challenges large organizations face when undertaking large digital transformations. In part one, we examine the Department of Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Record modernization effort. Upon a 12 week review of the program by Secretary McDonough, we unpack the issues related to coordination, communication, and training, as well as possible solutions to the challenges for future engagements.

Over a year ago one of our clients and a leader in the hospitality industry, Scott Hansen, guest wrote our first blog article offering his insights and predictions on how the Covid crisis would impact the hotel industry. Since then, we’ve learned much more about how the pandemic impacts various industries. We asked Scott to sit down with us and offer his insights again with a year of experience to draw upon.

Remote working is here to stay for millions of people, especially for Millennials and Gen Z. Being physically distant from their office allows for greater flexibility, but also can diminish employee interaction and development. In this Insight, Business Development Strategist and Education Services Manager, Jake Hannigan, offers advice on how to effectively mentor remote workers.

June this year represents not only LGBTQ Pride month, but also a year since the world responded to the murder of George Floyd in the form of civic engagement, protest, and in many cases new awareness and initiatives around diversity and inclusion in some of the world’s largest organizations. Like many companies, a year ago we issued our BLM statement and tried to better understand what role we could play to further racial equity. Now, we reflect on our effectiveness and what we can do to maintain momentum a year after the statements were made. For this Insight, we interviewed an expert on the topic, Ed Simon, to continue learning how companies can meaningfully become more inclusive beyond statements of support.

Committees in higher education are intended to improve outcomes and foster accountability through shared governance. At their best, committees empower faculty and improve learning outcomes for students. Unfortunately, due to a lack of standards and guidelines, committees often do not live up to their potential and can even be a hindrance to educating and governing. In this Insight, Education Associates, Jacob Dolence and Karen Yoshino, and Education Services Manager, Jake Hannigan, discuss the challenges of committee work and outline how to make committees live up to their potential.

As the challenges faced by higher education continue to evolve at an ever rapid pace, institutions must add and update curriculum to remain competitive. Yet the current curriculum approval process inhibits how fast curriculums can adapt, and consequently, prevents institutions from rapidly adapting. In this Insight, Education Services Manager, Jake Hannigan, and Education Associates Jacob Dolence and Karen Yoshino discuss what is wrong with the current curriculum approval process and what can be done to improve it.

In 2020, organizations made rush investments into their digital infrastructure in the wake of COVID-19. The end of the pandemic is finally in sight, but the need for quality digital infrastructure will remain. In this Insight, Program Director for Van Allen Strategies, Namita Duggal and Business Development Strategist, Jake Hannigan, discuss how organizations should leverage their investments into digital infrastructure post COVID-19.

Diagnostic testing on mobile devices is leading to a new revolution in healthcare. In this Insight, we discuss how big data is shaping the next evolution in healthcare, and how artificial intelligence can be leveraged to improve outcomes. Mobile phones are one of the fastest growing sectors in the technology industry. And this growth continues to significantly impact medicine. From using the smartphone’s GPS tracker to monitor patients with Alzheimer’s disease to using smartphones connected via Bluetooth to a single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) device. Technology is being used to provide diagnostics in the field, thereby improving patients' health and reducing healthcare costs. Thanks to the ability for add-ons and apps, smartphones with their small screens, camera, sensors, flash and microphone have turned into medical devices.

The United States was once the undisputed leader in the future of commerce. However, it is now China that is taking the lead in the next wave of innovation in e-commerce. In this Insight we discuss how business owners can take lessons learned from China and the US to improve their competitiveness in the new frontier of commerce.

The recent increase in value of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have led to continued speculations about its stability, and the extent to which its recent meteoric price increases reflect speculation vs. its role as a transactional currency. In a one month period leading up to this publication, Bitcoin dropped 25% in value then increased 50%. Over the same period, Dogecoin, originally invented as a joke, was caught up in price fluctuations that also impacted stock prices. But over recent years companies have adopted cryptocurrency for uses beyond speculative investment.

The year 2020 will be remembered as a year of massive change for companies and individuals. In this post, we discuss what we as a company learned from the past year and how these lessons can be applied to work moving forward.

Stay at home orders due to COVID-19 have forced humanity to depend on the internet like never before. But for billions of people around the world, partially in developing countries, internet access remains elusive, starving those in need of its resources and opportunities. For those fortunate enough to have access, slow broadband and cybersecurity threats have diminished the promise of the internet. In this insight, Program Director for Van Allen Strategies, Namita Duggal and Business Development Strategist, Jake Hannigan, discuss how the US can improve access to broadband and increase cyber security.

As the world continues to change at a breakneck speed, those who thrive in the 21st century are those who are able quickly adapt to changing and unpredictable circumstances. In this insight, Education Services Manager, Jake Hannigan discusses how community colleges are uniquely suited to be a cornerstone to economic recovery and future workforce development.

It has been many months since COVID-19 spread across the world and taken hold of our lives. How much longer the pandemic will linger continues to be an open question. While it is clear that the world will be forever changed, it is unclear how that change will manifest itself. So what is the world to do when the ‘new normal’ is prolonged uncertainty? In this insight, we explore ways for individuals and organizations to continue living and growing in a time of uncertainty.

In this Insight, Agile veteran Tim Streightiff offers lessons, experience, and advice for transitioning teams from traditional Waterfall software development approaches to Agile. Tim discusses how to not only establish the right metrics in the context of this transition, but also inspire and empower a team to thrive in an Agile environment.

We know that Spring 2020 led to frustration with the shift to online courses. What would be the student experience if Agile practices had been implemented and were in place when the pandemic hit? Agile methodology has spread from software development to all types of organizations. This blog post further explores the application of Agile methodology in managing change for higher education.

In the first of a three-part series on sales strategy, guest author Chuck Coveleski discusses adapting your sales strategy to current times. In this post, Chuck talks about the value of a healthy sales culture and how to create a sustainable one within your company.

The disruption of 2020 has been extreme enough to expose giant fissures in some of our major institutions, including higher education. Traditional colleges and universities - in which most courses were taught face-to-face - were forced to go online, and this abrupt change resulted in frustration or confusion for students, and anger for parents who had dished out thousands of dollars in tuition. If we think about how colleges and universities work, we can begin to see the fissures and the fixes.

Colleges and universities have spent millions of dollars investing in their campuses. With students and faculty no longer able to come together, millions of dollars of investments lay unused. Now institutions are scrambling to move their services online in preparation for the fall 2020 semester. Such changes require significant investment in infrastructure, faculty training, and course development.

While technology has become omnipresent across education institutions, it has always been viewed simply as a tool. Traditional educators have been slow to incorporate technology into their classes, choosing instead to keep to traditional methods. But recently, a pandemic has caused hundreds of millions to stay home. COVID-19 has forced educators to move their entire curriculum online, sometimes overnight.

While the transition to telecommuting has been underway for over a decade, the recent pandemic has accelerated the trend by forcing hundreds of millions to stay home. Remote working is no longer about flexibility. It is how we slow transmission of COVID-19 and keeping the public safe. This article explores recent trends in remote work and offers best practices for keeping remote works engaged, healthy, and happy.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unprecedented crisis to higher education, affecting more than 1.525 billion learners across the world. In this insight we discuss how educational institutions have responded, and what opportunities lay ahead for lasting innovation.

In this week’s post education industry expert Karen Yoshino discusses how the COVID-19 crisis disrupted higher education and how educational institutions should adapt. She assesses the changes around people, process, and technology that have become necessary for higher education to adapt. Finally, Karen discusses the application of not only strategy work but also improvements in project management required to bring strategy to life.

The COVID-19 crisis brought telehealth to headlines and accelerated the trend of providing medical care remotely where possible. As medical practices restart more elective care, the industry is looking at how it will incorporate telehealth longer term. In this insight we explore current trends and consider how medical practices will incorporate increased telehealth in the coming years.

"Black lives matter" is a call to action. While we are a small business, we know that every company can make a difference, and every company should try.

As businesses reflect on the last few months and plan for recovery, business continuity is top of mind. Many are identifying what policies to adopt for recovery and to be prepared for the next disruptive event, but existing Agile frameworks in many organizations are easily adapted for broader business continuity outside of software development. The need of the hour is to bring the two together in such a way that there is a balance, achieving the right level of resiliency and maintaining higher levels of efficiency and effectiveness.

Hi-touch to no-touch. Smart devices that allow guests’ freedom from tactile engagement with many touch surfaces in hotels is one of the answers to keeping guests safer in the future. Verbal commands within a voice activated device take out the middleman when it comes to switches, levers, and remote controls. Technology gives guests different comfort levels by driving down the interaction points and the ‘touch frequency’ opportunity of guests within their hotel room.