Welcome to the mid-March issue of the Button Insight Newsletter!

The Big Story

How to surf the SaaS wave in 4 steps

Choose the right Software-as-a-Service tools for your needs without drowning in the waves of options.

Last week, a Button client confided in us about how overwhelmed they were with the growing number of options for online software, or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). They were looking to automate, streamline and track both their team’s efficacy and deliverables but couldn’t believe the choice of tools at their (and their budget’s) disposal.

It’s a common conundrum for Canadian government agencies. Fortunately, there’s some good news. Governments across the country are expanding the number of tools available in public sector enterprises, including ensuring compliance with security and privacy requirements.

This allowance is a huge opportunity for internal and external teams to source and implement tools that are suited to their organization's specific needs. In particular, it opens up some amazing opportunities for asynchronous collaboration, which is an advantage now that teams are increasingly remote or hybrid. 

Here are Button’s Top 4 tips to identify, trial and invest in SaaS tools without drowning in the options. Read the full how-to here.

1. Identify the business needs that need to be solved

2. Don’t be afraid to run a pilot 

3. Take configuration and upkeep into account

4. Make a plan for continuity and long-term ownership

Dive deeper into each of these steps here to successfully surf the SaaS wave.

Client News!

B.C.’s Industrial Emissions Reporting System launches, developed by Button

The Button team is excited to celebrate the March launch of the online B.C. Industrial Emissions Reporting System (BCIERS), a web application for industrial operators to participate in the B.C. Output-Based Pricing System (B.C. OBPS).

Built as part of a hybrid government – Button team, the application allows the B.C. government to track and price industrial emissions, helping support effective climate action and creating a greener future for the province.

BCIERS is an industrial carbon-pricing system designed specifically for industry in B.C. and is mandatory for operations that emit over 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) per year.

The program supports B.C.’s new Output-Based Pricing System (B.C. OBPS) for greenhouse gas emissions, and further supports the Province's goal of reducing emissions by 40% by 2030, 60% by 2040, and 80% by 2050.

Does your organization need a user-focused roadmap for your long-term goals? Contact us to chat about how Button can help your team evaluate your current data sources and architecture to increase your data’s value and integrity, and build a roadmap for your long-term goals.

Let’s chat!

Community Engagement

🤝 Meet Button team member Mike!

Button is always looking for innovative, insightful and creative individuals to join our talent network! 

Each of our projects is supported by a carefully selected, cross-functional team of creators, developers, and subject-matter experts that delivers for and delights our clients with our work. (And has fun in the process.)

This month, we’d like to introduce you Mike Vesprini, a Button team member since 2021.

Tell us about yourself, Mike.

I started my career as a developer in Montreal at a company centred around the management and discoverability of music in large catalogues. Whenever possible, my work has always focused on defining system requirements, and the ingestion, management, and access and discoverability of data. I have done this type of work for financial, enterprise, and public institutions.

How would you describe your approach to your craft?

My approach to this has always been to fully immerse myself in the problem space. This puts us in the best spot to model our data with the long-term needs in mind, while keeping the team and client focused on how best to solve the problem at hand. Domain research also allows for more detailed and in-depth communications with subject-matter experts in the field, which leads to more accurate business requirements, and better refined system requirements.

What are your favourite types of projects to work on?

My favourite projects are ones whose problem lives at the intersection of multiple domains. These are the projects that force us to learn and take new approaches, which results in fairly creative solutions more often than not.

Upcoming Events

Join Button in Edmonton this weekend!

GovTech Hackathon by MovEd

Sat., Mar. 23 & Sun., Mar. 24

The Roundhouse at MacEwan University

Get ready to innovate and share your ideas that could revolutionize how governments in Canada operate. Join Alberta’s First GovTech Hackathon by MovEd. Sign up for free here.

Vancouver Design Social

Tue., Mar. 26, 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Steamworks Mount Pleasant

Join Zoey from the Button team and dozens of others from Vancouver’s design community to clink glasses, share stories, and build connection in true springtime fashion. Whether you’re looking to network, make new friends, or just have a good time, this is the place to be. Register here because spots are limited.

Worth Your Attention

What We’re Reading:
The End of Bias, by Jessica Nordell

Published in 2022 and winner of numerous awards ranging from the World Economic Forum to Inc. magazine, The End of Bias is a transformative, daring exploration into how people can identify and limit unintentional bias and discrimination, an increasingly must-have skill in our siloed, tribal world.

The book outlines (over almost 400 pages and via illuminating charts and graphs), our unconscious bias: persistent, unintentional prejudiced behaviour that clashes with our consciously held beliefs.

Author Jessica Nordell incorporates her decade-plus of experience and weaves gripping stories with scientific research to reveal how to harness human nature to see eye to eye at a time when we need to most. 

Further Reading

Stay on top of vital digital services news and tips by checking out insights from our previous newsletters!

CHANGE MANAGEMENT: How to get your team to adopt new digital tools and processes.

HOW TO EMPOWER YOUR TEAM TO EMBRACE CHANGE: Button’s four key considerations when tackling the human side of digital projects within your organization.

SPRING-CLEAN YOUR PUBLIC SECTORY DIGITAL STRATEGY: Shake off the holiday cobwebs and hit your goals for the new year by following these four resolutions to make 2024 your best year yet.

AI IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR: We break down AI’s potential to revolutionize public services—as well as the serious pitfalls to acknowledge when handling public information and public trust.

🔥 THE NEWEST HOT BUTTON REPORT: Learn how to rebuild trust with your stakeholders. Download the full, free report now.

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