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How to go from spreadsheet chaos to digital excellence
Lessons from Button’s transformation of BC's $830M funding program
The Big Story
Take your team from spreadsheet chaos to digital excellence
Public sector funding programs shouldn't be trapped in spreadsheet hell. Yet talented professionals waste countless hours hunting through emails, wrestling with version control, and cobbling together reports from fragmented data.
When British Columbia needed to distribute the next piece of their $830 million in connectivity funding with the federal government, they faced this exact challenge: How to manage a complex, high-stakes funding program without drowning in administrative chaos.
So they partnered with Button.
The results were transformative:
A centralized command centre replaced scattered spreadsheets
Real-time analytics replaced days of manual reporting
Complete audit trails ensured transparency and compliance
Staff focused on outcomes instead of administrative burdens
Most importantly, BC moved closer to its mandate of connecting underserved households and First Nations communities with high-speed internet.
"Seeing the impact was incredible," notes Button developer Tony Bushara. "Delivering data integrity and analytics at their fingertips that they had wanted to implement for so long."
Unlike vendors who create dependency, Button designed for independence with open-source solutions that can be maintained and evolved independently.
Struggling with spreadsheet chaos in your funding program? Schedule a discovery call today and let Button help you deliver results for citizens instead of managing spreadsheets.
Your May Event Calendar!
Victoria
May 1–4 | Design Victoria 2025
A city-wide celebration exploring the power and impact of design across disciplines.
TIME: Various
PLACE: Multiple venues across Victoria
COST: Varies
Event Details
May 2 | Design Hackathon – Shape the Future of Volunteer Services
Co-create new solutions with Oak Bay Volunteer Services to enhance volunteer experiences.
TIME: Check event page
PLACE: Oak Bay Volunteer Services
COST: Free
Event Details
Vancouver
May 13–14 | DesignThinkers Vancouver 2025 RGD
Canada’s premier event for design professionals, hosted by RGD.
TIME: All day
PLACE: See event page
COST: Varies
Event Details
Calgary
May 2–30 | Community Complexity Lab
Explore community systems and complexity in an extended collaborative workshop.
TIME: 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM MDT (Friday sessions)
PLACE: 910 7 Avenue Southwest, 15th Floor, Calgary, AB
COST: $80
Event Details
Lethbridge (Alberta)
May 2–3 | High Level Innovation Conference 2025
A gathering of innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech leaders in northern Alberta.
TIME: See event page
PLACE: AgriFood Hub & Trade Centre (3401 Parkside Dr. South, Lethbridge, AB)
COST: Varies
Event Details
Montreal
May 8 | AI Impact
A deep dive into the evolving impact of AI on society, economy, and innovation.
TIME: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM ET
PLACE: Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal, 200 Rue de la Commune West, Montreal
COST: From $339
Event Details
Toronto
May 8 | What Makes Canada, Canada? Exploring Canadian Identity Through Design
A design-led discussion on national identity and storytelling.
TIME: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET
PLACE: Henderson Brewing (128A Sterling Rd.)
COST: $27
Event Details
Community Engagement
Master the art of systems thinking: A veteran's guide to young practitioners
Discover powerful insights for approaching complex problems in an increasingly interconnected world. In his thoughtful piece "Letter to a Young Systems Thinker," Joseph Norman shares hard-won wisdom from decades of experience applying systems thinking across disciplines.
As a respected complexity researcher and practitioner, Norman offers practical guidance for navigating the challenges and pitfalls that await emerging systems thinkers. His letter serves as both philosophical foundation and practical roadmap for those seeking to understand how complex systems actually work.
Button Case Study
The Challenge: Jeeny faced a critical market positioning challenge. Despite having the vision to become the Middle East's leading super-app, they lacked the brand presence and conversion rates necessary to achieve this ambitious goal. In a competitive landscape dominated by established players, Jeeny needed a comprehensive reinvention of both their brand identity and application architecture.
The Solution: Button partnered with Jeeny to execute a complete digital transformation, crafting a solution that was:
Research-Driven and User-Focused: In-depth competitive analysis of major ride-hailing and food delivery services revealed crucial UX differentiators, while stakeholder interviews with drivers and end-users uncovered priority features and regional preferences.
Strategically Distinctive: Breaking from the industry's conventional black and green colour schemes, we developed a bold, attention-grabbing brand identity that immediately differentiated Jeeny in a crowded marketplace.
Conversion-Optimized: Our UX and Interaction Design specialists implemented iterative design improvements focused on maximizing conversion rates across all service offerings.
Comprehensively Integrated: The rebuilt platform seamlessly unified multiple services—ride-hailing, food delivery, groceries, and medicine—into a cohesive super-app experience.
The Outcome:
Market Leadership: Jeeny emerged as the Middle East's fastest-growing super-app, successfully repositioning from challenger to market leader.
Triple Conversion Performance: The ride-hailing service achieved a remarkable 3x increase in conversion rates, dramatically improving revenue and customer retention.
Enhanced User Experience: Customers gained access to budget-friendly transportation options, a frictionless food ordering system (including non-registered restaurants), and expanded payment capabilities through telco account integration.
Regional Innovation: By allowing users to connect their telecommunications accounts for cashless transactions, Jeeny overcame regional payment barriers and expanded accessibility to underserved segments.
Through strategic rebranding and UX optimization, Button transformed Jeeny into a digital pioneer that truly understands and serves the unique needs of Middle Eastern consumers.
Dive into the full case study here and see how we can help you.
Worth Your Attention
What We’re Reading: Systemic Service Design: Design for Social Responsibility
Get ready for a deep exploration of the integration of systems theories into service design for addressing complex societal challenges. Spanning 14 chapters and divided into two parts, the editors deftly connect theoretical frameworks with global case studies from four continents.
As service design has evolved from focusing on touchpoints to driving organizational transformation, it now requires systems thinking to address limitations in solving complex problems like healthcare and transportation. The text provides both theoretical foundations and practical resources for service designers to develop appropriately scoped solutions. The book serves as a valuable resource for students and professionals in service design, policy design, and social design, as well as managers, planners, engineers, and policymakers seeking to understand systemic approaches.
Further Reading
Stay on top of vital digital services news and tips by checking out insights from our previous newsletters
BUYING CANADIAN IS NOT ENOUGH: A practical technology roadmap for going from foreign vendor lock-in to harnessing Canadian innovation.
STREAMLINING FEATURE APPROVAL IN GOVERNMENT APPS: The Button secret for streamlining feature approvals for seamless, consistent user experiences across government applications.
NAVIGATING THE AI LANDSCAPE IN PUBLIC SERVICE: A decision-making framework for open-source vs. proprietary models.
REKINDLING DIGITAL TRUST: Button helps our partners build digital trust with their citizens every day. Learn how with our video, blog and white-paper guides today!
🔥 THE NEWEST HOT BUTTON REPORT: Learn how to rebuild trust with your stakeholders. Download the full, free report now.
Curious what a Canadian-first tech stack could look like for you?
We’ll happily walk you through three smart swaps that improve resilience, and reduce exposure without breaking your workflows.
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