Transitioning to FI$Cal Department-Wide
Implementation of the Financial Information System for California (FI$Cal) represents massive change across the entire state. Highlands Consulting is wrapping up the second phase of a FI$Cal transition effort for a large state department. Phase one transitioned administrative staff in the Accounting, Budgets, and Procurement…
Read MoreUnexpected Change
In just two short weeks, all of our lives have changed in ways we never predicted. This post from Jason Kottke offers a list of how we are all experiencing COVID-19 in different ways. It’s a 2-minute read that helped me think beyond my individual…
Read MoreWhat’s Measured Gets Done
“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”– Lewis Carroll In business, clear goals matter. When done well, a written strategic plan is both a path forward and a roadmap to help achieve an organization’s mission. That’s why our team…
Read MoreAchieving Agile Success in the Public Sector
As the Agile Methodology continues to gain momentum in the public sector, we’ve put together a list of insights to help make your next Agile project a success. Initial Scope. Many of us rush straight into software development…because it’s Agile. But the most important step…
Read MoreTrees for a Cause
Highlands Consulting continued its tradition of donating decorated Christmas trees to the Sacramento Children’s Home this week. We organized into teams, brainstormed ideas, decorated the trees, and invited impartial judges to vote for the best tree! We were able to put our competitive instincts to…
Read MoreFinding the (Often Hidden) Benefits of FI$Cal
Nearly all designated State departments have been using FI$Cal for at least a year now. And with such a complex system, it’s been challenging indeed. Many of us at Highlands are continuously evaluating how to help our clients take full advantage of FI$Cal and gain…
Read MoreA Client-Focused Project Management Tool
Coordinating projects can be a challenge, even for seasoned professionals. During an engagement, you have competing deadlines, shifting priorities, client demands to meet, and a project team to coordinate. So how do you keep track of all that? You find a tool that works for…
Read MoreA Special Day with Make-A-Wish
On August 17, the Highlands Consulting team walked to support the Make-A-Wish | Walk for Wishes. It was a special day, indeed. We were inspired by a happy, courageous young boy who battled a critical illness. We witnessed firsthand the amazing work of Make-A-Wish, and…
Read MoreThe Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) and PAL
The California Department of Technology’s (CDT) Project Approval Framework (PAL) has been around for several years now. It describes the four stages that State agencies undertaking large-scale IT modernization projects must go through to obtain approval and establish a foundation for project success. Stage 1:…
Read MoreEmbracing Change at the PegaWorld Conference
Last month, Eric Norton and I attended Pega’s annual conference, PegaWorld2019, along with 5,000 professionals from across the globe. Pega is an innovative platform that has automated business processes for large and small organizations, including a growing number of State of California departments. Highlands Consulting’s…
Read More