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Helping You Stay Secure and Efficient
With the advantages IT and the internet has given business, the world is more connected than ever before. However, out of this, a new threat has been born — cybercrime.
The goals of cybercrime include accessing, changing, destroying, or holding for ransom sensitive information. Criminals are intent on extorting money and interrupting business processes.
Cybercrime costs are not only measured in dollars.
- Expenses incurred in responding to a breach
- Downtime costs
- Lost revenue
- Damage to reputation and brand
To combat the danger to business and to avoid the high cost of unsecured business technology, the Hawkins team works diligently to deploy high-grade cybersecurity protocols and strategies. Protecting your data and workflow is our #1 priority.
What are the threats?
Malicious software such as viruses, spyware, and ransomware are everywhere these days. Viruses are self-replicating and can damage data and systems. Spyware secretly records user actions and can be leveraged to capture sensitive data like credit card details. Ransomware is used to encrypt your data and lock you out of your own IT assets until you pay a ransom.
This is an attack used to access and steal information from a database. Because databases can be large and attackers can gain a lot of information in one successful attack.
Criminals use phishing tactics to target staff members with emails pretending to be legitimate companies, convincing your employees to give up sensitive information. The emails can include a link to a fake site used to capture the information, or they might include an attachment that has malware in it.
An insider threat occurs when someone who has access to the company systems (such as a staff member or contractor) causes a security breach. This is not always malicious and can be unintentional, but the damage is the same.
This is an attack against networks and servers by flooding them with requests so their systems become overwhelmed and cannot fulfil legitimate requests, thus impacting business performance.
How Do We Help You Guard Your Business Data and Workflow?
Cybersecurity has multiple layers to protect against breaches. These layers cover the following areas:
- Device security
- Application security
- Cloud security
- Network security
- Disaster recovery/business continuity planning
- End-user education
- Real-time scanning
- Cryptographic protocols to encrypt emails, files, and critical data
Your cybersecurity posture is of critical importance to the Hawkins team. We deploy enterprise-grade tools, protocols, and strategies designed to help you stay safe while growing and scaling your business.
Perhaps the most important tool at our disposal is our cybersecurity monitoring. By constantly surveying your IT systems (24/7/365), we are able to spot potential IT security concerns and address them before they become problems that negatively impact your daily workflow.
If there is a major cybersecurity incident, our team will respond quickly and appropriately to mitigate the risk and remediate your systems. While no cybersecurity company can promise zero risk, our team has been successful in providing a high level of cybersecurity readiness to our clients.
Want to know more about the Hawkins cybersecurity strategy? Contact us for a no-obligation conversation.
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Civil Engineering Reporting
case study
The Problem:
Clients Inspector/Engineer Field Reporting process was a very time intensive and manual process. It took a lot of manpower and cost to finalize and organize reports for clients.
Process:
- Each day Inspectors would hand write notes/reports, then scan/email to Admin Team
- These Reports had little structure/format
- Daily, Admin Team would Type each report in a Word Document, then Convert to PDF (~200 Reports per day)
- Field Supervisors would approve these reports Daily via email
- At the end of Each Week, Admin Team would compile all reports for each individual project, merge PDFs of each Daily Report (~200+ Projects Active Per Week)
- Admin Team then summarizes each report within each Project’s Weekly Summary Report in a manually typed Cover Page
- Engineering team Approves Weekly Summary Reports via email
- Admin Team then Emails out Weekly Summary Reports at the end of each week
The Consulting Process
Engaged with Subject Matter Experts in the teams involved in this process
- Field Staff/ Field Supervisors
- Admin Team
- Engineering Team
Roadmap of Implementation:
- Developed and Demo’d a Minimum Viable Product that covers all base use cases
- Create Training Materials, Host Training Sessions
- Took down all feedback from Subject Matter Experts
- Iterated on the Product based on feedback from early testing
- Phase out Old Manual Process while slowly uptaking the new process as the software became fully functional/implemented
Development Implementation and Results:
Hawkins Team Developed and Implemented a web application for their client. This Web Application was built completely from scratch using PHP, MySQL, and Bootstrap as the core technologies. The platform’s web server is hosted on Microsoft Azure. All development, testing, configuration, and deployment was done by the Hawkins Team. The Hawkins Team utilizes Agile Software Development Methodologies to deliver value tangible prototypes and value as early as possible, while working closely with the client to shape and guide future development and improvements. Through bi-weekly client demos, the Hawkins Team was able to valuable software to the client’s end users. The software changed so much about employees day to day work and made significant improvements to efficiency.
This application is used for all field staff use to write reports in standardized forms. These reports generated in PDF Form and were easily compiled into weekly reports. Weekly Report Cover Page Summaries are generated by the system automatically based on certain criteria in the individual reports contained in the weekly report. All users approve reports within the new system, and email to clients within the new system.
The Reaction:
- Management in each Department were very happy with the time savings
- End Users slowly learned the system as they transitioned from old processes
Time/Resources Saved
- Management in each Department were very happy with the time savings
- End Users slowly learned the system as they transitioned from old processes
The Business Impact
- Client can give better customer service with more uniform and standardized reports that cover all required information per State Requirements
- Staff that moved into other departments made an immediate impact by helping the finance department clean up old issues and stay on top of invoices
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case study
Laboratory Management / Manufacturing
The Problem:
The client’s existing laboratory process was extremely labor intensive and required manual transcription of specifications and results across multiple systems.
They were utilizing an old software system to track samples/materials to be tested. Due to the outdated system’s limitations, the client had to use many paper forms daily to capture all data needed. All their specifications/inputs for concrete and steel specimens were on handwritten forms. Once the office received the handwritten forms, the specifications/inputs had to be entered into the computers that ran their machines. After that, all output data/results had to be handwritten onto forms, then transferred to the Legacy System. Results for other tests that the Legacy System did not support had to be manually typed into Word/PDF reports afterward.
These processes required a large load of administrative work on the client’s part to keep everything running. The big challenge was that their reporting had to be done at a pace close to real-time due to Materials Testing Guidelines and client contracts. The administrative process was lengthy and often delayed reporting, which did not allow our client to give the best possible customer service.
The Consulting Process
The Hawkins Consulting team engaged with leaders and stakeholders in the client’s Laboratory Department to gather data and requirements for the new system. We investigated their existing systems and workflows and specified the inputs and outputs needed in the Laboratory System.
We determined that the data from Client’s Field Sampling/Reporting System would flow into this system, then, data from laboratory tests would be entered into custom forms based on test type and code requirements. Final Reports would be automatically generated by the system to be sent to clients.
Part of this evaluation process was a detailed investigation of the integrations that would be required to allow the new software to work seamlessly with the client’s existing systems.
Finally, the client’s lab used 2 pieces of industrial testing machinery that our client wanted to interact with digitally and automatically. Previously all inputs and outputs were manually keyed in/transposed to paper for each test specimen.
All of these considerations and more factored into our proposal to digitize, streamline, and automate the client’s lab processes.
Roadmap of Implementation:
- Determined the most valuable functionality that would assist our client in automating 80% of their laboratory’s workload.
- Researched the laboratory testing specifications per state code and input them into the system.
- Developed a prototype with the client’s subject matter experts’ guidance.
- Delivered and live-tested the prototype with lab staff.
- Created training materials and process documentation.
- Ran demo sessions of the new software platform.
- Imported all data from the legacy system into this platform via a custom-built data integration program to ensure the integrity of the past 10+ years of data.
- Troubleshooting issues (after launch), providing ongoing consultation
- Deployed process improvements after launch working alongside clients’ staff to fine-tune the product
Development, Implementation, and Results:
Hawkins Team Developed and Implemented a web application for this client. This Web Application was built completely from scratch using PHP, MySQL, and Bootstrap as the core technologies. The platform’s web server was hosted on Microsoft Azure. All requirements gathering, design, development, testing, configuration, and deployment were done by the Hawkins Team.
Note: The Hawkins Team utilizes Agile/Scrum Software Development methodologies to deliver working prototypes and value early and often to test alongside their clients’ existing systems. From there the team iterates in coordination with their clients to shape and guide further development and improvements.
Through routine client demos, the Hawkins Team was able to provide valuable process improvements for the client’s end users. In this project, the software changed so much about how the laboratory employees do their day-to-day work and made significant reductions in redundant paperwork and data entry. The application is now used by all laboratory staff to:
- track all materials for testing
- approve incoming materials for testing
- log work-in-progress data
- produce reports when tests are complete
Reaction:
Management in the laboratory department was pleased with the efficiency improvements and consolidation of data because the changes reduced both their manual workload and day-to-day stressors. The end users benefitted from the same advantages and were led through training sessions on the new system for a seamless adoption of the technology.
Time/Resources Saved
In addition to endless hours of labor saved in removing the outdated manual input processes, the laboratory staff now have a real-time connection to upcoming, current, and past test data and the laboratory staff can notify clients in real-time of any material test failures.
Business Impact
The client can now give better and more timely customer service utilizing an array of system-generated standardized laboratory reports that cover all required information per specific code requirements.
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API Integrations
case study
API Integrations
The Problem:
This client, like many businesses in the marketplace today, was dependent upon 3rd party systems for various processes within the organization. The challenge was that these 3rd party systems were not connected to their business management platform in any way, which caused issues such as: duplicate data, incorrect/ transposed data, and missing data.
One such disconnected 3rd party system at play was the cloud-based materials testing solution the client had recently acquired. It needed to be integrated for operational efficiency.
The client wanted to be able to move data more efficiently between their Laboratory Management Software, and the 3rd party materials testing solution.
For example, the client had a compression machine that tests materials such as concrete, brick, etc. The new software we installed on the PC controlling the machine allowed us to integrate the machine’s data via API with the cloud-based solution. This transfer of data was critical as the client routinely needed to send specifications of all materials to be tested within the next 24 hours, from their lab management system into the 3rd party program. After the tests had been performed, the client again had to retrieve the results. The tool we installed automatically and routinely checked for new results, syncing them back to the client’s system.
The Consulting Process
Our team met with the client as well as the 3rd party vendor’s integrations team. The vendor supplied us with API documentation detailing the process of connecting and authenticating into their system as well as reading and writing data to their system.
Our team fleshed out requirements with our client regarding what data needed to be sent and received, how often, and in what form. We mapped out the matching up fields between systems needed to integrate, we then built a prototype that sent data from the clients Lab Management System into the 3rd party software based on certain criteria and on a schedule. The plan included the ability to retrieve specific required data on a schedule as well. If needed, manual sync was also an option we built into the tool.
Roadmap of Implementation:
- After the prototype was developed and put into a live test phase, unexpected issues arose with the 3rd party vendor’s API and platform.
- We quickly found the source of the problem and remedied the issue.
- Staff training for the client’s end users was conducted, so they would know how to use the sync tool.
- We continue the support of our client’s implementation as needed, making improvements and additions when requested.
Development, Implementation, and Results:
This web application was built completely from scratch by the Hawkins team, using PHP, MySQL, and Bootstrap as the core technologies. The platform’s web server is hosted on Microsoft Azure. All requirements gathering, design, development, testing, configuration, and deployment was done by Hawkins.
We use Agile/Scrum Software Development Methodologies to deliver working prototypes early and often to test in collaboration with our clients. From there our team iterates the product working with the client and to shape and guide further development and improvements.
Through routine client demos, the Hawkins Team was able to provide valuable process improvements to the client’s internal users. Their lab staff no longer had to manually transpose data from paper to the machine, note the results, then enter that back into another computer. With hundreds of test samples conducted per day, this time savings was a crucial improvement to their efficiency.
The Reaction:
The laboratory managers were happy with a modernization of their process, as well as with the time savings realized after eliminating paperwork and administrative effort
The Business Impact
The laboratory managers were happy with a modernization of their process, as well as with the time savings realized after eliminating paperwork and administrative effort.
Learn More About Hawkins Consulting
The laboratory managers were happy with a modernization of their process, as well as with the time savings realized after eliminating paperwork and administrative effort
Drop us a line! We are here to answer your questions
Need a consultation?
Transforming Businesses with Reporting Automation Solutions
Transforming Businesses with Reporting Automation Solutions
case study
Reporting Automation for Complex Systems
Industry: Civil Engineering
Civil engineering is one of the more complex businesses on the planet. This complexity is the result of the weight of municipal, state, federal, industry, and insurance compliance mandates that must be factored into the equation on every civil engineering project. To demonstrate adherence to the many laws and other compulsory expectations, regular reports must be filed on every aspect of the project from design to completion.
The Problem:
One of the leading civil engineering firms in the state came to the Hawkins Consulting team requesting help to streamline their arduous and complex mixture of manual and computerized reporting. At that time, their field reporting process for their inspectors and engineers was a very time-intensive process that required huge amounts of manpower and was a significant expense. To help you understand the complexity involved, here is a brief outline of their original workflow.
- Each day Inspectors would hand write notes/reports, then scan/email them to the Admin Team. (These Reports had little structure/format.)
- The Admin Team would receive around 200 reports each day from the field. They would then have to type each report into a Word Document, then Convert it to a PDF.
- The Field Supervisors would receive this deluge of reports each day by email for their approval.
- At the end of Each Week, the Admin Team would compile all reports for each individual project (~200+ Projects Active Per Week) and merge the PDFs of each Daily Report.
- Along with the ~ 200 weekly Project Reports, the Admin Team had to include summaries of each report on a manually typed cover page.
- Once the Admin Team had finished their mountain of paperwork, it was forwarded to the Engineering Team by email to approve the Weekly Summary Reports
- After approval of the Weekly Summary Reports by the Engineering Team, the Admin Team then emails out Weekly Summary Reports.
Then, the work week ends, and the whole process starts all over again.
The engineering firm wanted a better way to gather, organize, and finalize reports for their clients.
The Consulting Process
We undertook a detailed consultation with the key stakeholders within the engineering firm to understand the enormity of the challenge they had given us.
The biggest part of the challenge facing the Hawkins team was that there was nothing available commercially to do what the client needed to accomplish.
This left the Hawkins with only one option – develop a simple, user-friendly solution to a complex reporting challenge from scratch specifically for this client. The complexity of the solution required a staged development process of several years, but it all began with a consultation process.
Here’s a look into that consultation process.
We engaged with Subject Matter Experts involved in the process within the Engineering firm, including members of the Field Staff/ Field Supervisors, the Admin Team, and the Engineering Team.
Much useful information came from those initial meetings, but to ensure that we covered every angle, the Hawkins Consulting team conducted a deep dive, gathering every necessary piece of data through job shadowing to understand their workflow better and asking questions geared to understanding how we could make their day-to-day reporting work easier for them.
Following those discussions, we returned to the engineering firm with a roadmap to address every challenge they had presented to us. Our roadmap included a proposed timeline and a phased execution of the software development process.
The Implementation and Quality Assurance Process:
Civil engineering is one of the more complex businesses on the planet. This complexity is the result of the weight of municipal, state, federal, industry, and insurance compliance mandates that must be factored into the equation on every civil engineering project. To demonstrate adherence to the many laws and other compulsory expectations, regular reports must be filed on every aspect of the project from design to completion.
Once we had presented our proposal along with the associated implementation roadmap and had gotten approval to proceed, we started the process of developing the software using an iterative process known as agile software development.
To begin with, we developed a proof of concept Minimum Viable Project that covered all the base use cases.
The solution that the Hawkins team developed and Implemented for the client was a web application. This web application was built completely from scratch using PHP, MySQL, and Bootstrap as the core technologies. The platform’s web server is hosted on Microsoft Azure. All development, testing, configuration, and deployment was done by the Hawkins Team.
The Hawkins Team utilized Agile Software Development Methodologies to deliver value tangible prototypes and value as early as possible while working closely with the client to shape and guide future development and improvements. Through bi-weekly client demos, the Hawkins Team was able to valuable software to the client’s end users. The software changed so much about employees’ day-to-day work and made significant improvements to efficiency.
Along with that software, we produced training materials and hosted training sessions to teach the engineering firm’s staff how to leverage the software in their workflow.
The real-world use of our software brought very useful feedback from the engineering firm’s team. We took each suggestion seriously and brought out new iterations of the software based on the feedback of this early testing.
Once our team and the client were satisfied with the performance of the reporting software, we helped them phase out the old, time-consuming, and costly manual process and systematically brought the new software-driven process online within their workflow.
The Results:
Today, all the engineering firm’s field staff use an intuitive web application that we developed to write their reports in standardized, cloud-based forms. These reports are generated in PDF Form and are easily compiled into weekly reports. Weekly Report Cover Page Summaries are automatically generated by the system based on the requirements of the individual report. All users can now easily approve reports within the new system and email the reports to clients directly from the new system.
The Reaction:
- Management in each department was very happy with the time savings.
- End Users liked the ease of the new system once they had learned it.
- The new workflow allowed seven of their hardworking staff to move from tedious, manual input tasks to more rewarding work that is more valuable to the firm.
The Business Impact
As a result of the software development and implementation of our software solution, the engineering firm reports that they have been able to provide better customer service. The reports they now can generate are more uniform, and standardized reports can be produced that cover all required information per State Requirements. The staff that was freed from manual input work made an easy transition into other departments, including the finance department, where they joined the finance team, helping them clean up old issues and stay on top of current invoicing.
Learn More About Hawkins Consulting
The Hawkins Consulting team is a full-stack IT management and software development partner for some of the most complex businesses in the Bay Area. We specialize in helping companies like yours overcome process challenges that hinder your creativity, limit your organizational flexibility, and obstruct your ability to scale effectively.