Insights and Outlooks
The key to coming up with what’s next is reflecting carefully on the situations you face now, in the present. Here’s what we’ve seen lately — both with clients and at the Collective Insights’ office.

Top 3 Steps to Transition Successfully to Microsoft 365 E5: Part I
In this series, we’ll discuss how to best prepare for a Microsoft 365 E5 implementation. There’s a new suite of security and productivity apps in town, and it goes by the name of M365 E5. Microsoft 365’s latest package combines best-in-class productivity apps with...
Hypercare: Prepare your People
The goal of this hypercare series is to provide as much practical information as possible. Too many articles share nebulous insights without clear direction or takeaways. The goal is to build out a toolbox for any software implementation. With experience in SAP,...
Top 3 Steps to Transition Successfully to Microsoft 365 E5: Part II
In this series, we’ll discuss how to best prepare for a Microsoft 365 E5 implementation. In Part I of our M365 E5 series, we reviewed the critical importance of strategic planning and inventory assessment prior to executing any implementation of Microsoft 365’s new...
Top 3 Steps to Transition Successfully to Microsoft 365 E5: Part I
In this series, we’ll discuss how to best prepare for a Microsoft 365 E5 implementation. There’s a new suite of security and productivity apps in town, and it goes by the name of M365 E5. Microsoft 365’s latest package combines best-in-class productivity apps with...
Comparing Collective Insights and The Big Consulting Firms
When I first started taking business classes during my freshman year at the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!), I had no idea what I wanted to do after I graduated. I was pretty sure I wanted a business-related job, such as an accountant or financial adviser, but...
The Top 4 Trends of 2022’s Most Successful Supply Chains
Top 4 Trends of 2022's Most Successful Supply Chains In 2022, the supply chain is best known for its shortcomings. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, laid bare many of its weaknesses worldwide. Meanwhile, global commerce continues to shift to a consumer-first...
Just Enough Stuff: Prevent Inventory Imbalances by Neutralizing the Bullwhip Effect
Just Enough Stuff: Prevent Inventory Imbalances by Neutralizing the Bullwhip Effect Over the course of a year, we’ve gone from “Where’s my stuff?” to “Woah, that’s too much stuff.” Case in point: major retailers are reporting a 17-45% increase in inventory levels...
Aligning Your Team for Delivery: A Project Management Obstacle
Aligning Your Team for Delivery: A Project Management Obstacle Client Delivery is one of the most important parts of a project, but it has a major weakness: Alignment. During a project, there are many knowledgeable professionals working on one goal, and that can lead...
Don’t Click That! Tactics for Shoring up Security Culture Against Ransomware Attacks
Don’t Click That! Tactics for Shoring up Security Culture Against Ransomware Attacks We’re just going to say it. When it comes to ransomware risk, you have a people problem. More than 90% of data breaches happen because of phishing, and according to the FBI, phishing...
Four Ways You Can Prevent Ransomware Attacks Right Now
Four Ways You Can Prevent Ransomware Attacks Right Now 2021 was a banner year for ransomware attacks. According to BlackFog, they increased by 17% over 2020, while some verticals experienced much higher increases, including the government sector (24%), technology...
Managing Scope Creep in Program and Project Management
The ultimate indicator of a successfully managed project: meeting desired outcomes on time and within budget. Unfortunately, even the most thoroughly scoped projects do not always go as planned. Three deliverables can quickly become five, or many small decisions over...