2016 Hi-Tech Awards and tips on how to get there

We are one of the four finalists for the Qual IT Best Technology for the Public Sector category in NZ Hi-Tech Awards 2016. This is one of the technology sector’s most sought-after accolades awarded to New Zealand’s most successful high-tech companies, and highest achieving individuals. We are honoured to be in such company!

The Best Technology for the Public Sector award
This award recognises a company or partnership that has created a successful technology product, service or solution for the public sector or that supports the public sector and has a beneficial impact on New Zealanders. We entered this award with the Common Web Platform (CWP). Backed by our flagship open source software, SilverStripe CMS (Content Management System), this Platform-as-a-Service is a result of our partnership with the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) and Revera, developed for NZ government sites and resulted in innovative online services and reduced duplication of effort. Since the launch in 2013, CWP has created a more connected and collaborative environment within the public sector and allowed government agencies to deliver better information and services to New Zealanders

“Given the high quantity and quality of this year’s entrants, we are very proud and excited to be among the finalists for this award,” says Sam Minnée, Co-Founder and CEO of SilverStripe. “Big congratulations to other finalists in this category—Critchlow, Intergen, and Water Outlook. Special congratulations to our “neighbour” Flick Electric (who’s in the same building as our  Wellington headquarters). Congratulations to other companies and individuals, and good luck!”.

Tips to get there
Here are some tips to make your submissions smooth-sailing:

• Don't leave your submissions to the last minute. They always take longer than you expect, so having to submit right at the wire will guarantee unnecessary stress!
• Think about impacts, not just output. In other words, ask yourself “how has your work created bigger changes? If you are building a client website, what impact has this had on their business?”.
• Allow time for proofreading and get a pair of fresh eyes to read over the submission. Typos and grammar mistakes look unprofessional and distract from your content.   

And since our “neighbour” Flick Electric is a finalist for 3 awards, we’ve managed to get some pointers from them:

• Don’t worry about your word count. Write as much as you need to, then review and cut it down afterwards.
• Allow enough time to write a great entry! Make a timeline for the writing of your entry and allow extra time (more than you initially think) at the end for reviewing and proofing.
• Start by going through the questions for each entry, and identify the parts where you’ll be able to re-use info from other entries.

Winners will be announced at the Gala Dinner in Auckland on Friday 20th May. Good luck to all the finalists!