Tag: Analytics in Education

The Analytics Education Drive in the Philippines

Article by AAP Business Analyst, Ludilyn Pridas

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The Asian Institute of Management (AIM) recently conducted a free Master Class last January 15-17, 2018 about the application and use cases of Data Science to different fields. It was also a venue for them to provide more information and some insight about the relevance and competitiveness of their newly proposed course, the MS in Data Science (MSDS) Program. The Master Classes aimed to provide some perspective on role of Data Science in the business world today.

During the second day, AIM focused on the applications relevant to the Finance and Banking sectors. The session which was primarily conducted by the Institute’s MSDS Program Director Erika Legara, PhD. She talked about the place of data science in business and emphasized on the importance of the data scientist’s ability to communicate his/her findings to the business decision makers effectively.  Let me highlight some of the things I found particularly relevant.  A good data science team is crucial to leveraging on company curated data as most often than not, good amounts of historical data are left untouched or under-utilized. This is because people in the business are rarely equipped to handle data, more so transform and use it through modelling.  Aside from this, it was also emphasized that analytical knowledge alone will not be enough to achieve success for the business. A data scientist should also have domain knowledge on the relevant business alongside his/her data analytics skill set and techniques. The combination of both is needed to effectively revolutionize one’s business. To sum it all, AIMs seminar was a great opportunity to get an introduction on data science and its relevance, as we know that the Philippines is now adapting to keep up with the trend.

In 2013, the Commision on Higher Education (CHED) released a memo outlining the guidelines and policies for the launching of specialized courses in business analytics targeted towards students who are taking up Business Administration and Information Technology. The goal of this endeavor is to prepare students for the big global analytics wave which will likely open up a lot of career opportunities. In fact upon the release of the memo, various schools expressed their interest to add this new program to their curriculum such as the University of the Philippines – Diliman, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Asia Pacific College and University of Santo Tomas, among others. The visualization below shows the list of schools that have expressed interest in launching their own Data Science and Analytics programs. (Click the visualization below to open and interact with it in a separate tab).

Teaching Analytics

 

Similar to AIM and the abovementioned schools, the Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP) also aims to shed light on the relevance of analytics to businesses and the overall economy. As an enabling organization, we aim to come up with a unified ecosystem in the Philippines where industry, the academe, and practitioners meet and find synergies. By helping mobilize trainings and programs for Filipinos that focus on how to upskill in analytics with strong regard for business domain knowledge, we hope to facilitate the creation of a new breed of data scientists that can really revolutionize organizations.  Quoting the popular magazine-format newspaper, The Economist, the world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil but data. In line with this and the objective of the AAP, we serve to help individuals optimize their practice and remain well-informed about the developments of the field to make their work more valuable to them and their respective organizations. We hope to complement the efforts of AIM and other educational institutions as we take on the same objective of upskilling Filipinos. The AAP undertakes this mission through massive and inter-regional projects throughout the Philippines, hopefully reaching the seams, and making it available to all who are eager to learn.

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The AAP Analytics Internship Matching Program

Innovating the Data Science & Analytics Internship Experience in the Philippines.

The Analytics Association of the Philippines will offer a Data Science and Analytics Internship matching program for Filipino students and employers. The AAP will serve as a conduit and catalyst bridging theory and application to ensure value to the company as well.

Our program has been developed to address 3 current challenges facing students and employers when it comes to data science and analytics themed internships:

  • students are often given menial tasks that do not apply knowledge / learned theory
  • mechanisms do not address disconnect between areas of interest and areas of need
  • companies are not able to effectively identify parts of the value chain that can be assigned to interns while causing no substantial risk to the business’ operations

By enrolling in the AAP DSA Internship Matching Program, students will be matched with employers that provide opportunities to learn and practice DSA skills that are in high demand in the workforce. Students can also be fast tracked for employment post-graduation by their match in a more continuous process.

By enrolling in the AAP DSA Internship Matching Program, employers will be matched with students that are committed to learning DSA skills that can add value to the employer’s business as well as provide a more seamless path to career placement.

Employers will also be encouraged to take a more active role in providing, business cases, data sets and resource speakers for the programs the students they are matched with come from. By being more involved with their students before and after the internship, the bridge between academia and industry will be optimized.

To this end we have developed the following process that will kick off on January 15,2018:

  • Students apply for OJT matching with AAP
  • Employers apply for OJT matching with AAP
  • AAP Matches students and employers based on profiles
  • AAP conducts orientation for students and employers
  • AAP provides online resources to both students and employers

The AAP will assess partner schools and their respective tracks and courses that could work on analytics (end-to-end of value chain) The AAP will also define areas of expertise of each program based on the APEC DSA Competencies and the AAP DSA Framework. Students will be interviewed and vetted.

Additionally, the AAP will provide a matrix of industry partners and corresponding needs (with parts of the value chain, doesn’t have to be siloed, can cover multiple parts)

As for the employer, they will:

  • Define problems/needs (could be something students can work on parallel to an existing team effort)
  • Define final output (paper/study, running program, a presentation, proposal, working product, solution)

As for the schools, they will:

  • Provide 1-2 professors to assist in mentorship
  • Conduct processing of internship experience to give feedback to AAP

Overall our goal is to offer a unique value proposition by facilitating internships with a view of work as an end-to-end process that involves deep-diving into a specific problem or project of the company. The companies enrolled in our program get real value out of internships besides serving as a marketing tool.

With our network of industry partners, prestigious academic institutions and analytics thoughts leaders, the AAP is well positioned to facilitate significant change in the way analysts and data scientists are born.

Our Analytics Internship Matching Program will go a long way in providing tomorrow’s workforce with in demand skills that employers covet, which in turn will allow the Philippines to be a world leader in analytics talent.

Most of the credit for the content of this post goes to Mel Awit, the AAP Analytics Manager. 

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DMAIPH is a founding member of the Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP.PH) and specializes in arming the Data-Driven Leader with the tools and techniques they need to build and empower an analytics centric organization. Analytics leadership requires a mastery of not just analytics skill, but also of nurturing an analytics culture. We have guided thousands of Filipino professionals to become better analytics leaders. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to discuss a uniquely tailored strategy to ensure you are the top of your game when it comes to Analytics Leadership.

 

 

Analytics Education = Out with the Old, In with the New

Having spent the last 5 years talking about analytics here in the Philippines, it seems we are finally at a place where a significant percentage of leaders and decision-makers are now aware that they need a good analytics strategy for their business to succeed.

Now that we are finally at point where people in power get, we have another challenge. Just because they get it doesn’t mean they know how to enable it.

In fact most of our current solutions to educate and train when it comes to analytics seems to be a bit old fashioned. Analytics evolves much faster then traditional education models can keep up with.

In fact, most people learn analytics on the job. Some attend public trainings. A few receive practical experience while in school. Very few learn in vocational or apprentice like programs.

Almost all the training is done in person, with an expert teaching in a classroom setting.

Most of the training is done by talking theory and doing some exercises on mock data.

Due to data privacy issues, few companies allow employees to get up skill training while using their own data and towards solving real business problems.

To compound the challenge, there are a precious few analytics experts to go around to meet the surging demand for analytics education and training.

When I do the math… 500,000 Filipinos need analytics training in the next 5 years to ensure we can deal with the wave of digital transformation the world in undergoing.

So now what?

It’s easy to say online training is the solution. And it is part. But just filming a training and reshowing it loses a lot of the impact. When learners aren’t engaged they struggle to absorb most of the content.

So live online classes that have an interactive ability are key.

Harnessing the power of YouTube and looking at things like TED talks give us some ideas.

Formal corporate trainings can be supplemented and eventually superseded by meet-up groups and more informal learning sessions.

Formal education has to transition more from the class room and to on the job.

Right now, students spend 90% of their time in classroom and less then 10% on the job working with real data solving real problems. Many schools struggle with educating on analytics topics because they don’t have qualified professors.

Lets flip that around. Let the subject matter experts working in the field do more of the education in the workplace.

That’s just three ideas; Interactive Analytics Talks, Optimizing Meet Up Groups and much more dynamic On the Job training.

What else can we do to shot for the moon?

Dr. Data_Analytics in the Philippines

Analytics Training – DMAIPH offers a wide range of analytics centric training solutions for professionals and students via public, in-house, on-site, and academic settings. We tailor each training event to meet the unique needs of the audience. If you need empowerment and skills enhancement to optimize the use of analytics in your organization, we are here to help. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to set up a free consultation to learn which of our DMAIPH analytics training solutions is best for you.

Why Focus on Data Analytics Competencies?

Later this week I will be attending the APEC Project DARE (Data Analytics Raising Awareness) Advisory Council in Singapore to discuss Recommended APEC Data Analytics Competencies.

Why Focus on Data Analytics Competencies?

Jobs requiring a familiarity with data analysis are forecasted to dramatically rise, resulting in a massive shortage of qualified employees. According to reports, some economies face a shortage of up to 1.5 million data analytics-enabled managers and analysts, costing billions of dollars in lost revenue annually. There is an urgent need to ensure that the future workforce is equipped with data analytics competencies to secure the jobs of tomorrow and move with ease in the labor market.

This is where Project DARE comes in. Project DARE aims to facilitate development of a data analytics-enabled workforce across the APEC region to effectively support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. To do so, Project DARE developed a set of Recommended APEC Data Analytics Competencies which will be a resource to academic institutions and governments to align curricula, courses and programs so APEC economies are equipped to educate its workforce with the data analytics skills needed by employers in a data-driven future.

How was the Recommended Data Analytics Competencies Developed?

The Recommended APEC Data Analytics Competencies was developed through a public-private partnership with input from over 40 Advisory Group members (see Acknowledgements) comprised of distinguished business and higher education leaders who oversee data science and analytics needs for their organization and data science inter-disciplinary initiatives and curriculum. The Advisory Group was led by the private sector partner co- chairs, global skills and knowledge company Wiley and the Business Higher Education Forum (BHEF), with technical support by the EDISON (Education for Data Intensive Science to Open New Science Frontiers) Project.

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DMAIPH and Analytics Education

Facilitating a mastery of the fundamentals of analytics is what DMAIPH does best. As a key parnter of the Data Science Philippines Meetup Group, DMAIPH champions the use of using data. All across the world, companies are scrambling to hire analytics talent to optimize the big data they have in their businesses. We can empower students and their instructors with the knowledge they need to prepare for careers in analytics. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly so we can set a guest lecturer date, On-the-Job Training experience or other analytics education solution specifically tailored to your needs.

About Project DARE

Project DARE is an initiative of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation led by the United States (U.S. Department of Labor) with co-sponsorship from the governments of Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Peru, Chinese Taipei, and Viet Nam. As a project of APEC’s Human Resources and Development Working Group (HRDWG), Project DARE seeks to enable APEC workforce with the data analytics competencies demanded by employers today and to secure the jobs of tomorrow.

My Take Aways for the Big Data Conference 2016

Had a blast at the Big Data Conference at Enderun College yesterday. Lots of things to discuss in upcoming blogs, but here are a few takeaways that I notated.

There is a strong hunger for a national umbrella organization for analytics, big data and data science.

Engagement at the C-Level of Filipino companies outside the IT-BPO sector to eliminate the biggest adoption roadblock.

Restart of the Government, Industry and Academia collaboration on analytics needs to happen.

More hands on experiential learning for both students and faculty involving the industry.

Both traditional training and certification models as well as mentoring and self-guided training opportunities.

The speed and consistency of the internet is a huge threat.

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Advocacy for fixing culture before spending on costly technology and high priced talent.

Conversion of up to 70% of Customer Facing BPO Workers to doing analytics and data science as a hedge against automation and political decisions.

Im convinced that a lot of good can come out of the conference as the analytics and data  science industry is at about the same point the call center industry was 10 years ago.

However, given the global demand for data savvy talent and the exponential proliferation  of data, we need todo in 3-5 years what the BPO industry did in 10.

More to come!

News & Events- DMAIPH is a highly engaged leader, sponsor and participant in analytics events across the U.S. and the Philippines. As an Analytics Champion I write, blog, speak and lecture about analytics in a wide variety of forums. I authored several publications on analytics including my latest book, Putting Your Data to Work. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to learn more about where I will be talking about analytics next.

My Blog Post on the Analytics of Measurement and Evaluation

I recently had the honor of writing a blog post for American University’s Measurement & Evaluation program.

The post is about using a business analytics approach to “effectively evaluate projects, programs and processes.” This is in a response to the fact that it is becoming increasingly essential to use big data and analytics to ensure organizational success.

Here is the link: http://programs.online.american.edu/msme/resource/measurement-and-evaluation-analytics

It is my hope that I can inspire readers to look for ways to bring new data into their projects, programs and processes, blend it with current data, provide more dynamic analysis and share more impactful results.

I will also be doing a webinar early next year entitled Its Not Longer Just Enough To Know. Where I will highlight some techniques and technologies that I use to empower more data-driven decision-making.

Facilitating a mastery of the fundamentals of analytics is what I do best.

All across the world, companies are scrambling to hire analytics talent to optimize the big data they have in their businesses. Though my company DMAIPH, I can equip students and their instructors with the knowledge they need to prepare for careers in analytics. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly so we can set a guest lecturer date, internship, on-the-job training experience or other analytics education solution specifically tailored to your needs.

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The Analytics of Project Measurement

Peter Drucker perfectly summed up why big corporations rely so heavily on analytics when he said “What gets measured, gets managed.”

A successful analyst is able to remove the noise when analyzing data and isolate what matters to his or her organization.

With most companies collecting large amounts of data, you need to be both talented and disciplined to pinpoint key insights that can yield value.

In the corporate world, business analytics is widely use to track, analyze and report Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

KPIs are rolled up to senior leadership to drive business strategy, identify and mitigate risk and to optimize operational productivity.

This approach is very similar to the way projects in the Measurement and Evaluation are tracked, analyzed and reported.

I would define measurement simply as the act of measuring to ascertain the impact, size, level of success, etc. of a specific data set.

There are many components to measuring projects making sure the project is on schedule, stays in scope, is not over budget, the quality of work is up to par, the end goal of the project remains relevant, and finally if the project is ultimately deemed a success.

A foundation in analytics will contribute to a more optimal and efficient process of measurement. Like businesses do with KPIs, you should start will identifying that are the key measurements your project will be judged on.

Once you know those data points, then figure out how to collect them, analyze them, and report them.

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At each step you can look for new data, validate existing data and blend data from other sources to add value to your measurement efforts.

Once you get to the reporting phase you can look for cutting edge techniques in data visualization and interactive reporting like dashboards to help educate and empower your audience.

That is how it is done in the corporate world where business analysts boil down massive amounts of big, often unstructured data into a few bullet points that allow decision-makers to take action.

When it comes to the Measurement of Project Evaluation, understanding various analytics solutions can make all the difference.

Analytics Education – Facilitating a mastery of the fundamentals of analytics is what DMAIPH does best. All across the world, companies are scrambling to hire analytics talent to optimize the big data they have in their businesses. We can empower students and their instructors with the knowledge they need to prepare for careers in analytics. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly so we can set a guest lecturer date, On-the-Job Training experience or other analytics education solution specifically tailored to your needs.

Quick Analytics Career Question

Greetings to You My Valued LinkedIn Connection,

I was talking with a young professional just getting started in his analytics career. During our conversation we discussed what is most important to being a great analyst. With that in mind, I’d ask you to share your thoughts.

In your opinion, of the following ways to learn about analytics, which one has been the most important in your career path?

  • Formal Education – A degree or certificate in an analytics related field.
  • Self-Learning – Using trial and error and online resources.
  • Subject Matter Experts – Being trained/mentored by an expert.
  • Seminars/Workshops – Attending events to acquire new knowledge.
  • Technical Training – Attend training on specific technical areas.

Thanks for sharing. As always I will roll up all the replies I get and blog about it.

Dan Meyer, Analytics Champion, http://www.dmaiph.com

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Analytics Survey – DMAIPH conducts quarterly analytics surveys to collect data on current trends in analytics. We specialize in surveys that assess analytics culture and measuring how aligned an organization is to using data and analytics  in its decision-making. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to find out more about how DMAIPH can conduct surveys to help you assess the analytics culture in your business.

The Analytics of Measurement and Evaluation

By taking inspiration from the way corporations use business analytics to optimize their Big Data, our Program Measurement and Evaluation processes can be greatly enhanced.

To understand the connection, let’s start with the mission of the Measurement & Evaluation program.

“The ability to effectively evaluate projects, programs and processes is becoming increasingly essential to organizational success today. American University’s online Master of Science (MS) in Measurement & Evaluation provides you with the knowledge to lead these evaluation efforts and the technical skills needed for analytically demanding roles in upper management.” 1

A good analytics solution constructs a universal framework for collecting, analyzing and utilizing data to determine project effectiveness and efficiency.

Likewise, an efficient measurement and evaluation of projects, programs and policies using analytics should ensure success. An analytics centered approach will likely work with corporate, non-profit and governmental organizations across various sectors and industries.

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We can look specifically to two key business analytics concepts I have used in my twenty plus years of analysis work; Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Data Visualization. The key to my success was my ability to answer important business questions using analytics.

Analytics is generally defined as the discovery of patterns in data that provides insight and identifies opportunities. As Carly Fiorina, former CEO of HP said about analytics, “The goal is to turn data into information, and information into insight.” 2

Organizations that invest in analytics generally make much better business decisions then one’s that don’t. In fact, IBM found that organizations who use analytics are up to 12x more efficient and 33% more profitable. 3

In the corporate world, business analytics is widely use to track, analyze and report Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

KPIs are rolled up to senior leadership to drive business strategy, identify and mitigate risk and to optimize operational productivity.

This approach is very similar to the way projects in the Measurement and Evaluation are tracked, analyzed and reported.

So we need to ask ourselves, what are the KPIs for the project, program or process we are measuring? What points of data need to be captured, analyzed and reported to determine success?

A successful analyst is able to remove the noise when analyzing data and isolate what matters most to his or her organization. That is what is at the heart of measurement, knowing what data is important and what is not.

Once we have the right data, we can measure what the data tells us to determine success, causality, impact… whatever the outcome may be.

A quote often attributed to management guru Peter Drucker perfectly sums up why big corporations rely so heavily on analytics when he said “What gets measured, gets managed.”

Similarly, policy decisions can be made based on what is measured. Project funding can be impacted by what is measured. Process optimization can be directed by what is measured.

Once we are able to measure what is truly important to policy-makers, managers and decision-makers, we need to make sure we present the data in a compelling way.

This is where data visualization comes in.

I often make the analogy that if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a good pie chart is worth a thousand rows of data.

We all know that most people learn more by seeing something then by reading or hearing it. Data visualization takes that a step further.

Data visualization is not only important to presenting our insights but also for exploring the data for insights. Most people find it easier to process information when it is in the form of a picture then a collection of data.

Chip & Dan Heath, Authors of Made to Stick, found that, “Data are just summaries of thousands of stories – tell a few of those stories to help make the data meaningful.”

The ability to take all of the data gathered in the measurement phase and use it in the evaluation phase will make a significant difference in the success of the project, program or process you are working on.

According to the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, “Program evaluation is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about projects, policies and programs, particularly about their effectiveness and efficiency”. 5

Data Visualization can be used to paint a picture of a program, project or policy that influences outcomes based on the KPIs. And by appealing to the basic human fascination with stories, a persuasive graph, chart or infographic can make all the difference in the world.

By adopting the business analytics concepts of KPIs and Data Visualization, and applying them to the world of programs, policies and projects, you can find the same level of success I found in the corporate world.

  1. American University, “Certificate in Measurement & Evaluation” http://programs.online.american.edu/online-graduate-certificates/project-monitorin Accessed October 20, 2016
  2. Carly Fiorina Speech from December 6, 2004 http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/execteam/speeches/fiorina/04openworld.html . Accessed October 20, 2016
  3. Simon Thomas, Senior Analytics Consultant for IBM https://youtu.be/Zi8jTbXnamY . Viewed October 20, 2016
  4. Chip & Dan Heath, Authors of Made to Stick, http://heathbrothers.com. Accessed October 20, 2016
  5. OPRE, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/the-program-managers-guide-to-evaluation-second-edition. Accessed October 20, 2016

Analytics Education – Facilitating a mastery of the fundamentals of analytics is what DMAIPH does best. All across the world, companies are scrambling to hire analytics talent to optimize the big data they have in their businesses. We can empower students and their instructors with the knowledge they need to prepare for careers in analytics. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly so we can set a guest lecturer date, On-the-Job Training experience or other analytics education solution specifically tailored to your needs.

The Analytics of Project Evaluation

When looking at how to use more analytics in program evaluation, let’s start by getting a standard definition.

Per Wikipedia, “Program evaluation is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about projects, policies and programs,[1] particularly about their effectiveness and efficiency”.

This is very much like business analytics in how business leaders look at the analysis of business data to answer questions, identify opportunities and mitigate risks.

Program effectiveness can be measured many ways. Like how a cost-benefit analysis or market penetration report could be used by a company to assess the success of a new product or service.

Program efficiency can be measured using elements of Six Sigma or Lean. Looking for waste or defects in the end results of a project can lead to discoveries of poor implementation or biased data collection.

Another primary goal of project evaluation in both the public and private sectors, is providing stakeholders with information on “whether the programs they are funding, implementing, voting for, receiving or objecting to are producing the intended effect.”

To achieve this goal, you need a system to gather, analyze and report data. Like in any analytics project, the key is finding the right data and using it to answer questions, educate your audience and provide meaningful insight.

Answering questions like, “how much the program costs per participant, how the program could be improved, whether the program is worthwhile, whether there are better alternatives, if there are unintended outcomes, and whether the program goals are appropriate and useful.[2] will indicate the level of success the program achieved.

There are many analytics techniques like data blending to bring in supporting data form outside the program. Predictive models can show where the project would go if it continues to get funding. Data visualization can also be used to help illustrate findings that can be useful in program evaluation.

Just off the top of my head, I can see a lot of opportunity for the use of a business analytics approach to Project Evaluation. There is a lot of common ground in methodology and reporting, but I think bringing in some cutting edge business analytics to the mix would allow even more insightful and actionable project evaluation.

Let’s find out.

1, 2  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Program_evaluation

Evaluators can learn from the ways that the corporate sector uses business analytics to understand, interpret, and display Big Data. Key aspects from the corporate sector that are useful for monitoring and evaluation include identifying what data is important, and finding ways to visualize it for consumption. In my upcoming webinar with American University on analytics solutions, I will be talking about how analytics is relevant to measurement and evaluation.

Webinar details:

February 15, 2017

1pm Eastern

Webpage with webinar registration links: http://programs.online.american.edu/msme/webinars

Analytics Education – Facilitating a mastery of the fundamentals of analytics is what DMAIPH does best. All across the world, companies are scrambling to hire analytics talent to optimize the big data they have in their businesses. We can empower students and their instructors with the knowledge they need to prepare for careers in analytics. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly so we can set a guest lecturer date, On-the-Job Training experience or other analytics education solution specifically tailored to your needs.