Tag: Analytics Training

Outsourcing Tips for Small Businesses

Small Business Analytics is not a very well established discipline.

You generally see analytics across all kinds of businesses in just about every industry, but for the most part these businesses are large in size.

The concept of analytics is something that most small businesses have not embraced because of two perceptions that hinder the adoption of best practices; a good analytics solution is too time consuming and too expensive.

These perceptions are often false. Just about any small business can benefit from a number of analytics techniques and technologies that do not require significant amounts of time or financial resources.

When talking with a small business owner about their business, I like to ask a series of questions to gain and understanding of the data they have to work within their business.

Generally, I find that they rarely, if ever they even think about the data they have.

So that is often where we start. Trying to map out their data environment.

Once we have an idea how data is (or could be) collected and stored, then we can turn to talking about analysis.

And after I have a good idea of what (if anything) they are doing with their data we can move to reporting. How is data and analysis presented within the business.

14045878_10154480087262425_4779154686875783746_nOften I find that pieces of the data collection, storage, analysis and reporting process are happening in subtle ways that don’t, on the surface, look like an analytics solution.

Over the next several blog posts in this series, I will offer up some tips to small business leaders, managers to point out where more analytics can be used with minimal time or cost impact to themselves.

To date I have helped over a dozen small businesses come up with an analytics solution tailored to their unique needs. We have been able to address key challenges that only a deeper understanding of the data in their business can uncover.

Analytics Outsourcing – DMAIPH has successful set up Filipino analytics teams for over a dozen U.S. based businesses. Offering both virtual and office based teams that specialize in problem solving using data, new technology and analytics techniques is our strength. Finding and empowering analytics talent is increasingly challenging, but we have it down to a science. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to learn more about how to set up an analytics-centric team in the Philippines.

 

Data Analytics to the Rescue

I am a big fan of super hero movies.

One of the reasons why is that in many ways I consider myself to be somewhat of a super hero.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, a super hero is “a figure endowed with extraordinary or superhuman powers which are used for fighting evil.”

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In my world, evil is analogous to ignorance… or the lack of information needed to make good decisions.

I live to fight this fight.

My extraordinary gifts are being blessed with a keen analytical mind and the ability to empower others to unleash their analytical abilities.

Analytics was not my career choice, but my innate curiosity and passion for answering questions put me in a position to become an analytics expert.

I have all the training and skills an educator needs, but instead of teaching in the classroom I train out in the business world.

On February, 21, 2017 I will be hosting a training on Data Analytics. E-mail us at analytics@dmaiph.com to register or get more info.

This will be so awesome.

I get to do what I do best.

And I get to do it in my adopted homeland.

I get to use my gifts to help Filipino professional unlock the curiosity buried inside them and use that to help empower more data-driven decisions in their organization.

#IamDMAIPH

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 on which of our DMAIPH analytics training solutions is best for you.

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.

The Secret to Being a Great Analyst

The secret behind just about anything successful is having a plan.

What is your analytics plan?

How will you empower analysts to add value?

What data techniques can you learn to have a greater impact?

How can you get your hands on new technologies to enhance the way you work with data?

You need a plan.

An analytics action plan.

An analytics strategy plan.

An analytic roadmap.

Whatever you call it, you need a plan that combines the right analytics talent, the right analytics techniques and the right analytics technology.

You need to build a map of how your data flows through your business.

You need to identify people in your organization that are curious and comfortable using data to make decisions.

If you are ready to build your analytics plan and need to ensure it will achieve you goals, I will be facilitating a training class on February 21 in Ortigas. Send us an e-mail to analytics@dmaiph.com to register or to get more information.

I will help you come up with an analytics plan to help you start taking advantage of the business data you have in order to increase efficiency and grow profits.

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 on which of our DMAIPH analytics training solutions is best for you.

 

3 Tips to Maximize the Potential in Your Data

Data is the lifeblood of the 21st Century business.

If you aren’t using your business data to optimize your processes, increase your profits and fuel your decision-making, then you are behind the times.

So let me give you 3 tips to maximize the potential in your business data.

Tip #1 – Map Out Your Data Environment

Tip #2 – Identify Your Data Geeks

Tip #3 – Get On the Same Page

Most businesses don’t have a good map of how their data flows through their business. Just about every employee, every team and every location is stock full of data that can be useful. But, in most businesses there is little understanding of how it is all connected.

You need to know how data is acquired, how it is stored, and how it is accessed. How often is it refreshed? How clean is it? How valid is it? If you have answers to these questions you can build a map of your business data. Like a flowchart.

As you map out the flow of data in your business, you can also identify the data geeks in your business. The ones who understand the value of using data to make decisions. The curious ones who ask a lot of questions. You need to empower these people.

Once you have a data map and you have brought together your data geeks, then you need to get them all on the same a page.

I’d suggest bringing in a consultant who can give you a new and unbiased perspective on how to deal with analytics roadblocks. Places, processes and people in the business who aren’t in synch.

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Another option would be to send the team to a training class facilitated by an expert… someone like me.

If you need a place for your team of data geeks to get outside the box an get on the same page, I will be facilitating a training class on February 21 in Ortigas.  Send us an email @ analytics@dmaiph.com to sign up or request more details. 

I will help you come up with a analytics action plan to help you start taking advantage of the business data you have in order to increase efficiency and grow profits.

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 on which of our DMAIPH analytics training solutions is best for you.

Unlock the Power in Your Data Using Analytics – All Attendees Get A Copy of My Book!

E-mail us at analytics@dmaiph.com to register for the training or to request more information! 

By now just about everyone knows that there is almost limitless opportunity buried in their business data. The big question facing business analysts, leaders, managers, and owners is how do I unlock that potential.

For a lot of us, we just aren’t sure where to start.

Do we go out and hire an expert analyst or data scientist and hope they can make it all work out?

Do we buy a new business intelligence or data modeling software and hope our current team can figure it out?

Do we send our people to training so they can learn new ways to identify, inventory and integrate business data into our decision-making processes?

Well, successful companies do all three. They line up the talent, technology and technique to empower the business with solid analytics.

Hiring a new employee or brining in a consultant will help you address the lack of talent you have working with your business data. Curious people, adept at working with technology and being able to translate your business questions in to valuable insights is generally step one.

As you bring that new person into the fold though, it is just as important to make sure your team is ready to start using more data in their business processes. You can’t expect one person to fix it all, you need to open up your business culture to embrace more data-driven decision-making.

Once you have the talent in place then I suggest you focus on technique.

Invest in some training to get everyone on the same page. If you have a technological solution in mind, then have them trained on that too. So much time is lost because people tasked with analytics are under trained.

Then, when you have everything lined up. That’s when you spend on a software solution. New tools for data acquisition, storage, analysis and reporting generally fail if you don’t have the talent and technique in place first.

If you still aren’t sure how to get started, I will be facilitating a training class on February 21, 2017 at Discovery Suites in Ortigas.

I will help you come up with a analytics action plan to help you start taking advantage of the business data you have in order to increase efficiency and grow profits.

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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 on which of our DMAIPH analytics training solutions is best for you.

Three More Reasons I Love the Philippines

I recently blogged about three reasons I love the Philippines; the geographic location of the Philippines, the Heart of the Filipino and the opportunity to fulfil my destiny of empowering Filipinos with analytics.

The blog post as generated more buzz and had more views then just about anything I have published in the past year.

It is an honor and a blessing to be able to do what I do, to speak, write, blog, and talk about analytics to Filipino students, professionals, and businesses.

Recently as the amount of rhetoric between my country of birth and my country of choice has risen, I have come to appreciate three more things I love about the Philippines.

First, I love the healthy political discourse between those who see the future of the Philippines as a more independent country with those whose lives have been positively impacted by foreigners like me.

Everyone has a right to their opinion and I spend a lot of time reading them and considering them. As an American who has cast his lot, so to speak with the Filipino people, I will always respect even those who I disagree with.

Second, I love the fact that President Duterte’s rhetoric is forcing the American government to reflect on its relationship to the Philippines.

This too is healthy in the long run. The relationship between the two nations is very complicated when you consider the various twists and turns of our shared history. We need to have a continual dialogue about how to evolve together for the better good.

Third, my passion for empowering Filipinos to use data in their decision-making only gets stronger.

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In a time of change, it is more important than ever to balance emotion with fact. A balance of meeting the emotional needs of 101 million people with the data that can competently predict the impact of various decisions is super important.

The upward momentum enjoyed by analytics and data science in the Philippines assures me once again, that I am in the right place at the right time.

There are many reason to love the Philippines… I could and someday soon will go and list more.

In the end though, to me, it is all about the simple fact that destiny has placed me here to do something important.

And that simple fact is truly a divine gift that makes me love the Philippines.

My Analytics Story – My passion is solving problems by bringing together the best talent, cutting edge technology and tried and true methodologies. DMAIPH is all about empowering people towards better Decision-Making through the use Analytics and business Intelligence. This is what I do best. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly for a free consultation about getting more analytics into your career and your business.

Why I’m Sticking with the Philippines

The past few months have seen a lot of negativity from President Duterte and his leadership team in their  comments about the state of U.S.-Philippines relations. Add to this the uncertainty around President Trump and his vision that suppresses globalization and threatens outsourcing.

The comments are sometimes a challenge for me to listen to as my connection to the Filipino people runs deep.

I grew up in Vallejo, California which has one of the largest and most vibrant Filipino communities outside of the Philippines.

The majority of my friends from elementary through high school are either Filipino immigrants or the children of Filipino immigrants.

My first crush was a Filipina. My junior prom data was a Filipina. I ended up marrying a Filipina. My brother married a Filipina. My son spent a year going to high school in the Philippines.

I not only love eating Caldereta and Adobo, but I can cook them really well.

I’m a huge fan of Jennylyn Mercardo and English Only Please is one of my all time favorite movies.

I have no problem riding in a Jeepney.

When I was working as an Analyst at Wells Fargo, I was deeply invested in making our remittance product the best in the business. I also volunteered to engage the Filipino community of almost 4 million at numerous events and promotions.

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When I finally had the chance to move to the Philippines to set up my analytics business, I did so to fulfil my destiny… to empower Filipinos to use more analytics in their business decision-making.

To date I have hired over 200 Filipinos, have spoken at dozens of schools in the Philippines and have provided analytics training to thousands of Filipinos.

Like just about any American who spends quality time in the Philippines, I love the Philippines.

No matter what happens between my government by birth and my government by choice, I will always feel that deep down inside my place is in the Philippines.

Because the heart of the Filipino is truly special in this world.

And that is why I am sticking with the Philippines.

My Analytics Story – My passion is solving problems by bringing together the best talent, cutting edge technology and tried and true methodologies. DMAIPH is all about empowering people towards better Decision-Making through the use Analytics and business Intelligence. This is what I do best. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly for a free consultation about getting more analytics into your career and your business.

Data Analytics Training on Feb 21

Did you know that most successful businesses have solid data analytics in place across their entire organization?

Organizations that invest in data analytics generally make much better business decisions then one’s that don’t.

In fact, IBM found a few years back that companies who use data analytics are up to 10x more efficient and 33% more profitable the ones who don’t.

By bringing data together data from across the business, companies can get real-time insights into finance, sales, marketing, product development and much more.

Data analytics enables each team within the business to collaborate, achieve better results and outsell the competition.

Join us on February 21, 2017 in Ortigas, and learn how to turn your business data into insightful and actionable analysis.

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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 on which of our DMAIPH analytics training solutions is best for you.

The Analytics Training Opportunity of a Lifetime

Over the past 5 years I have worked hard to become one of the more established analytics brands in the Philippines.

My company provides 24/7 service via both home based and office based analytics staffing solutions.

As an analytics expert with over 20 years of experience I am confident we can handle just about any kind of analytics requirement.

We offer publics trainings quarterly, conduct in house analytics trainings regularly and I am consistently being invited to be a resource speaker.

The need for analytics is booming. Big data and technological innovation has made analytics one of the hottest needs on the planet.

There are only a few, probably less then a dozen actually,  training companies offering analytics training in the Philippines.

The need is high for companies in the Philippines to get this specialized training.

The number of analyst jobs is projected to continue to grow almost exponentially for the foreseeable future.

U.S. companies will continue to look to the Philippines as a source for analytics talent and outsourcing options regardless of the political winds blowing across the Pacific.

Although machine learning and artificial intelligence may limit some of analytics jobs in the future, that is not of the near term horizon for most Filipino companies.

So, when I survey the analytics landscape in the Philippines, I am convinced DMAIPH is on the right path and even great success lies ahead.

Back in 2011, setting up an analytics company in the Philippines seemed like an idea ahead of its time.

Now, is 2016, my belief in the Philippines being a place to champion analytics and foster a culture of more data-driven decision-making has proved to be right on target.

As we look to 2017, the opportunity to empower even more Filipinos to be analysts and use analytics in their business looks even brighter. It is indeed the opportunity of a lifetime!