Analytics Leadership
The Analytics Leadership Track was formed to bring together leaders of analytics efforts and analytics groups to discuss: i) how to build a world class analytics team for your company; ii) how to define, solve, deliver, and communicate an analytics solution; and iii) what an analytics leader must do to succeed within the organization and help the organization/company succeed. Learn more about confirmed presentations in this track below.
Analytics Leadership Lessons from Traditional Media Companies
Digitally native companies use data and advanced analytics as core competences of their business models, but the same cannot be said yet about most traditional companies in non-digital industries. In particular, long-established radio and television media companies have large portions of their business still rooted in offline technologies and processes, even though they face big disruptions in their competitive landscape and a need to rapidly evolve to remain profitable. Lots of leadership lessons can be learned in these environments while developing, implementing, and maintaining advanced analytics decision support systems. This talk will discuss some successful and unsuccessful stories from the practice trenches of the media industry as well as leadership lessons pertaining managing a team, navigating upper management, and establishing end-to-end analytics processes.
Perspectives of an Analytics Transformation in Progress
General Motors has a long history of applying OR/MS and analytics in its internal operations. Over recent years, like most organizations, the awareness and appetite for analytics has grown exponentially. In this talk we share insights from the journey and transformation that is underway. What are the opportunities to embrace, the pitfalls to avoid, and how do you navigate a rapidly-changing landscape?
Developing Analytic “Super Powers”: Positioning Your Team for Success
Meaningful, scalable and sustainable analytic capacity requires more than math. Advanced analytics will not mitigate erroneous assumptions, skewed samples, faulty logic or cognitive bias. Moreover, the increased popularity of the “citizen data scientist” has resulted in the proliferation of “easy button” solutions to end users who may not be ready or able to use these capabilities in a meaningful, responsible or effective manner. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are emerging as key differentiators between organizations simply chasing the hype of advanced analytics and those realizing meaningful results. As a result, these so-called “soft skills” are being rebranded as the new “power skills” for the analytics professional. Given their importance to translating data science aspiration into real, measurable competitive advantage, however, we may want to consider extending the argument and label these as analytic “super powers”. With that model in mind, this presentation will review the analytic “super powers” analytics leaders must develop in their teams to succeed within the organization and position their company for success.
Developing Analytical Maturity
Every company aspires to derive more value from data. You cannot avoid the continuous barrage of marketing of how AI and ML are changing the world; AI is this decade’s .com, with even grander promises in how it will change how we live. There is a tremendous urge to get in the AI game, for fear of falling behind and missing the next big innovation wave. Deciding where companies focus their efforts improving business with AI, ML and good old-fashioned analytics is a real challenge. Once they know where they want to focus, executing successfully is also a major challenge. Common themes exist within organizations, land mines are out there, and there are strategies to avoid them. Discuss strategies to raise your analytical maturity with a long-time practitioner.