by John Sucich | May 14, 2020 | Manufacturing & Supply Chain
There are certain products that have seen an increase in demand in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Canned goods, for example, have been flying off store shelves, meaning that the companies that produce the cans for those goods have been ramping up production.
Just as important as the places producing the cans are the trucks getting them from the plants to the food companies, and then from there to the grocery stores to be sold. Here’s a look at some of the adjustments the transportation industry has had to make in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)
by John Sucich | May 7, 2020 | Manufacturing & Supply Chain
With some states lifting stay-at-home orders and allowing certain businesses to reopen, focus has shifted to the supply chain. What will be available and what will be missing because of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic?
The meat processing industry has been one of the industries most affected by the coronavirus. In a late-April full-page ad in the New York Times, the chairman of Tyson Foods Inc. warned that the United States “food supply is breaking” due to plant closures. That same week, President Trump declared meat processing plants “critical infrastructure.” But it will take more than that government order for the industry to stay ahead of demand. (more…)
by John Sucich | Apr 23, 2020 | Manufacturing & Supply Chain
FREJA’s story might sound familiar to any number of organizations in any number of industries: for a long time, the company had a business intelligence solution in place, but it wasn’t using it to its full potential. When FREJA took steps to develop a clearer business intelligence strategy, the benefits of Dimensional Insight Platform with Measure Factory became increasingly clear to many of its employees.
FREJA is a privately-owned transportation company specializing in road transport, but offering sea and air freight as well. The company owns 2,600 trailers and handles two million shipments a year with the trailers driving 270 direct routes every day or every other day. Here’s a look at how it’s using analytics and the power of Measure Factory in its business. (more…)
by John Sucich | Apr 9, 2020 | Manufacturing & Supply Chain
In the best of times, a disruption to the supply chain can cost an organization valuable time and money. In the current climate, the repercussions are not only clear to the organization, but also to people who may have never heard the term “supply chain” before.
The sight of empty shelves where common items like toilet paper are usually stocked, or news video showing a shortage of medical supplies makes everyone aware of what is and what is not available because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some companies took steps after previous supply chain disruptions to prepare themselves for a situation like this. Others were not so prescient. Here’s a look at both sides of that coin, and how everyone can prepare themselves for the next major disruption.
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by John Sucich | Mar 12, 2020 | Healthcare
There is no more important time for health organizations to use all of the data available to them than in a health crisis. The data can help health officials stay informed, but it can also help inform a response – where and how to intervene. As a result, the care that is being provided can improve and lives can be saved.
The way that data is presented can also make a difference. Many different organizations are using visualizations of the current coronavirus that allow the data be viewed and understood more easily in order to improve the response. Here are some of the data visualizations of the COVID-19 pandemic that can help everyone stay informed, from those worried about whether the virus will affect them to the health officials trying to stop it. (more…)
by John Sucich | Feb 27, 2020 | General BI
A common theme for organizations that successfully use data is the fact that everyone in the organization is on board with the approach to data. This can be difficult when faced with employees who might be set in their ways or who think they don’t have a handle on the data.
But if your organization is committed to using analytics, these are hurdles that need to be overcome. Here are five ways that you can improve data literacy in your organization. (more…)
by John Sucich | Jan 16, 2020 | General BI
Many economists say we are overdue for a recession. Despite a low unemployment rate and the economy’s longest expansion on record in the United States, experts in America and the World Bank point to trade wars and other globally financially risky situations as reasons for a dim forecast.
Analytics may not be able to tell you exactly when the economy might shift. However, data can certainly help an organization mitigate the impact of a recession by giving you the right information to better target the right market, save money, and increase profits. (more…)
by John Sucich | Oct 24, 2019 | Education
It’s the question every college or university serious about using analytics to help students succeed asks itself: what does student success look like?
The University of Kentucky, recognizing that the school’s success depends on the success of its students, launched the Smart Campus Initiative this fall, giving every first-year student an iPad Air, Apple Keyboard, and Apple Pencil. The hope is that providing the necessary technology to create a level playing field will help all students succeed.
Giving students access to technology is one thing. What the data can tell a school about how to use that technology to its fullest potential to help students succeed is another. Here are a few examples of how schools are using data to find ways to help students succeed. (more…)
by John Sucich | Oct 17, 2019 | Education
With the wealth of data available to colleges and universities about current students, it can be easy to forget that there is just as much information about former students. And in a social media-connected world, it’s easy to continue gathering data on alumni about everything from what they are doing for work to how often they are giving to the university.
For many higher education institutions, fundraising from former students is the most common way of keeping track of alumni. But there are many opportunities to use data to track alumni engagement and increase efficiency in the advancement office. Let’s examine how. (more…)
by John Sucich | Sep 25, 2019 | Education
Fans know where to find the University of Alabama football program – it’s usually at the top of the polls.
But now, the University of Alabama football program also knows where to find its fans. Or, at least, it’s trying.
The school is trying to boost attendance and to keep fans in their seats at Bryant-Denny Stadium by using location-tracking data. They are tracking which students come to the game and who is staying until the end of what are usually non-competitive contests in the fourth quarter. Students who use the location-tracking app and come to the game are awarded Loyalty Points, and then they are awarded more points if they stay all the way through the game.
Alabama’s approach may be unique, but they are certainly not alone in gathering information directly from students. Schools are looking for data wherever they can find it – and as the technology offers increasing opportunities to do so, colleges and universities are looking to apps that a student carries with them to provide that data. Let’s take a look.
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