A Practitioner's Guide to Business Analytics：Using Data Analysis Tools to Improve Your Organization’s Decision Making and Strategy

TheDefinitiveGuidetoUsingAnalyticsforBetterBusinessDecisions"Amust-readforanyonewhoisdirectlyorindirectlyleadingormanagingananalyticsfunction--andanyonewhowantstomakebetterdecisionsbasedonanalytics,notjustintuitionoran'overemphasisonindustryknowledge,whichcrowdsoutgoodanalytics.'"--CharlotteE.Sibley,President,SibleyAssociates,abioPharmaconsultingcompany"Overthelongterm,thosewhoshowthegreatestimagination,growtherightskills,buildthedeepestorganizations,andfollowrigorousstatisticalpracticewillreapthegreatestrewardsfromtheiranalyticsefforts.APractitioner'sGuidetoBusinessAnalyticslightstheway."--ThomasC.Redman,PhD,theDataDoc,NavesinkConsultingGroup"Executivesbeware.Thisisnotyourtypicalmanagementbook.Thisbookcontainsrealinformationfromanalyticalprofessionalswhoareoutsidetheexecutivebubble...Holdontoyourseatandbepreparedtochangethewayyouthinkaboutleaders,leadershipqualities,andleadershipskillsneededforfuturesuccessinthechangingbusinesslandscape."--ThomasJ.Scott,Director/Advisor,MarketingSciencesSolutions,TGaSAdvisors"RandyBartletthaswrittenanimportantandusefulbook,fillingatleastsomeofthelargevoidbetweenbooksthatexhortmanagerstothinkmoreanalyticallywithoutexplaininghow,andoverlytechnicalbooksthatonlyquantitativeanalystswouldappreciate.Particularstrengthsaretherecommendationsabouthowtoorganizetointegrateanalyticalexpertiseintodecision-makingandtheguidanceabouthowmanagerscanassesswhethertheyaregettinggoodanalyticaladvice."--DouglasA.Samuelson,D.Sc.,PresidentandChiefScientist,InfoLogix,Inc.,Annandale,VA;quantitativeanalyst,inventor,entrepreneurandexecutiveAbouttheBook:Therealtragedyofacompanyfailingwhileusinganalyticsisthefactthatitsleaderswillhavethedatatoexplainthefailure,buttheywon'thavethecapabilitiesinplacetofilterthedataandconvertitintoactionablebusinessinsights.OneimplicationofBigDataisthatweneedtoadapt...quickly.APractitioner'sGuidetoBusinessAnalyticsintegratespowerfulstrategiesforleveraginganalyticsinsideabusinesswithahow-toplaybookoftacticstomakeithappen.Thecaseforcompetingbasedonanalyticsisclear,butuntilnow,therehasn'tbeenauthoritativeguidanceforincitingacorporatecommunitytoevolveintoathriving,analytics-drivenenvironment.Thishands-onbookgivesyouthetools,knowledge,andstrategiestocapturetheleveloforganizationalcommitmentyouneedtogetbusinessanalyticsupandrunninginyourcompany.Ithelpsyoudefinewhatbusinessanalyticsis,quantifytheexponentialvalueitbringstoanorganization,andshowothershowtoharnessitspowertogainadvantageovercompetitors.AccomplishedbusinessinformationprofessionalRandyBartlettbringshiscomprehensivecoveragetolifewithfirsthandaccountsofusingbusinessanalyticsatbrand-nameglobalcompanies.Throughin-depthexaminationsofsuccessstoriesandfailuresinanalytics-baseddecisionmakinganddataanalyses,hefullypreparesyouto:Assessyourcompany'sanalyticsneedsandcapabilities,anddevelopastrategicanalyticsplanStewardthethreepillarsofBestStatisticalPracticeandaccuratelymeasurethequalityofanalytics-baseddecisionsanddataanalysesBuildandorganizeaspecializedBusinessAnalyticsTeamtoleadinfrastructuralchangesUpgradethefoundationthatsupportsbusinessanalytics--datacollection,datasoftware,anddatamanagementCreatetheessentialsynergyforsuccessbetweentheBusinessAnalyticsTeamandITEffectivelyintegratinganalyticsintoeverydaydecisionmaking,corporateculture,andbusinessstrategyisamultifrontexerciseinleadership,execution,andsupport.Thespecializedtoolsandskillsetsrequiredtosucceedarefinallyinoneresource--APractitioner'sGuidetoBusinessAnalytics.