As described in GIIMs Managing Data as an Asset Certificate, Business Analytics/Intelligence has remained the top application/technology (a clear standout) since 2003. Companies value the ability to analyze data/information to gain insights as they compete to rapidly and accurately advise internal and external decision-makers. With the future of IT being driven by these technologies (in marketing, R&D, HR, legal...), every organization should be obtaining demonstrable value from implementing an effective data driven innovation strategy where big data means bigger and better decisions. Every organization needs to have a team of efective data scientists.

In addition to formidable process improvements, the focus is now on revenue generating initiatives. IBM CEO Virginia Rometty said that information will be to the 21st century what steam, electricity, and fossil fuel were to prior centuries. A recent IBM MIT Sloan Management report found that companies that harness the power of big data and analytics outperform those that do not by 220%. To be successful in deploying BI, candidates require enriched expertise in data management, statistics, modeling techniques and tools, and the industry they are working in; they need to understand how to move from Big Data to Smart Data.

Addressing the 4-V’s of Big Data have become fundamental for data scientists:

- Volume: The integration of existing enterprise

                   data with Social, Mobile, Cloud, and

                   Internet of Things is driving the data

                   explosion

- Variety: Capturing all of the structured and

                   unstructured data that pertains to the

                   enterprise decision making processes

- Velocity: The rate at which data arrives and the

                    time required to process and

                    understand it

- Veracity: The quality and trustworthiness of the data

Furthermore, IT for all companies has traditionally focused on building reports about events that happened in the past.  Big data and business analytics is now shifting the focus of IT.  Instead of just looking backward, IT can develop (and the business can leverage) the capabilities for looking forward.  To be able to take advantage of these new capabilities, organizations must recognize that the conventional model requiring data in the warehouse to be 'clean' and 'structured' must change. Organizations have to get comfortable with the idea that data can (and will be) 'messy' and unstructured', and that they will have to use external data sources (which have typically not been pulled into enterprise data warehouses) in new innovative ways. The complexity of this requirement is compounded by the traditional exponential growth of data in concert the growth of data brought by the internet of things.

Many studies (like the one on the left) forecast a significant global shortfall in the big data skills necessary to deploy these new capabilities.  In the United States alone, McKinsey projects a shortfall of 140,000 to 190,000 by 2018. The lack of these skilled professionals is limiting the ability of business to derive value from big data.  This talent shortfall is largely due to the shortage of effective university, professional, and executive education programs designed to produce the talent necessary to fill the growing demand for every type of big data professional.

Recognizing that these initiatives demand more than just technical skills is imperative.  Bad data leads to bad decisions.  This has been most recently demonstrated in the dramatically missed projections for the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. Other simplistic examples include sports teams that have used “faulty data” in selecting new players or in deciding what plays to call or in the placement of players for a play.  What erroneous decisions has your organization made; you might not even be aware until it is too late???

Successful use of these complex tools requires expertise in more than just technologies and data; they require the convergence of technology, data, statistics, business, industry, tools/products, and the ability to work in a team (IT and non-IT).  The purpose of this certificate is to prepare candidates with the technology management skills necessary to meet the challenges and deliver valuable results.

While it is important to understand how to leverage your organizations data/information assets (from marketing to research to talent analytics), IT and business partners must effectively work together to recognize what questions need to be asked. This certificate combines the technical, managerial, and industry skills necessary to deploy this important new technology. Based on the candidates background and anticipated engagement in BI, this program can help prepare the novice or expand the knowledge of an experienced BI professional; as well as the non-IT executive interested in understanding how to leverage this important technology.

This Certificate will address the integration of the information technologies that are required to have a successful big data/business analytics/knowledge management strategy across the enterprise including robotics process automation (Cognitive Computing), IoT (internet of things), Bring-Your-Own-Infrastructure, and SMAC (Social, Mobile, Business Analytics, and Cloud). 

The Global Institute for IT Management (GIIM) has developed two 4-course certificate programs to address these important considerations.  One, Deploying Analytics (described here) is similar to many university IT analytics programs that are being offered; albeit with a stronger focus on industry and practical considerations.  The second, Managing Data as an Asset Certificate, focuses on the leadership, management, and industry skills necessary to leverage this important new technology; how to derive value from data.

Candidates should have completed the course The Essentials of Data Management or have the equivalent experience prior to taking this certificate.  Candidates should also consider courses from the Managing Data as an Asset Certificate, IT in Industry Certificates, IT Security Management Certificate, and IT in Marketing Certificate.

 Course Details