April 2017

April 2017 Meeting

When
April 19, 2017 | 12:00pm - 2:00pm

TOPIC
Deploying Advanced Analytics for Success

ABSTRACT

Investments in analytics continue to climb. Demand for OR professionals/data scientists is strong. Growth projections of the analytics software market are strong. Both are fueled by the constant stream of books and articles on the power of analytics to turn data into dollars. But we are already hearing about how some of these investments are not generating the return organizations expected. Do we need better math? Is it the software? A shortage of unicorns, maybe? This talk will focus on deploying advanced analytics, which will explain an important reason why advanced analytics is falling short of its promised benefit. The Analytics Supply Chain metaphor will be used to help frame the issue (See recent article by Tom Davenport and Zahir Balaporia), followed by ideas on how to address the critical issues of deploying analytical models and supporting change management to help turn data into dollars.

Speaker

Zahir Balaporia

Zahir Balaporia

Solutions Partner, FICO Optimization

Zahir helps clients design solutions for their advanced analytics needs with a focuses on model deployment and change management. Previously he spent 19 years at a large US transportation and logistics company where he led the advanced analytics team. His work there was profiled in the book Only Humans Need Apply – Winners and Losers in the Age of Smart Machines by Tom Davenport and Julia Kirby. Zahir has a BS in Computer Engineering, an MS in Industrial Engineering and an MS in System Dynamics.

Libin Varghese

Libin Varghese

Senior Consultant, FICO Optimization

Libin builds and configures end to end optimization solutions across a range of industries and application domains. He specializes in rapid development and prototyping using his expertise in optimization, predictive analytics and BI. Prior to FICO, he worked at Sabre Airline Solutions where he developed and maintained large scale network planning optimization models. Libin has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering.