Welcome!
This is the blog for www.interactivedatapartners.com and it is dedicated to exploring the opportunities for applying data visualization and business intelligence in schools.
Interactive Data Partners (IDP) works with international schools and independent schools in the US to develop innovative ways to use data more effectively. We use data visualization techniques such as data dashboards to make data easier to understand. We also incorporate business intelligence ideas to make the data more useful so that it can support the decisions that impact the future of your school. The ultimate goal is to turn raw data into information that can then be applied to make a real impact.
New Web Site!
We just launched our new web site. The new site shows some great video demos of our products and has several case studies that demonstrate the value that our dashboards provide to schools. Please take a look and let us know what you think.
Good Linked In Discussion
I just left a (rather long) post in this LinkedIn discussion. The main point was don’t be overwhelmed by the idea of creating a “perfect” dashboard or data analysis system. Start small with the reports that you already have and take a little bit of time to think about which ones are truly valuable. Then organize them so they are easily available when you need them. Over time, think about how they can be improved and what data is missing. Once you get started, momentum will build quickly and you will be on your way.
By the way, this is a good LinkedIn group with several interesting discussion going on at any given time.
Don’t just talk about data; use it
—The study also said that “data-driven decision-making” was a buzzword, but that relatively few of the people interviewed could describe a situation in which they had a discussion based on data that was then used to make a good decision. “Most people had very few examples of where they used data well,” Ms. Wahlstrom said.
However, the most effective principals were the ones who were able to use data and show teachers how to use the information, too. The study said principals “can play a key role in establishing the purposes and expectations for data use. They can provide structured opportunities (collegial groups and time for data use), sessions for data-use training and assistance, access to expertise, and follow-up actions. Where principals do not make data use a priority—where they do not mobilize expertise to support data use and create working conditions to facilitate data use in instructional decision making—teachers are not likely to do it on their own.”—
http://www.edweek.org
Data Dashboards Demystified
This is a good article by Alison Cuming at Wickenden Associates. It talks about independent schools specifically and lays out a nice framework and some key ideas to keep in mind when creating a dashboard. Interesting quotes include:
“Diligent Boards are always information-hungry, and independent schools are well served by trustees who
seek evidence that the school is performing well in all areas. At the same time, though, the thirst for more
and more data can be insatiable and ultimately unproductive if the information presented does not
directly support the Board’s governance function.”
“We believe most Boards don’t actually lack for data – what they are missing is context and
meaningful analysis.”
These ideas are right in line with our philosophy at IDP.
How can “business intelligence” help schools? – Part 2 of 2
In Part 1 of this post, we talked about how “business” intelligence techniques could also benefit schools. But in this economy, can schools really afford to implement business intelligence solutions? They can if they:
- Choose the right product or solution
- Choose the right vendor
- Start small and look for solutions that have an immediate and measurable impact
Choose the right product or solution
Business intelligence does not necessarily mean extensive data warehouses, state of the art servers and mind-boggling data-mining software that slices and dices you data every possible way imaginable. It could be as simple as identifying some key areas that are important to your school and finding a way to collect, track and report information about those areas that helps you make better management decisions and/or helps you make tangible improvements. The key here is to be clear about your goals and objectives. If you are an independent school that wants to increase enrollment or a public school district that wants to decrease drop-out rates, focus on those objectives and look for solutions that give you the data you need to make positive changes.
You should also weigh usability vs. advanced features. While the latest bells and whistles may sound impressive, take some time to really consider if your staff has the extra time to learn how to fully use all the applications and to consistently keep up with the data entry and other activities required to take advantage of them. Sometimes it may make more sense to implement a simpler solution that does what you need it to do and nothing else (although it should be flexible enough to grow with you in the future).
Choose the right vendor
Some of the more well-known vendors have some slick packages that work really well in the corporate world. When evaluating these vendors, make sure that they understand how schools work and the modifications necessary to make their business solutions effective in a school environment. Be careful of vendors who try to pressure you into buying a pre-packaged solution that forces you to change the way you work just to conform to the new software. You should look for a vendor that treats you like a partner and helps you develop clear goals, a strategy to help you achieve them, and solutions that are aligned with your overall strategic objectives.
Whenever possible, look for solutions that leverage your existing hardware and software rather than forcing you to install expensive new systems. You should also look out for licensing or maintenance fees that require you to pay 15%-20% of your initial investment every year that you use the product. Make sure you understand the total costs and not just the up-front payment which is often drastically reduced so the vendor can get their foot in the door.
Start small and look for immediate impact
Rather than trying solve all of your problems with one comprehensive super-solution, we recommend that you start with a smaller, focused project that addresses 1 or 2 issues that are particularly important to you. You should also think about how you can measure the return on investment for the money you spend on this project. Using the examples above, think about how many new students enrolled or how many students that stay in school rather than dropping out does it take to justify the investment. But remember, even if you are beginning with a small trial, you also need to keep your long-term goals in mind. Your initial project should provide a platform for future growth and should have a “modular” architecture that allows you to install additional elements easily and inexpensively.
Following the steps above will help you keep costs down and get a good return on your investment. Data management is a hot topic right now so there may also be grants or other external sources of funding that can be applied to business intelligence projects. You may also want to ask vendors if they would consider letting you be a “beta-partner” that exchanges ideas for new products and testing of unproven applications in exchange for free or discounted solutions. IDP is currently looking for a small group of beta-partners if you are interested in more information about this option.
How can “business intelligence” help schools? – Part 1 of 2
Business intelligence is most commonly associated with marketing gurus analyzing the best way to reach 18-35 year olds or engineers studying how to make a manufacturing supply chain more efficient. But business intelligence is really just the process of analyzing data to gain insights and information that help you manage your business more effectively. So what does this have to do with schools?
Now I will be the first to admit that there are many reasons why a school should not be managed the same way as a business, but when it comes to data analysis, schools could learn a lot from the corporate world. Like businesses, schools have a lot of data. So much so that it often becomes overwhelming and difficult to understand. Unlike businesses, most schools do not have the luxury of hiring dedicated data analysts whose only job is to sift through the data and generate reports. Nor do they have the budgets to implement the fancy data mining systems that big companies use (except for this NY school district that spent $80 million).
But you don’t have to spend large amounts of money to reap the benefits of business intelligence. It is possible to find an affordable solution that actually provides a good return on investment. These solutions can organize your data so that it is easier to understand and make it easily available to school leaders so they can use it to guide the decisions that impact your school’s future. When implemented properly, these solutions also reduce the time you currently spend scrambling to pull together and distribute reports for board meetings and other ad hoc reporting activities.
One example is a data dashboard that displays your most important information on a single screen so you can see the big picture and gauge the overall health of your school. This sort of dashboard is updated automatically when new data is collected and has interactive features that allow you to drill down into areas that may require more attention.
Just remember, data dashboards and other business intelligence techniques are not a silver bullet. Many schools (and businesses for that matter) have wasted large amounts of money trying to implement a “cure-all” system that solved all their problems. The reality is that there is no magic solution. We recommend that you start slowly and look for a manageable solution that solves a specific issue or has an immediate and tangible benefit. Part 2 of this post will go into more detail on how to do this.
What is Data Visualization?
Here is a definition of data visualization from information-management.com
“Techniques for turning data into information by using the high capacity of the human brain to visually recognize patterns and trends.”
I like this definition because it breaks down a potentially complex topic to two simple concepts. The first is turning data into information. While most of us will agree that having data is good, too often we are overwhelmed with raw numbers and stacks of reports that don’t really mean much to us. The data becomes valuable when it points out a trend, supports a theory or makes us realize something that we never noticed. To be truly useful, the data should be presented in a way that is easily understood and shows us if any sort of action is required. One of the best ways to do this is to represent the data visually.
As the definition states, our brains are really good at processing visual images. Often, large amounts of numbers or oth
er data can be represented with a simple image or diagram (think about a company’s stock price over a 5 year period). Recently, sophisticated techniques have emerged to represent many different types of data in creative yet intuitive formats.
Data visualization is frequently used in the business world, but most schools have not gone much further than basic Excel charts. But given the huge amount of complex data that schools are grappling with, data visualization could prove extremely useful. Interactive Data Partners will continue to post more information about data visualization and its potential uses in the school environment so check back often.
Data Dashboard for Teachers
Here is another good blog post from Mike Bostock. I particularly like the quote below:
The value of data lies chiefly in what you do with it. Look at it and you will see numbers, process it into information and you may see patterns, use an expert system with it and you will have the means to make a professional diagnosis. Act on this diagnosis and you could change pupils’ lives….
….The current approach often presents data at too low a level, and makes teachers feel that they must be statisticians in order to make use of performance data. Because of this, teachers think that data are something only used by other people to criticise them, when data is actually their most powerful friend.
At IDP when we build dashboards and interactive reporting tools, we use proven data visualization techniques that allow the data to “tell a story”. This is the process of turning data into information. We also ensure that this information is easy to understand so that the Board or the senior leadership team can take appropriate actions to resolve issues or take advantage of opportunities.
Data Dashboards
OK, exactly what is a data dashboard?
Think about the dashboard in a car. It organizes all the information you need to drive the car so that it is easy to read and interpret. It uses gauges, alerts and other visual elements to provide current information about the vehicle’s status. In a single glance, the driver can monitor the overall situation and can instantly see if and where action is required.
A data dashboard can provide similar information about your school. But in addition to the high level information that shows you where additional attention is required, data dashboards can include interactive features that allow you to drill down to the more detailed information that you need to take the appropriate action. Click here to see a video of a data dashboard in action.
A data dashboard can help keep you focused on what is truly important and can guide your decision-making and strategic planning. It is also a valuable tool for communicating with the Board, your staff, and other key stakeholders. This is just one example of applying data visualization in a school environment. If you can think of any others, please add a comment below or contact us here.
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