Did you know that the education industry is heavily embracing data visualization to run their business? Just like any other industry, leaders in education need to understand their customers (i.e. students). They need to understand how the students are doing, how they're progressing and if intervention is needed to ensure they're successful. They need to do accountability and compliance reporting to the state and federal government on their students and programs. They also need to ensure that all the resources students need are in place -- facilities, materials, teachers, professors, courses, etc. This list is just a small sample of the types of things they're doing with data.

In my last post, I shared several customer presentations on SAS® Visual Analytics from SAS Global Forum 2015. Looking at those you can see other applications for data visualization. But, it all boils down to having accurate information readily available to make data-informed decisions.

A recent paper, Moving Past Traditional BI to Self-Service Analytics, gives even more insights into how higher education is modernizing their approach to decision making. It also shares how higher education institutions are now faced with greater accountability and fiercer competition for students. Historical reporting is no longer sufficient to anticipate and respond to the rapid changes in higher educational trends and student populations. Institutions are using their data for a more proactive and interactive flow of information for faster decision making.

If you want to see SAS Visual Analytics in action, you can try it out for yourself. Each of the links below are publically available customer websites. Check them out, give them a try -- and see all the reports that provide great information right at your fingertips.

• University of New Hampshire Institute for Health Policy  (click on access public reports, then double click a report)
• NC School Report Card (click on 2013-2014 School report cards)
• University of North Carolina
• University of Texas System Dashboard (also accessible via iPad)
• North Carolina Community College System
• University of Louisiana System (userid and password is sasguest - also accessible via iPad)