At a recent industry conference, some of the sessions were the usual crystal-ball predictions but the ones I most enjoyed were the case studies. First off, I’m a fairly non-technical marketing geek. Even if my mother thinks I know everything about computers, I don’t. Secondly, I much prefer to read a novel than non-fiction. That’s not to say the any of the presentations were fiction; only that I am most entertained by a story.

And John Correllus, director of Business Intelligence at the North Carolina Department of Commerce had a great story to tell. Using SAS, the state DOC built its Economic Development Intelligence System (EDIS) which helps executives analyze vast and diverse datasets to determine the best place to locate new business and expand their operations. It is all accessible through a Web browser.

EDIS combines statistics, analytics and mapping to provide users with the integrated results to make informed relocation decisions. And so many people and businesses have moved to my native state in recent years, this hot tool demonstrates what a great place NC is to do business. It is searchable on several thousand attributes that include labor stats, maps, education resources, demographics, housing costs, weather, crime, businesses, etc., etc.

For example, a company executive considering a move to our fair state can use EDIS to determine if the workforce in a certain area has the right skills within a certain commuting distance, how much those folks expect to be paid; it can show how many work days are typically lost for weather issues in a part of the state and what buildings are available to shelter the business.

Don’t take my word for how cool this system is. Don’t believe InfoWorld who selected EDIS as a top 100 IT project. Don’t even take John’s word, though he is an smart and honest guy. Take a look for yourself. EDIS is available 24/7 online.