Contributed by Thornton May, IT Futurist

On June 15, 2011 twenty plus analytic pioneers from twelve different vertical markets convened to explore the current state and future trajectory of enterprise analytics. Each participant in The SAS Power Series event brought with them intellect, energy, curiosity and a challenge. During the half day session we made real progress.

We all left feeling very connected - secure in the belief that, independent of whether we worked at a retailer, a health care provider, a medical device manufacturer, a software firm or a financial institution – we were not alone. There were people in other companies with similar aspirations and similar challenges. These were people who could understood and help each other.

Analytics has the potential to create great and enduring value of enterprises of all shapes, sizes and strategic ambitions. The experts shared case studies and stories of organizations who had experienced significant successes in the early days of analytics. The assembled practitioners interrogated the case studies for relevance and applicability to the particulars of the local situation.

The sense of hope and opportunity which permeated the gathering reminded me of Mark Twain’s letter to Walt Whitman on his 70th birthday [1889] “Let him procure his slippers and get ready to dance –for there is going to be music.” In the future, there will be analytic music!