Traditionally, IT’s primary focus has been system stability and reliability—if we don’t keep things running, then the entire University suffers. However, one of the by-products of a technology-powered world is an abundance of data that can be analyzed to better understand how we can improve our services and evolve the IT landscape at NYU.
As you think about your services and support models for the new academic year, find ways to include analytics in making decisions. Data can be key to making timely decisions and finding the right solutions. Learning to leverage data, and becoming a data driven culture, can help us identify gaps, target areas of opportunity, and make more informed decisions that drive our community’s success.
We can become better users of data, and supply better data to the community, by taking advantage of the resources available to us and to anyone across NYU who could benefit from data-informed decision making. These resources include units within NYU IT–such as Enterprise Data Management (EDM)—as well as other university partners–such as the Decision Support Group (DSG), Institutional Research & Data Integrity, Data Governance, and Learning Analytics teams—as well as technology tools that help collect, analyze, and visualize data—including pre-canned reporting (UDW+/OBIEE), Tableau, Brightspace Insights, and ServiceLink reports and dashboards.
Finally, data, and the insights generated, can be particularly powerful when combined with experience and analysis. Throughout the process, model best practices by engaging in active listening. Think critically by applying your expertise, judgment, and experience to understand what the data is (really) telling you. Be open to new ideas and insights rather than using data to support your desired outcome. Challenge assumptions—including your own— by asking and encouraging thought-provoking questions. If you are looking to learn more about how data can help inform decisions, I encourage you to take a look at two resources in particular: Gartner for Technology Professionals, available via NYUHome—I recommend “Unlock Digital Business Value With Data Literacy and Data-Driven Culture” (PDF); and “A Guide To Data Driven Decision Making: What It Is, Its Importance, & How To Implement It,” provided by Tableau.