November 26th, 2015
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ATTENTION ALL BI/DW AND ANALYTICS PROFESSIONALS
Dear Toronto and GTA BI/DW and Analytics Professionals,
We cordially invite you to attend our upcoming TDWI Toronto and GTA Chapter meeting on November 26th, 2015. Come meet other local professionals, swap business cards, share ideas, and exchange career advice while listening to quality presentations in a vendor-neutral setting, which is the hallmark of TDWI education. Our speakers will be DW/BI end-users reporting on their success and lessons learned implementing various BI tools or projects. Please see our detailed meeting agenda below.
When: |
Thursday, November 26th , 8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. |
Where:
Topic: |
SAS Institute
280 King St East, 5th Floor
Toronto, ON
Two Presentations:
- PwC Canada’s Sustainable Agile Analytics Journey – Neil Hepburn and
- The buzz surrounding “Big Data” – Dean McKeown
|
DON'T MISS THIS EVENT! Please RSVP below
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Agenda:
8:30 - 9:00 a.m. |
Arrivals and Networking (cold continental breakfast will be served) |
9:00– 9:15 a.m. |
Opening remarks, Introductions |
9:15 – 10:00 a.m. |
Presentation: 1. PwC Canada’s Sustainable Agile Analytics Journey – Neil Hepburn |
Abstract |
Abstract: McDonald’s “Big Mac”. Once a symbol of consistency and managerial discipline, the iconic hamburger has now been displaced in the popular imagination by Starbuck’s “Tall Latte”. A large part of the reason for this is that Starbucks operates in a more fluid manner (pun not intended) allowing it to respond quickly and efficiently to unexpected modifications to the “Tall Latte” and other drinks. The differences between how McDonalds and Starbucks operate are easy to observe, with the former behaving more like a Henry Ford assembly line, and the latter performing more like a jazz ensemble. Starbucks is growing faster, its margins higher, and its customer and employee satisfaction is anecdotally more positive than McDonalds. The culmination of Neil’s research reveals the stark ground truth that when it comes to data and analytics there needs to be a common set of tools, data resources, human resources, and processes shared between the Business and IT users. In this presentation you will learn about the obstacles and bottlenecks that hinder Agile Analytics and what types of tools, organizational structure, and processes are needed in order to sustain Agile Analytics beyond an initial phase of excitement leading to a common Culture of Analytics and the inherent capability to answer unexpected questions at executive speed. |
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. |
Break |
10:15 - 11:30 a.m. |
Presentation: 2. Abstract Title: Dean McKeown - The buzz surrounding “Big Data”
The buzz surrounding “Big Data” continues to grow as it permeates the media and the consciousness of ourselves. There is no end to this phenomena as we are surrounded with gadgets that generate huge amounts of data and our lives are increasingly reliant on these devices. Companies are trying to leverage this data to the betterment of the customer and the bottom line. In order to do this, we need to analyze the data effectively. So far, machine learning needs to be supplemented by people. I will look at the skills required to fill that need and how people can move from IT management into the role of analytics professional. |
11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. |
Q&A, Closing Comments & Wrap-Up |
DON'T MISS THIS EVENT! Please RSVP below
Click here to register for the next upcoming event
Space is limited so sign up early!
To become a member at a 10% discount, please click here and use priority code torcptr1. For more information about TDWI Membership, contact [email protected].
To contact a Chapter officer, click on name of the officer located on the top right hand column of this page.
Bios of Presenters
Speaker BIO: Neil Hepburn is a Certified Data Management Professional (mastery level), holds an honours B. Math in Computer Science, and has over 20 years IT and data management experience. Neil works within PriceWaterhouseCooper’s Information Management practice and is a recognized thought leader in the area of Agile Analytics. Neil has spoken on the topic of information management in numerous public forums including: Enterprise Data World; FSOSS (Free and Open Source Software Symposium); CMA IT Symposium; and numerous universities including University of Toronto, Waterloo, Wilfred Laurier, Ryerson, and McMaster.
Speaker BIO: Dean McKeown has held many roles in the post-secondary education sector including operations security, IT and business management. He has served as a trustee on several non-for profit boards including audit and finance. Dean has two degrees from Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario. His research interests include big data analytics, governance, privacy and public policy with a special emphasis on e-democracy and encouraging citizens to utilize technology to support the democratization of government.