Moving from Data Insight to Data Action

Published:: Monday, April 3, 2023

Data is as indispensable as technology to the activities of a college or university. Today’s data professionals are navigating the data journey from "what" to "so what" to "now what" by using insights, planning ahead, and taking action.

Insights: Where We Are Now

drawing of someone at a desk and screens in the cloud with people working on graphs

To cultivate a data-driven culture and enable data-informed decision-making, institutions are reviewing and evolving their current data structures.

Read “EDUCAUSE QuickPoll Results: (Re)organizing Data Functions for Today's Analytics,” EDUCAUSE Review

Pie graph showing responses to: Thinking about how these data-related functions are structured at your institutions, do you believe the current structure is ideal for meeting the data and analytics needs of your institution? Yes: 25%. No: 58%. Don't know: 17%.

Planning: Where We Want to Go

A carefully planned framework can provide the guiding principles and key competencies needed to evolve institutional capabilities in using data to provide actionable strategic insights.

Read “A Modern Framework for Institutional Analytics,” EDUCAUSE Review.

drawing of computer screen with people working on various types of graphs

Data and Analytics Maturity Model. David Weil, Casey Kendall, and Rob Snyder, 'A Modern Framework for Institutional Analytics,' EDUCAUSE Review. 4 Boxes. Strategic Reporting: Assessing, Evaluating; 'How did we get here?' Strategic Analytics: Planning, Predicting, Testing; 'How do we move forward from here?' Operational Reporting: Counting, Observing, Measuring; 'Where are we?' Operational Analytics: Understanding; 'What does it mean to be here?'

Action: How to Move Forward

2023 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Data Governance

With an articulated vision for an institution’s data governance future, stakeholders can develop and prioritize a set of steps to get there. The actions can be organized into the categories of culture, workforce, and process.

Explore the 2023 Horizon Action Plan: Data Governance

'In this age of digital work and life, data are undeniably as valuable as tangible currency.' 2023 EDUCAUSE Horizon Action Plan: Data Governance.

Showcase Webinar

Missed the Showcase Webinar: Moving from Data Insight to Data Action? Access the recording to hear from community data experts.

Hear from the Community

2021 AIR National Survey of IR Offices

Realizing Advising Transformation: Institutional Reflective Self-Assessment

Making the Shift to an Ultra-Intelligent Institution With Data

The Importance of Data Strategy

Empower All Users to Leverage Cataloged Data Insights

Why Institutions Need to Care About Learning Analytics Data and Caliper Analytics

Go Further

Assess Your Progress

Core Data Service Interactive Almanac [updated March 2023]
Analytics Institutional Self-Assessment

Learn from Your Peers

EDUCAUSE Data Literacy Institute
Learning Lab | Data Governance Essentials
Learning Lab | Leading Change in Higher Education from Any Seat
"A Quest for Success: How Technology and Data Transformed Middle Tennessee State University" [case study]
"Exceptional Experiences: How South Texas College Transformed Advising Using Technology and Data" [case study]
Kelly Linden, Ben Hicks and Sarah Teakel, “Weathering the Storm: Targeted and Timely Analytics to Support Disengaged Students” [case study], EDUCAUSE Review
AIR, EDUCAUSE, and NACUBO, The Joint Statement on Analytics, updated August 2022

Feed Your Curiosity

Dig Into the Library

Connect with Community Groups

We hope the lessons from this Showcase will help you use data to drive strategic action at your institution. On May 22, we’ll launch "Online, In-Person, or Hybrid? Yes." This Showcase will explore strategies to navigate the increasingly blurred boundaries between learning modalities.