Three Barriers to Using Data Effectively

At HelioCampus, we have identified three main barriers to using data effectively, and have ideas on how to solve them. 

Challenge 1: Data Silos
Higher education institutions have lots of data from across a multitude of systems, including admissions, enrollment, student success and financial. However, it often lives in silos and cannot be easily accessed by stakeholders from across the university. How can you make data driven decisions without the full picture?

Challenge 2: No Commitment to Technology, Talent, or Time
Another challenge is the lack of technology, talent and time needed to really take a holistic approach to anaytics. According to Eden Dahlstrom, former Chief Research Officer at EDUCAUSE, “the primary talent barrier to maturing analytics capabilities is the number of staff available to do the work, not the skills of the current staff in analytics support roles.”[1]

Finally, a data immature culture and a desire to jump straight to predictive analytics is another pitfall. Spending the time to glean key insights from descriptive statistics and diagnostic analyses is critical.

You can read more about all three of these challenges by downloading our white paper, “Data in Focus: A Clearer Path to Progress Through Institutional Analytics.”

[1] Moving the Red Queen Forward: Maturing Analytics Capabilities in Higher Education. Dahlstrom, Eden. EDUCAUSE Review. 22 August 2016. http://er.educause.edu/articles/2016/8/ moving-the-red-queen-forward-maturing-analytics-capabilities-in-higher-education