Skip to content
Client Portal Request a Demo
Higher Education Data Analytics

Launching an Analytics Transformation

Ohio-University-Case-Study-Hero-Image-1
An illustration of a person analyzing charts of data under a large microscope

Ohio University

Ohio University (OU), founded in 1804, is a public research university in Athens, Ohio. Ohio University comprises nine campuses, nine undergraduate colleges, its Graduate College, its college of medicine, and its public affairs school, and offers more than 250 areas of undergraduate study as well as certificates, master's, and doctoral degrees

Like universities around the country, the institution is now grappling with reduced state appropriations, declining enrollment, and dramatically increased fixed costs such as healthcare and facilities maintenance. Ohio University knew that navigating this new reality meant transforming the way the university used data and made decisions.

"HelioCampus follows a teaching model and that’s a great fit for our university. They were able to bring us up to speed quickly and provide the continuing support and training to allow us to build our own capabilities."
Loralyn Taylor
Associate Provost for Institutional Research and Effectiveness

How OU Uses the Data

HC-Color-Icon-150x150-36

Putting Change into Action

OU was shifting to a new analytics and decision-support initiative, however, they were encountering problems that were holding the institution back from making critical, real-time decisions that impact recruiting, retention, and student success. OU used a data analytics platform to be able to translate metrics into meaning.

HC-Color-Icon-150x150-15

Creating the Climate for Change

OU was challenged with creating a sense of urgency, building a coalition, and developing a vision to develop a data analytics transformation. With the help of HelioCampus, OU implemented a modern data infrastructure and visualization platform with custom capabilities to reduce data processing time for analyses, automate advanced analytics, and provide an intuitive end-user experience.

HC-Color-Icon-150x150-27

Enabling the Organization

OU needed new data models to communicate the institution’s vision and empower broad-based action to support and provide efficient communication between department levels. By teaching staff and faculty how to use the analytics platform, it reduced the barriers to data and encouraged peer-learning and building of communities of practice. 

An illustration of two people placing puzzle pieces to form the path ahead of them

Choosing a Partner

Ohio University’s analytics team and the IR office was able to create new data models, incorporate feedback from users, and build out documentation and training libraries. By building its capacity for advanced analytics and institutional data literacy, Ohio anticipates that the use of data-informed decision-making will become a market differentiator, allowing it to gain a competitive advantage in a rapidly changing higher education environment.

Learn More About the Results

Read the case study to learn how Ohio University implemented a change management framework for developing a data analytics transformation and partnered with HelioCampus on an analytics platform to translate metrics into meaning.

Download Now
Ohio case study cover