Category: Insights

Religious Organizations Embrace Technology and Data Post Pandemic

Post author By Lucinda Nord
Post date May 10, 2023

Religious Organizations Embrace Technology and Data Post Pandemic

Faith-based organizations, like many other institutions, are increasingly relying on technology to accomplish their goals. From online worship services to digital giving platforms, thriving congregations and ministries have been quick to adopt new technologies to meet the needs of their communities.

The pandemic spurred changes in attendance from online and outside service attendance in the spring of 2020 to a hybrid of in-person and online attendance in 2022. The Pew Research Center documented the changes through five surveys between July 2020 through November 2022. Virtual viewing of services online or on TV increased, in-person attendance declined, and overall participation remained nearly steady with a slight decline since the pandemic.[1]

While attendance may have been tracked by religious organizations before, deeper analysis can help leaders understand which programs are most popular—whether in-person or virtual–and for whom. Virtual attendance creates opportunities and challenges to meet a new definition of the sense of “community” religious institutions seek to create. Heidi Campbell, professor of communication at Texas A&M University, stated, “Digital technology in the church and in ministry is here to stay. And our future is definitely hybrid.”[2]

One of the most significant changes that religious organizations have experienced in recent years is the integration of data into their operations. The Pew Research confirms what congregations may observe anecdotally in the demographic differences of attendees by participation type. By using data analysis tools, congregations, and ministries are gaining insights into their members’ needs and preferences, which allows them to better tailor their programs and services.

Faith-based organizations are also turning to social media and technology to improve their outreach efforts. By engaging with their communities on social media, organizations can spread their message to a wider audience and engage with individuals who may not be able to attend in-person events or who joined the virtual religious community. They can use social media analytics to understand which posts are most effective and how to better engage with their followers. Others are using virtual reality technology to give members a virtual tour of their facilities or to provide a more immersive worship experience.

It’s important to note that while technology can certainly be a valuable tool for faith-based organizations, it is not a replacement for the personal connections and relationships that are at the heart of congregations and ministries. However, by embracing new technologies and integrating data into their operations, religious-based organizations can better understand and meet the needs of their communities.

_________________________________

[1] Pew Research Center, March 2023, “How the Pandemic has Affected Attendance at U.S. Religious Services,” by Justin Nortey and Michael Rotolo, and accessible at https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/03/28/how-the-pandemic-has-affected-attendance-at-u-s-religious-services/.

[2] Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), “Religion and Technology Webinar” held March 23, 2023, and accessible at https://www.cfr.org/event/religion-and-foreign-policy-webinar-religion-and-technology. In this webinar, Heidi A. Campbell, professor of communication at Texas A&M University, and Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, discuss the meeting of religion and digital culture, and its effect on religious communities. Carla Anne Robbins, senior fellow at CFR, moderates.

Tags Data Analytics, Faith-Based Organizations, Technology

Blog Faith Member/Volunteer Engagement Outputs & Outcome Snowflake Tableau

Empowering Faith-Based Organizations with Data: How Tableau and Snowflake can Increase Data Maturity

Post author By Chris Atteberry
Post date May 9, 2023

Empowering Faith-Based Organizations with Data: How Tableau and Snowflake can Increase Data Maturity

Faith-based organizations play a significant role in communities all around the world. These organizations have unique challenges when it comes to data management and analysis, as they often rely on volunteers and need more resources. However, modern tools such as Tableau and Snowflake can help faith-based organizations increase their data maturity and make more informed decisions.

Tableau is a data visualization tool that allows organizations to create interactive and engaging data visualizations. On the other hand, Snowflake is a cloud-based data warehouse that provides a secure and scalable platform for storing and analyzing data. Faith-based organizations can use these tools together to gain insights into their operations and make data-driven decisions.

Here are a few ways that faith-based organizations can use Tableau and Snowflake to increase their data maturity:

Track and analyze donations: One of the most critical aspects of any faith-based organization is donations. With Tableau and Snowflake, organizations can track and analyze donations over time to understand trends and patterns. They can create dashboards that show how much money they have received, where it came from, and how it was used. This can help them make more informed decisions about fundraising and budgeting.
Monitor participation: Faith-based organizations rely on attendance and engagement to gauge the effectiveness of their programs. With Tableau and Snowflake, organizations can track attendance and engagement metrics over time. They can create dashboards that show how many people attended each event, how engaged they were, and how long they stayed. This can help them identify which programs are most effective and where they need to make improvements.
Monitor volunteer engagement: Volunteers are a critical part of many faith-based organizations, and it can be challenging to track their recruitment, training, assignments, and recognition. Tableau and Snowflake can help organizations evaluate volunteer performance by tracking hours worked, tasks completed, and opportunities for volunteer training or recognition. Data-driven volunteer management helps direct attention to the volunteers who might need additional support.
Analyze program effectiveness: Faith-based organizations run a variety of programs, from education and outreach to charity and support services. With Tableau and Snowflake, organizations can analyze the effectiveness of these programs by tracking metrics such as program attendance, participant feedback, and outcomes for service recipients. This can help organizations identify which programs are most effective and where to improve.
Monitor and improve operations: Like any organization, faith-based organizations have operational challenges that can be difficult to manage. With Tableau and Snowflake, organizations can track operational metrics such as budget, staff time, and inventory. They can create dashboards that show how these metrics change over time, identify areas of concern, and make data-driven decisions to improve operations.

Tableau and Snowflake are powerful tools that can help faith-based organizations increase their data maturity and make more informed decisions. Faith-based organizations can gain insights into their operations and make data-driven decisions by tracking donations, attendance, volunteer performance, program effectiveness, and operational metrics. With the right tools and strategies, faith-based organizations can use data to improve their programs and services and positively impact their communities.

Tags data visualization, Faith-Based Organizations, Snowflake, Tableau

Blog Human Services Member/Volunteer Engagement

How Food Banks and Pantries Can Tackle SNAP Benefit Expiration

Post author By Chris Atteberry
Post date May 2, 2023

How Food Banks and Pantries Can Tackle SNAP Benefit Expiration

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity has become a critical issue in many communities worldwide. Food banks and food pantries have played a vital role in providing essential support to those who are struggling to make ends meet. However, with the expiration of COVID-related SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits and the rise of inflation, food banks and food pantries are facing new challenges. This blog will explore how food banks and food pantries can overcome these challenges.

1. Collaborate Locally

Collaborating with local businesses and farms can be an effective way for food banks and food pantries to supplement their supply of fresh produce and other food items. Some businesses and farms have excess inventory, unsold products, or needed items that they can donate to food banks and food pantries in their own communities. By forging partnerships with these organizations, food banks, and food pantries can enhance their supply of nutritious food for their clients.

2. Strengthen Inventory Management

Effective inventory management is critical for food banks and food pantries to prevent food waste and ensure that clients receive fresh and nutritious food and necessities. By implementing inventory management practices, food banks and food pantries can monitor the shelf life of their food items, prioritize items that are nearing expiration, and track most-in-need items by time of month and year.

3. Leverage Technology

Incorporating technology can be a game-changer for food banks and food pantries. By implementing various software, food banks and food pantries can monitor their inventory, volunteers, and donations in real time. This can help them decide which projects to prioritize and increase efficiency.

4. Educate the Community

Educating the community about food insecurity and the role of food banks and pantries can help raise awareness and encourage donations. While everyone is affected by inflation, many need to be aware of SNAP benefits’ limitations, such as not covering soap, diapers, hygiene products, or ready-to-eat items. By partnering with local schools and community organizations, food banks and food pantries can organize educational workshops and events to educate the community about food insecurity and how they can help.

Food banks and food pantries face new challenges due to COVID-related SNAP benefit expiration and inflation. However, by collaborating with local businesses and farms, strengthening effective inventory management, leveraging technology, and educating the community, food banks and food pantries can overcome these challenges and continue to provide essential support to those in need.

Tags Food assistance, food banks, food pantries, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Blog Data Maturity Other

From Data Awareness to Data-Driven Excellence: Datatelligent’s Data Maturity Model for Organizational Success

Post author By Colleen Doyle
Post date April 19, 2023

From Data Awareness to Data-Driven Excellence: Datatelligent’s Data Maturity Model for Organizational Success

In today’s data-driven world, organizations need to harness the power of data to gain insights, make informed decisions, and stay competitive. However, not all organizations are at the same level of data maturity. Some may struggle with basic data management, while others may have advanced analytics capabilities but lack a data-driven culture.

This is where Datatelligent comes in. We assist organizations in assessing their data maturity and developing a roadmap for improvement. We have developed a data maturity model with four stages, each with specific characteristics and pain points.

Let’s take a closer look at each data maturity stage and how Datatelligent can help organizations overcome challenges and move towards becoming data-driven.

Data Aware: In the Data Aware stage, organizations have basic data awareness but lack a systematic approach to data management. Data is often ad hoc, siloed, and not used for decision-making purposes.
Datatelligent can help organizations in this stage by providing data management and organization solutions to create a solid foundation for data-driven decision-making. This may include implementing data governance practices, data quality assessment, and data integration strategies to ensure that data is organized, standardized, and easily accessible for analysis.
Data Proficient: In the Data Proficient stage, organizations have standardized reporting on a reporting platform, but data is primarily used for awareness purposes and not consistently utilized for decision-making.
Datatelligent can assist organizations in this stage by providing advanced analytics and reporting solutions, empowering them to leverage data for informed decision-making. This may involve implementing advanced analytics techniques such as data visualization, data exploration, and predictive analytics to uncover insights and drive data-informed decision-making.
Data Savvy: In the Data Savvy stage, organizations have started using data to make some business decisions, but data usage is inconsistent and often restricted to certain departments or silos.
Datatelligent can help organizations in this stage by implementing data governance frameworks, data democratization strategies, and providing training and support to ensure data is used effectively across the organization. This may include developing data governance policies, establishing data sharing protocols, and providing training programs to build data literacy and skills across the organization.
Data Driven: In the Data Driven stage, organizations have embraced data-first thinking, where data is embedded into all business and decision-making processes. All systems and people work together to make the most effective and efficient use of data.
Datatelligent can partner with organizations in this stage by providing advanced analytics solutions, developing predictive models, and enabling data-driven culture and practices throughout the organization. This may involve fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making through change management and leadership support.

We understand that every organization’s data maturity journey is unique, and our team of experienced data analysts and consultants is dedicated to helping organizations overcome barriers and unlock the full potential of their data. We provide tailored solutions that align with the specific needs and goals of organizations, guiding them towards becoming data-driven organizations.

Contact Datatelligent today to learn more about how we can assist your organization on its data maturity journey.

Tags Data Aware, Data Driven, Data Maturity, Data Maturity Roadmap, Data Maturity Stages, Data Proficient, Data Savvy

Events & Webinars Insights

Upcoming Events

Post author By Datatelligent
Post date April 17, 2023

Upcoming Events

Data Analytics Alliance for Human Services – 05.15.23 @ 3:00 PM

Human Services special interest group

Are you looking for a networking group that will allow you to share ideas and learn innovations?

The Data Analytics Alliance for Human Services is a member-led group of non-profit executives working specifically in Human Service organizations that meet quarterly to network, ask questions, solicit feedback, and learn about data analytics.

The group is free to join, and anyone working for a Human Service organization that wants to use data to solve issues is welcome to join.

The members of the Data Analytics Alliance for Non-Profit asked for a group more focused on issues and topics impacting Human Services. From that request, the DAAHS was created and will have its first meeting in May.

The first meeting is Monday, May 15 at 3:00 CST.

The speakers are:

Joshua B Pedersen, Senior Director, National 211
Natasha Stewart, Manager, Public Health, 211 at United Way Worldwide

Together, Josh and Natasha will discuss the solution that was created to help them marry needs and resource data.

Data Analytics Alliance for Faith – 05.22.23 @ 3:00 PM

New Faith-based special interest group

Are you looking for a networking group that will allow you to share ideas and learn innovations?

The Data Analytics Alliance for Faith is a member-led group of non-profit executives working specifically in faith-based organizations that meet quarterly to network, ask questions, solicit feedback, and learn about data analytics. The group is absolutely free to join, and anyone working for a faith-based organization that wants to use data to solve issues is welcome to join.

The members of the Data Analytics Alliance for Non-Profit asked for a group more focused on issues and topics impacting faith-based organizations. From that request, the DAAF was created and will have its first meeting in May.

Date: The first meeting is Monday, May 22 at 3:00 CST.
Speaker: Marc Smith, Senior Director of IT at Samaritan’s Purse
Marc will discuss how Samaritan’s Purse is using data analytics to help propel their mission forward.

AIR FORUM 2023 – 05.30 – 06.02

Student success and retention solutions to help institutional researchers

Join Datatelligent May 30 – June 2 in booth #515 at the 2023 AIR (Association of Institutional Researchers) Forum! This year’s conference is in downtown Cleveland, OH.

We are thrilled to be back again this year. Look for information about an exclusive happy hour held in partnership with Tableau.

Tags Conferences, Events, Webinars

Blog Data Maturity Other

Unlocking the Power of Data: How to Become a Data-Driven, Data Mature Organization

Post author By Colleen Doyle
Post date April 12, 2023

Unlocking the Power of Data: How to Become a Data-Driven, Data Mature Organization

Data is the lifeblood of successful organizations, and becoming data-driven is essential for thriving in today’s business landscape! Embracing data as a strategic asset can unlock unprecedented opportunities for growth and innovation. Here are some key steps to becoming a data-driven organization.

Step 1: Define Clear Data Goals
The first step in becoming a data-driven organization is to define clear data goals. What do you want to achieve with data? Identify the key objectives, such as improving decision-making, enhancing customer experience, optimizing operations, or driving revenue growth. By setting specific and measurable data goals, you can align your data initiatives with your organization’s overall strategy and vision.

Step 2: Establish Data Governance
Data governance is the foundation of any successful data-driven organization. It involves creating robust policies and procedures to ensure data quality, integrity, and security. Define roles and responsibilities for data management, access, and usage. Establish data standards and guidelines to ensure consistency and accuracy in data collection, storage, and analysis. Implement data governance practices that align with your organization’s needs, industry regulations, and best practices.

Step 3: Invest in Data Infrastructure
Having the right data infrastructure is crucial for becoming a data-driven organization. Invest in modern data management tools and technologies that enable efficient data collection, storage, analysis, and visualization. Choose solutions that align with your organization’s data goals, scalability requirements, and budget. Consider cloud-based solutions for flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Ensure that your data infrastructure is scalable, secure, and capable of handling large volumes of data to support your organization’s data-driven initiatives.

Step 4: Foster a Data-Driven Culture
Building a data-driven culture is critical for becoming a data-driven organization. It involves creating a mindset where data is valued and data-driven decision-making is ingrained in the organization’s DNA. Provide training and resources to help employees become data-literate and capable of using data for decision-making. Encourage a collaborative approach where employees are encouraged to share data insights, learn from data, and use data to drive innovation and continuous improvement.

Step 5: Enable Data-Driven Decision-Making
Data-driven decision-making is at the heart of a data-driven organization. Use data to drive insights, inform decision-making, and measure performance. Encourage data-driven experimentation, where data insights rather than gut instincts back decisions. Implement data-driven processes and workflows to ensure that data is used consistently across the organization. Foster a culture of curiosity and learning, where employees are encouraged to explore data, ask questions, and make data-driven decisions at all levels of the organization.

Step 6: Learn from Data
Becoming a data-driven organization requires continuous learning and improvement. Leverage data insights to iterate and optimize strategies, processes, and outcomes. Use data to identify patterns, trends, and opportunities for improvement. Implement a feedback loop where data insights are used to refine strategies and drive continuous improvement. Encourage a culture of data-driven innovation, where data is used to identify new business opportunities, optimize operations, and drive growth.

Becoming a data-driven organization is a journey that requires effort, commitment, and a strong leadership vision. By following the key steps outlined in this blog post, organizations can unlock the power of data and leverage it to drive growth, innovation, and success. Here at Datatelligent, we work with customers to help them embrace data as a strategic asset, establish robust data governance, invest in modern data infrastructure, foster a data-driven culture, enable data-driven decision-making, and embrace continuous learning from data. By taking the first step to becoming data mature, your organization can thrive in today’s data-driven world and achieve industry gain.

Tags Data Driven, Data Maturity

Blog Other Solution Engines Solution Previews

4 Key Differences of Datatelligent’s Subscription-based Approach to Data Analytics

Post author By Colleen Doyle
Post date March 9, 2023
No Comments on 4 Key Differences of Datatelligent’s Subscription-based Approach to Data Analytics

4 Key Differences of Datatelligent's Subscription-based Approach to Data Analytics

Are you looking for a new and different approach to data analytics?

Datatelligent provides a more flexible and cost-effective way for organizations to access the data and insights needed to make better business decisions. Our subscription-based approach to data analytics is different from traditional, one-time purchase software licensing models.

Below are four key differences of our data analytics subscription.

Scalability: Our subscription-based DAaaS services are designed to be easily scalable, allowing organizations to adjust the size and scope of their analytics needs as their business needs change. This can help ensure that organizations have access to the right data and tools at the right time without incurring additional costs for unnecessary capacity.
Updates and Maintenance: Our subscription-based service include regular updates and maintenance, ensuring that the data analytics tools and technologies remain up-to-date and functional. This can help organizations avoid the cost and hassle of maintaining their on-premise infrastructure and ensure they always have access to the latest analytics capabilities.
Access to Expertise: By partnering with Datatelligent, organizations gain access to a team of data analytic experts, and our Data Literacy subscription helps organizations improve their data literacy.
Cost Structure: A subscription-based approach typically involves paying a recurring fee over a set period of time (e.g., monthly, quarterly, or annually) rather than a considerable upfront cost. This can make data analytics more accessible to organizations with limited budgets and allows for better cost management and planning.

Datatelligent’s Subscriptions

For our clients, Datatelligent provides three DAaaS subscriptions (Solutions, Data Operations, and Data Literacy).

Solutions Subscription: Analytic Solutions for your entire organization & data solutions to bring together all your sources, including:
- Analytic Solution Engines
- Data Solution Engines
- Unified data platform
- Data maturity roadmap
Data Operations Subscription: Data analytics operations managed all in one place, including:
- Data capacity services
- Project flex-up services
Data Literacy Subscription: Education and enablement as well as solution adoption to ensure successful knowledge transfer

Our Solutions, Data Operations, and Data Literacy subscriptions are powered by Tableau, Snowflake, Power BI, Cloud Infrastructure, Stitch, FiveTran, and many others.

Contact Datatelligent to learn more about how our unique Data Analytics as a Service subscription service can help you make informed decisions.

Tags Data Analytics, Data Analytics as a Service, Subscription as a Service

Blog Data Analytics as a Service Other

5 Outcomes of Making Data-Driven Decisions

Post author By Colleen Doyle
Post date March 3, 2023
No Comments on 5 Outcomes of Making Data-Driven Decisions

5 Outcomes of Making Data-Driven Decisions

Organizations can and should make better, more informed decisions grounded in objective information and aligned with their business objectives.

To help remove barriers to making data-driven decisions, below are five key outcomes of accessing your data in new and different ways.

Objectivity: Data provides an objective basis for decision-making, helping to remove bias and subjectivity that can come from personal opinions or intuition. This can lead to more informed and accurate decisions.
Transparency: Data can make decision-making processes more transparent by providing a clear and easily understandable view of the underlying information. This can help build trust and confidence in the decision-making process.
Collaboration: Data can facilitate collaboration and communication among different teams and stakeholders by providing a common language and shared understanding of the underlying information. This can help break down silos and improve decision-making across the organization.
Agility: Data can provide real-time insights that allow organizations to respond quickly to market or environmental changes. This can help improve agility and make organizations more responsive to customer needs.
Efficiency: Data can help organizations identify areas where they can streamline operations and reduce costs by identifying inefficiencies and areas for improvement.

DAaaS can be a cost-effective solution for companies that need more resources to build and maintain their own data analytics infrastructure. It allows businesses to focus on their core competencies while leaving data analytics to the experts.

Contact Datatelligent to learn more about how Data Analytics as a Service can help you make informed decisions.

Tags Data Driven, Data Maturity

Blog Data Analytics as a Service Other Solution Engines Solution Previews

What is Data Analytics as a Service & How is it Different?

Post author By Colleen Doyle
Post date February 23, 2023

What is Data Analytics as a Service & How is it Different?

Datatelligent enables the use of data to make our communities better.

Our subscription-based approach to data analytics, Data Analytics as a Service (DAaaS), is different and can be a game-changer for organizations since it can help remove barriers for your organizations to make better, more informed decisions.

In a nutshell, DAaaS is a service that provides businesses with specialized tools and expertise to help process and analyze data. Instead of investing in costly infrastructure and hiring dedicated data analysts, companies can partner with Datatelligent for their analytic needs. This can include everything from data management and predictive modeling and visualization.

For our clients, Datatelligent provides the following three DAaaS subscriptions:

Solutions Subscription: Analytic Solutions for your entire organization & data solutions to bring together all your sources, including:
- Analytic Solution Engines
- Data Solution Engines
- Unified data platform
- Data maturity roadmap
Data Operations Subscription: Data analytics operations managed all in one place, including:
- Data capacity services
- Project flex-up services
Data Literacy Subscription: Education and enablement as well as solution adoption to ensure successful knowledge transfer

Our Solutions, Data Operations, and Data Literacy subscriptions are powered by Tableau, Snowflake, Power BI, Cloud Infrastructure, Stitch, FiveTran, and many others.

Contact Datatelligent to learn more about Data Analytics as a Service.

Tags Data Analytics, Data Analytics as a Service

Blog Higher Education Student Retention

How a Customer Service Approach Can Drive Student Success

Post author By Steve Hume
Post date February 17, 2023

How a Customer Service Approach Can Drive Student Success

I had the opportunity to attend Educause’s 2022 annual conference, which brought together IT leaders, technology professionals, and campus stakeholders in the higher education community. I was overwhelmed with the amount of excitement, ingenuity, and creativity on hand—whether in the breakout sessions, panel discussions, or hallway conversations and meetings, I came out of the conference energized and ready to tackle 2023.

But what has gotten me so excited? It’s the untapped opportunity we have to harness data to improve student retention, academic success, student financial health, student LMS engagement, and learning outcomes.

And there was one statement that kickstarted this train of thought:

During a panel discussion, one of the speakers stated that early in the semester, a large number of their students had not even been to class. Many hadn’t even been to the cafeteria.

What does this say about student success? Or their journey?

It brought me back to some ideas that have been on my mind. We need to start applying the lessons learned in other industries to our work in higher education.

I spent a big part of my career working with financial institutions. The number one topic is always customer retention: understanding a customer’s journey within the financial institution, working to retain them, and knowing the triggers that might cause them to leave.

The way to help hold on to that customer is by making your relationship more sticky, which can be accomplished by:

Establishing a solid relationship with that customer and helping with their financial needs
Cross-selling to that customer. The more services you provide, the less likely they are to leave.
Understanding not only the individual customer but their whole household

When I think about the word retention in higher education, I see parallels from other industries. And I see opportunities to apply those learnings in new and innovative ways using data.

I see retention as the byproduct of student success. If we better support the student’s journey from the point of enrollment, their persistence/retention is far more likely.

Having a data-first approach is essential to making this a reality. Colleges and universities that have built a solid data analytics foundation are able to better understand the student journey by stitching together data from disparate systems. This unification of data helps identify broad macro trends and also addresses student needs at the individual level. They are able to pinpoint early warning signs and begin intervention efforts to address issues before they are catastrophic.

For example, we at Datatelligent have been working with numerous colleges and universities to develop Student Success & Retention Solutions that integrate data from throughout the institution — academics, housing, student financial health, etc. — and help identify at-risk students. The solution’s dashboards are highly visual and easy to use, allowing advisors and other staff members quick and efficient access to information essential to improving student success.

These analytics dashboards empower staff to intervene at the student level and help them identify broader trends or issues. School administration is now armed with the information they need to make data-driven decisions, can spend less time cobbling together reports, and can allocate their time to improving the student experience at their schools.

Learn more about Datatelligent’s Student Success & Retention offerings and see how our clients are using this custom solution to identify and retain at-risk students.

Visit www.datatelligent.ai for more information on our higher education offerings and learn how our clients are becoming data-driven.

Tags Customer Service, Educause