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Empowering Through BI in the Classroom and at Work
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Data-as-a-Service
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization
Applicable Industries
- Education
- Food & Beverage
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
- Sales & Marketing
Use Cases
- Predictive Maintenance
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- Data Science Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
The Challenge
The author works at Amazon Produce, a major importer and distributor of fruit, and also teaches business intelligence at universities. The challenge faced by both the company and the students is the need to become data-driven in a world where data skills are increasingly in demand. For Amazon Produce, the complexity of their supply chain, which involves over 50 growers across Latin America and major US retailers, made it difficult to track performance and tell a story about everything that happened along the supply chain. For the students, the challenge was to gain hands-on experience with real-world business intelligence tools and build a portfolio of data visualizations.
About The Customer
The customer in this case study is twofold: the students at universities like Drexel, Villanova, and Saint Joseph’s University, and Amazon Produce, a major importer and distributor of fruit based in the United States. The students are studying business intelligence and need to gain hands-on experience with real-world tools. Amazon Produce works with over 50 growers across Latin America and major US retailers, and needs to track performance and tell a story about everything that happened along their complex supply chain.
The Solution
The solution for both the company and the students was Qlik, a powerful business intelligence tool. In the classroom, students used Qlik to create different applications and build a portfolio of data visualizations. They also participated in #MakeoverMonday, a project where they analyzed and improved a visualization they found in a magazine or online. At Amazon Produce, the author conducted interviews with the heads of sales and grower relations to understand the parameters of the project. He then built the visualizations they needed, as well as the visualizations he anticipated they would look for once they realized Qlik's potential. The process until rollout was about nine months.
Operational Impact
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