Dear Reader,

Being Nostradamus was a lot of work. To come up with his controversial prophecies, historians say the 16th-century physician-turned-seer cast himself into trances by consuming nutmeg, which in large doses produces a hallucinogenic effect. On the other hand, Edgar Cayce, a psychic who was born in Kentucky in 1877, claims he became trance-like simply by laying on a couch with his arms folded over his stomach. (Which is the method I use every Sunday as I watch NFL football – albeit with a bag of nacho chips at my side.)

But understanding real-life predictive analytics – the kind that can help an organization compete at the highest levels – shouldn't require hallucinogens or not-so-clever excuses to take a nap. Indeed, making good use of advanced analytics is completely essential to succeeding in today's marketplace, even though companies routinely report a shortage of employees equipped with these crucial skills.

Fortunately, SAS has announced something better than a spice-rack apothecary to mend the problem: Advanced Analytics for the Modern Business Analyst, a nine-week course for those with some analytical experience who want to use predictive analytics to translate data into decisions and convert information about past performance into reliable forecasts. The first offering begins on March 14 and its design makes it accessible for those who aren't career statisticians. The training will resemble a college course with a mix of instructor-led Live Web sessions (one session per week), independent readings and hands-on assignments – as well as online discussion forums – and promises to give analysts a firm foundation in advanced analytics. By the end of the course, students will have learned how to transform a business problem into an analytical question, define the data and select the best statistical method to solve that question, and, ultimately, apply the solution back to the original business challenge while using the knowledge gained to make solid decisions in the future.

But the course Advanced Analytics for the Modern Business Analyst does more than just leverage your usefulness as a business analyst and increase your company's relevancy and success in its market. It saves the nutmeg for your gingerbread cookies. (Sorry, Nostradamus.)

Thanks for reading,
Larry LaRusso
Editor, SAS Training Report