Twenty-three teams of Master of Science in Analytics (MSA) students spread out across the country the past few weeks to kick-off practicum projects with their sponsors. From Boston to Seattle and Chicago to Orlando, teams traveled to meet with executives to review business objectives and to familiarize themselves with the sponsor organization and industry. The MSA Class of 2016 brings the total number of practicum projects to 110 with 80 sponsors since the Institute’s inception in 2007. The projects cover a wide spectrum of problem areas and industries.
“Successful projects begin with a solid understanding of the business,” says the Institute’s director Dr. Michael Rappa. “Teams must delve into the nature of the product or service, and absorb the experience of those who know the industry domain. No matter how skillfully you clean and churn the data, analytics is ultimately about addressing a business challenge. That’s why these meetings are so important. Teams lock into the problem right from the start, as they begin the 8-month journey to complete their projects.”
Slideshow of team photos from kick-off meetings:
