Filene Fill-In Ep. 71: Introducing Dr. Cheri Speier-Pero, Data Analytics Fellow

Filene Research Institute

Data is an amazing thing. It tells us who we are and what we do. And while predicting the choices, preferences and behaviors of one person is nearly impossible, predicting this for many people is a lot easier through the power of data analysis. Once-hidden patterns are revealed, structure emerges, and our data becomes our vision into the future. If you were told that 4 out of every 10 members will have an interest in product X after they use product Y, would this be valuable information to have? While generally interesting, it’s more than a headline that gets article clicks. We’re able to use data analytics to make decisions in our strategies that will give us more of what we want and less of what we don’t want. Think about the time and money saved alone in better targeted marketing campaigns. It’s undeniable that successful data analytics can create immense value for your organization. This power though, like any other, can be used for the good of many or exploited for the good of few. This is why there is both challenge and opportunity especially for credit unions to use their vast amounts of data to grow and lift their mission, to fulfill their purpose of serving the needs of those otherwise left out of the financial services equation, and to take a step in front of the crowd and lead as an example of what ethical use of data looks like. In today’s episode you will hear what credit union leaders told us interests them about building cultures of and ecosystems for better data analytics in their organizations – and ultimately why this led Filene to dedicate a research center of excellence to this topic. You’ll get the inside view on what this research will entail directly from the academic heart of the whole operation – aka our research fellow for the Center, Dr. Cheri Speier-Pero, Professor of Information Systems at Michigan State University. It is her mission to help leaders move ideas forward through the ethical implementation of new value-creating technologies and systems. Take a listen now as Dr. Speier-Pero and Filene’s Paul Dionne enlighten us to why no matter where your organization is on its data analytics journey, this research will appeal to and is essential for everyone on the path. For resources mentioned herein, visit filene.org/data for all reports produced in this Research Center; visit filene.org/blog to find Cheri's webinar content; and visit filene.org/analyticsecosystem to register for Filene's first-ever Data Analytics research event on January 26-27.