Case Study: AACSB formulated its digital transformation strategy and enhanced its data management capabilities via thorough discovery

Who is AACSB?

AACSB International (AACSB) is a global nonprofit association that connects educators, students, and business to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders. In addition to providing certifications and a community of professionals, AACSB also provides benchmarking insights for their customers so that they can make informed salary and continuous improvement decisions. 

What We Heard?

While AACSB owns the largest database of business schools, it is having trouble extracting insights at a scope and quality that both internal and external parties expect. While the technical foundations of the company are good, the infrastructure that keeps the core service running was not designed with insight generation in mind. 

AACSB realizes the importance of reaching its next level of digital maturity. To make measurable improvements, data architecture decisions will be inevitable. Furthermore, with a recent change in the leadership team, there is now a team of analysts that may or may not be equipped with the proper tools and skills to turn data into value for customers and no one to make that judgment.

AACSB is trying to bring in expertise to provide the data and technology leadership that will help the company diagnose the current state of data capabilities and create a data strategy in line with the business opportunities and challenges ahead. 

What We Did?

During the discovery phase, we collaborated closely with AACSB, aiding them in identifying their data strategy for digital transformation. Working in tandem with AACSB's Director of IT and Chief Product Officer and other technology leaders, we provided invaluable insights to guide their data strategy, planning, and actions. This ensured that AACSB's technology investments yielded optimal outcomes, minimal disruptions, and seamless adoption and management for their team.

In addition to strategy development and technology decisions, we focused on enhancing AACSB's data teams. We conducted staff assessments, developed and delivered tailored curriculum, and organized workshops to ensure that analysts and data engineers acquired new skills. We also addressed AACSB's immediate needs with the help of our experienced data teams, showcasing the tangible benefits of digital transformation.

Within six months after the discovery phase, we executed the necessary steps to realize AACSB's transformation vision. This included automating processes to bridge data value chain gaps, establishing a comprehensive data warehouse filled with critical business data, and training their staff in essential skills. We also empowered AACSB to develop technology and data product research and development as a core capability in their future endeavors.

Working together, AACSB efficiently formulated its digital transformation strategy within a remarkably short timeframe. The organization significantly enhanced its data management capabilities and fostered an agile culture that enabled it to evolve into a self-sustaining R&D organization. AACSB is now equipped to conceive, create, and deploy timely and popular data products to both current and prospective customers.

AACSB's journey stands as a testament to the potential of digital transformation when guided by expertise and a clear strategy. If you're interested in unlocking the full potential of your data and embarking on a successful digital transformation journey, we invite you to reach out and learn more about our services. Your organization's success story could be the next one we help write.