A Practical Guide to Analytics for Governments: Using Big Data for Good

A Practical Guide to Analytics for Governments provides demonstrations of real-world analytics applications for legislators, policy-makers, and support staff at the federal, state, and local levels. Big data and analytics are transforming industries across the board, and government can reap many of those same benefits by applying analytics to processes and programs already in place. From healthcare delivery and child well-being, to crime and program fraud, analytics can―in fact, already does―transform the way government works. This book shows you how analytics can be implemented in your own milieu: What is the downstream impact of new legislation? How can we make programs more efficient? Is it possible to predict policy outcomes without analytics? How do I get started building analytics into my government organization? The answers are all here, with accessible explanations and useful advice from an expert in the field.

Analytics allows you to mine your data to create a holistic picture of your constituents; this model helps you tailor programs, fine-tune legislation, and serve the populace more effectively. This book walks you through analytics as applied to government, and shows you how to reap Big data's benefits at whatever level necessary.

• Learn how analytics is already transforming government service delivery
• Delve into the digital healthcare revolution
• Use analytics to improve education, juvenile justice, and other child-focused areas
• Apply analytics to transportation, criminal justice, fraud, and much more

Legislators and policy makers have plenty of great ideas―but how do they put those ideas into play? Analytics can play a crucial role in getting the job done well. A Practical Guide to Analytics for Governments provides advice, perspective, and real-world guidance for public servants everywhere.

MARIE LOWMAN is a principal industry consultant-government at SAS Institute. For more than two decades, she has overseen SAS’s commitment to helping government organizations provide high-quality services to their constituents, while maximizing resources and budgets.