Gordon Ford College of Business News

In a continuing effort to help give students a competitive edge in the workforce, the Gordon Ford College of Business' Initiative for Applied Data Analytics has partnered with IBM Watson Analytics to provide each WKU student a free subscription of the Watson™ Analytics Student Edition.

Watson Analytics is a cloud-based service enabling users to easily find the answers located within their own data sets. The user-friendly interface utilizes natural language interactions to guide users through the advanced analytics process so a variety of questions can be answered and new insights discovered. Businesses will be able to create clear and compelling stories with data -- maybe stories that remained hidden until Watson Analytics came along.

“At a time where employers expect individuals at all levels of the organization to use raw data for new insights, the more prepared our students are to deliver results and insights, the better,” said Dr. Ray Blankenship, chair of the Department of Information Systems. “We encourage all WKU students to take advantage of this exclusive offer that IBM has extended to them.”

It is important that everyone within an organization be able to make decision based on facts and data on their own and not rely on data scientists or information technology professionals. IBM Watson analytics helps students with smart, quick, and easy data discovery.

Students can find all the relevant links to register for their free subscription to Watson Analytics by visiting www.wku.edu/bi/ibm_watson.php. Also located on this page are video tutorials, a workbook, and an online course, all designed to help students utilize IBM Watson to its fullest potential.

The Institute for Applied Data Analytics is housed within the Information Systems Department of the GFCB, which offers a major and a certificate in Business Data Analytics. Visit wku.edu/bi for more information about these programs.