We’re kicking off the summer term with our next #FinnemoreFireside, this time with Derek Hills,  Director of IT, Systems and Data at Ark, a charity and network of 39 schools that aims to transform children’s lives through education.

Derek has a wealth of experience leading first-class Data and IT teams, having previously worked with other MATs including Harris Federation and David Ross Education Trust before taking up his role at Ark. He knows the MIS landscape well and we had an interesting chat about what the future of MIS might be, including topics such as:

• Where does Derek’s passion for data and analytics come from, and why does he love working in education?
• What can be achieved by sharing data, info and best practice
• Where he sees AI fitting into technology budgets and the broader education landscape
• Are schools getting enough out of their edtech and systems, and are they utilising it effectively?
• Consolidating solutions means investment can go into teaching, but what are the challenges around open data policies?
• The importance of working in partnership with suppliers and forming long-lasting relationships
• What Derek would like to see more of from edtech companies

Next in our #FinnemoreFireside series is this Q&A session from before half term with Matt Woodruff, Vice President of Analytics and AI at Community Brands UK.

A data professional and PhD candidate in the field of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Education, Matt has a prior background of 25 years in technology applications and consulting in Europe and the US.  He’s founded companies specifically addressing how technology can support more effective decision-making at all levels to improve outcomes and identify ways to be able to ‘do more, with less’ – more important than ever in today’s economic climate.

Matt and I had an insightful conversation about data and machine learning, including:

• What is AI? The acronym is bandied about a lot, and here Matt gives a very strong definition of AI and more importantly Machine Learning
• We talk a lot about the benefits of using contextual data with machine learning
• What is the future of the use of data and how expansive can it support Teachers, Students and Parents
• What needs to change? How ‘open’ should data be?
• How is Community Brands supporting schools, and what’s next for the company?

It’s an interesting listen – especially for those of you like me who are interested in data and where the next innovations in analytics will be. Enjoy!

Next in our series of edtech thought leaders is this chat with barrister and entrepreneur, Priya Lakhani.

Priya founded CENTURY Tech in 2013 after being struck by underachievement rates in schools. The company has combined the latest research in learning science, artificial intelligence and neuroscience to ensure CENTURY is underpinned by evidence-based scientific and pedagogical techniques.  In this Q&A session we discuss:

• Approaches to personalisation
• The importance of data and AI in education
• The driving force behind CENTURY Tech, and how it benefits schools and learners
• Why being curious drives innovation
• How edtech companies and educationalists can work together to practically achieve learning goals

We’ve split the interview into three parts to make it easier to digest. Enjoy!

The next in our series of Q&As with edtech business leaders is with Barry Anns, Chief Executive Officer at Engage MIS and Group Head of International at Education Horizons Group.

Engage MIS has been widely adopted by independent and international schools in 60 countries across six continents.

In this interview, Nick talked to Barry about:

• What is important to Engage and where is your focus in the Edtech market?
• What do you think will be the impact of the sale of SIMS will be on schools and the market (including the international markets?)
• How is the international market different and how are you achieving success? Why would it be hard for UK based solutions to compete?
• If you were to predict the future, where would you see the MIS market shaping up to be in 5 years time?
• There are a large number of overlapping solutions HR/MIS/Learning tools; do you think will we ever see a consolidation of these solutions?

We’ve split it into two parts to make it easy to digest.  Enjoy!

The next in our series of Q&As with edtech business leaders is with James Weatherill, CEO of Arbor Education.

Since their inception in 2011, Arbor has established themselves in the MIS market with their cloud MIS and analytical insights.

In this interview, Nick and James discuss the driving force behind Arbor, what makes it unique, the huge role support teams play in the MIS market and predictions for the future.

We’ve split it into three parts to make it easy to digest.  Enjoy!

According to McKinsey, if a software company grows at only 20%, it has a 92% chance of ceasing to exist within a few years.

This means that software companies – particularly SaaS companies – must look at every advantage possible to stay alive in an ever-competitive market.

Remember it is the small margins that can be the deciding factor as to how successful you are.

Customer analytics can be just one way that gives you that competitive edge.

Whether it is measuring retention, product usage, or on-boarding, SaaS businesses must have comprehensive data collection and usage analytics. This enables them to make agile decisions as to the priorities and direction of their overall solution.

When starting a project, make sure that usage analytics are part of the initial NFRs (Non-Functional Requirements).  Think about: what information do you want to understand and act upon.

Ask your stakeholders what information would they find useful to support their business area so they can offer the best service they possibly can.

Ensure the Architect and development lead build in these analytics from the beginning – you want the feedback at every opportunity.