SIG 1: SAS for Advanced Analytics

Extending the use of SAS Analytics

Today, more and more of key business decisions are being made by the power that analytics bring to the decision making process. SAS remains at the leading edge in delivering new analytical products, features and practices to improve productivity and the ability to make better decisions faster and with more confidence. This Special Interest Group will give you the opportunity to get up to speed with these new enhancements allowing you to continue to drive analytics in your organisations.

Introduction to Optimisation	A whistle stop tour of what optimisation is and how these techniques can provide true business values to organisations (Joanna Lee, SAS)
Case Study: SAS/OR applied to Statistical Disclosure Control	This paper will present the use of SAS/OR in Statistical Disclosure Control (SDC) methodologies at ONS. We will discuss the importance of SDC and present 2 methodological implementations of this problem for tabular protection, i.e. Controlled Rounding and Cell Suppression. We will be discussing the benefits and potential areas of use of this work in the ONS and how SAS/OR modules could be enhanced in the future, in the authors’ opinion. Customer Speaker: Andrea Toniolo Staggemeier Company: Office for National Statistics Job Title: Head of Statistical Tools & Operational Research Team
Reducing The Dimensionality of Data	As the data that is available to analyse continues to grow at an exponential rate, dimension reduction techniques are becoming one of the most important data mining tasks to handle data sets with a very large number of input variables. Learn how these techniques work and can be implemented using SAS software. (David Rose, SAS)
Best Practice: Tailoring the use of Enterprise Miner	With the growing need for data mining in different business units in an organization, users with different goals and skill levels need access to data mining functionality. The new generation of SAS® Enterprise Miner® 5 and the SAS stored process facility provide an easy way to focus data mining functionality on the user's needs. (Robin Thomson, SAS)
Highlights of SAS9.2 for the Analyst	SAS9.2 provides major new functionality to data analysts. This presentation will concentrate on the enhancements that have been added to SAS/STAT, SAS/ETS, Enterprise Miner and Forecast Studio. (John Spooner, SAS)
Application of analytics to performance management	A high level overview on how performance management can be enhanced through

SIG 2: SAS for Query, Reporting & Analysis

This Special Interest Group will aim to give its attendees a broad understanding of the dashboarding capabilities within SAS and specifically within SAS Enterprise BI Server. Attendees will also have an opportunity to discuss data management strategies, investigate future direction and roadmaps and understand how a SAS dashboard can be embedded in third party applications.

Customer Speaker: Mohammed Hilali Company: Verizon Job Title: Senior Manager of Business Intelligence Solutions Presentation: "Visibility - Verizon Business' approach towards SAS BI Dashboard" Synopsis: "Disparate reporting solutions borne from legacy systems within Verizon Business have to date provided a disjointed view of information across the organisation. The SAS BI Dashboard platform has provided greater 'visibility' to performance data in a more timely and effective manner, while extending the benefits of SAS to a wider, corporate audience across the globe supported by a central SAS BI team. The BI dashboard functionality integral to SAS Information Delivery Portal, in conjunction with OLAP reporting, has for the first time enabled visibility of data across all levels of the organisation. Corporate dashboards provide high level overviews of performance measures enabling 'at a glance' identification of problem areas from the use of colour coded dials, graphs and indicators. Users have the facility to drill down into sub dashboards, providing overviews of each KPIs sub components, with the option to drill down further via OLAP reporting cubes from a single click to pinpoint the cause of problem areas. SAS BI Dashboarding case examples: Operations and Technology Service Delivery KPI Dashboard Carrier Scorecard Dashboard

SIG 3: SAS for Data Integration & Quality

Getting the most out of SAS Data Integration and Data Quality

Are you getting the most out of SAS Data Integration? This SIG will help you understand how to make the most of what you have and particularly how you can use data integration and data quality technology strategically to underpin data governance and analytical initiatives within your organisation. We will finish with a look at the future with a preview of the 9.2 release of SAS Data Integration!

From Data Integration to Governance	How to leverage your Data Integration investment to support Data Governance within your organisation. (Colin Rickard, DataFlux)
Data Quality or Quality Data?	The relevance to Business Your operational data quality regime means that your data is basically sound. So it follows that it's in good shape for business application, doesn't it? Not if you are going to maximise the value of your customer base. Learn how Wolters Kluwer worked with SAS to move beyond the bits and bytes of data quality, by focusing on the objectives of Business Data Relevance. Plus find out how the right data strategy can play a significant role in moving your customer and prospect management effectiveness onto the next level. Customer Speaker: Mike Turner Company: Wolters Kluwer Job Title: Head of Management Information Systems
Best Practice: Using SAS Data Integration for Analytical Performance	Many organizations using SAS®9 advanced analytics tools face the issue of working with data that comes from many different operational systems. The challenge is to extract, transform, and load the data into the analytical data structures with efficiency and scalability. This paper presents a case study describing practices to address the entire lifecycle of data access, aggregation, analysis, and deployment. (Jeff Stander, SAS Global Technology Practice)
Best Practice: Using SAS Data Integration for Analytical Performance	Many organizations using SAS®9 advanced analytics tools face the issue of working with data that comes from many different operational systems. The challenge is to extract, transform, and load the data into the analytical data structures with efficiency and scalability. This paper presents a case study describing practices to address the entire lifecycle of data access, aggregation, analysis, and deployment. (Jeff Stander, SAS Global Technology Practice)
Best Practice: Productivity and Performance	Hints and tips for getting the most out of SAS Data Integration.
Product Direction: SAS 9.2	A look at what is coming in the Data Integration space in SAS 9.2, including a sneak preview of the software. (Stefan King, SAS UK DI Specialist)

SIG 4: SAS for IT Infrastructure Management

Managing a Virtualised Server environment with SAS® IT Intelligence

Attend this session and discover how IT organisations are facing up to the challenges of managing virtualised server environments with SAS IT Intelligence. Find out how you can significantly mitigate the risks often associated with virtualising a server environment and how you can accurately track the true cost of service in a virtualised world.

Customer Speaker: Rod Stokes Company: VMware UK Limited Job Title: Presentation: Available soon Synopsis: Available soon

SIG 5: SAS®9 Configuration & Management

Attend this stream to learn and share best practices for Configuration and Management for SAS®9. It covers Installation Management, Metadata Management and Platform Management. We welcome both first-timers and those who attended previously to share their knowledge and experience.

Customer Speaker: Arvind Sud Company: SUN Job Title: Lead Technologist Presentation: "SAS Enterprise Intelligence Platform – IT Makes a Difference" Synopsis: "Based on a customer case study on the architecture of Sun and SAS for the Datacentre of the future. Benefits include consolidation, reduced costs whilst implementing the next generation analytics environment. The result is bring value to the IT department and addressing the customer business needs" and Customer Speakers: Pete Meyer & Doug Jeffery Company: dunnhumby Job Title: Solution Architect Presentation: "MARKETPLACE – dunnhumby Standard Retail Solutions Architecture" Synopsis: "Introducing the dunnhumby standard architecture and implementation strategy for global retail solutions (MARKETPLACE). A ‘develop once roll out to many’ implementation approach. This architecture supports the concept of 'black box' and 'grey box' solution components supporting reusability, extensibility, implementation and operational efficiencies. MARKETPLACE represents a proven capability resulting in significant reduced time to market and quick wins for the retail client"

SIG 6: SAS® Advanced Enterprise Guide for the SAS Programmer

This forum is for anyone wanting to explore what can be achieved with Enterprise Guide beyond the basic Data Manipulation and Reporting. There will be an extract from the new ‘Advanced Enterprise Guide course, followed by a round-up of the new resources that have become available for Enterprise Guide users in the last year. Next we will see some of the many ways that Enterprise Guide can be used to support the Enterprise as a whole, the use of publication channels and SAS reports, and the creation of interactive Stored Processes. A guest speaker will share their experiences of Enterprise Guide with the group, before we look at the new 4.2 release of Enterprise Guide due for release later this year. The session will finish with and opportunity for group members to share experiences.

Introductions and Resources	An overview of what the day has in store, and a look at some of the new resources that have become available for the Enterprise Guide user.
Hidden Strengths: Advanced Functions in Enterprise Guide	This extract from the new 'Advanced Enterprise Guide' course focuses on some of the capabilities that SAS functions give to the Enterprise Guide User.
Enterprise Guide 4.2 Preview	A look at some of the changes and new features that we can expect from Enterprise Guide 4.2
Enterprise Guide 4.1 v's Base SAS	Using Enterprise Guide to produce SAS applications provides a different look and feel compared to using Base SAS 9.1. There are many features that make using Enterprise Guide more fun, exciting and user friendly. Many users may well be reluctant to use the front end system as it may seem complicated and frustrating. This presentation aims to show how user friendly Enterprise Guide is and some of the benefits that can be reaped from it as well as how the use of Enterprise Guide has evolved at Bradford and Bingley. Customer Speaker: Umar Farouq Company: Bradford & Bingley Job Title: MI Developer
Enterprise Guide Integration with the Business Intelligence Platform	An opportunity to see some of the extra capabilities available when you combine Enterprise Guide with the full SAS 9 architecture;

 

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Location:
SAS UK
Wittington House
Henley Road
Medmenham
Marlow, Buckinghamshire
SL7 2EB

Location map

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Questions?
For more information, contact Rona.Hyde@suk.sas.com
or 01628 490 521.