It’s been one week since the SAS Forum UK 2018 wrapped-up, and we’ve finally recovered enough to share our experience of the whirlwind two-day event that took part in Birmingham over the 18th and 19th June.
As elite sponsors (you can read about our sponsorship here), you may have seen us in the exhibition hall at the BDP stand, hosting a breakout session, or just spotted the white BDP polos! We had 22 members of team BDP representing our brand at the Forum, talking all things data, analytics, and SAS – as well as dishing out reusable BDP coffee cups. In addition to the team manning the stand, we had a SAS VA demo running all day. With our breadth of SAS technical knowledge and experience, it was fantastic to be able to show this off to the wider SAS community.
Our highlights
In the Know
The theme of the 2018 SAS Forum UK was ‘In the Know, Analytical Intelligence in Reality’, and that’s exactly what was delivered. The focus was on what future holds for SAS and how we, as SAS users, can bring emerging technologies and concepts into reality. The key vision for SAS is how, in a data rich world, we can turn a world of data into a world of intelligence. The sessions varied from demos and training, discussions on AI, as well as specific SAS tips on tools such as Enterprise Miner, SAS Viya and SAS 9.4m5.
SAS Viya
As in previous years, SAS Viya was a key focus of the Forum as SAS looks to shift onto this platform. The cloud-based way SAS Viya operates will help convert the deluge of data that is generated everyday into actionable insights that drive decisions and delight customers. This will become increasing important as the amount of data created continues to increase as the foothold of the IOT (Internet of Things) expands.
The Customer Panel
On day two, the session The Customer Panel – AI & Innovation in Practice caught our eye, as a consultancy our role is often to bridge the gap between technologies and our customers. The panel comprised of representatives from Lloyds Banking Group, RBS, PWC, Butterfly Data and SAS. The session delved into Artificial Intelligence in real-world organisations, what they are doing now and what the future holds. An example presented of AI in practice was utilising RPA (Robotic Process Automation) to solve legacy problems on legacy systems. Another example was improving the customer journey by utilising AI to optimising engagement and interactions, keeping-up with evolving customer behaviour. Rather than replacing the human, AI will enable organisations to work back towards the customer.
The BDP Session
Our session was included in the Technical Tips Steam, Sarah Fountain and Mike Parker presented Navigating a Successful SAS Grid Migration. Based on their experience undertaking multiple SAS Grid migrations, Sarah and Mike provided tips and tricks from their mix of expertise: technical SAS and agile project management. Whilst migrating SAS to the Grid results in improved performance, increased availability, and lower costs it is not without it’s challenges. If you’re looking into your own SAS grid migration, get in touch and let Business Data Partners navigate it for you.
If you would like to know more about how we can help you maximise the value of your data, not only through SAS but through the array of other technologies BDP specialise in, get in touch today.
