Deloitte has agreed a formal partnership with the University of Strathclyde Business School which will see academics provide expertise and support for the business advisory firm’s analytics projects.
With a specific focus on maintenance analytics, the partnership will be used to assist companies with complex assets such as utility firms.
An accurate understanding of trends and patterns can extend the lifespan of assets such as offshore wind farms which rely heavily on data to work efficiently, perform financially and operate safely.
Dr Matthew Revie of University of Strathclyde Business School said: “Our new partnership will help companies analyse and utilise their data in a wide range of ways, from automating maintenance on offshore wind farms to managing complex supply chains, all the way through to predicting customer behaviour. All of these ultimately help to drive down costs for the public.”
Dougie McAndrew, who leads Deloitte’s Analytics business in Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: “The array of data now available means its application can help businesses with all sorts of decision-making and problem solving.
“Analytics is fast becoming a significant source of competitive advantage in every sector, and many companies are now positioning themselves to manage and analyse data in order to better inform future decision making and exploit its commercial value.
“Data is an under-utilised tool for most companies but we believe it can be immensely powerful for any organisation if it is applied correctly. By better understanding patterns and trends in data, it’s possible to predict the behaviour of assets, customers and markets in a way which can really put companies ahead.”