Organisations of all sizes, and across all sectors, possess a powerful asset that can help them to gain competitive advantage, offer unique insights into their organisational performance, and enable them to ‘level up’ by making smarter and more informed decisions.

Although all organisations have access to this asset, many are not able to fully exploit it and leverage the opportunities that can flow from it.

According to Geoff McGimpsey, Marketing Communications Manager at Belfast-based data analytics specialists, Analytics Engines: “Every organisation produces and holds data. This can include transactional information, logistics records, staff timesheets, machine performance, product warranties, and more. When this data is appropriately captured, transitioned into a digital format, and analysed correctly, the organisation gains tremendous insights into its operations, its customers, and its external environment.”

Data can be a powerful and persuasive tool that can help decision-makers in organisations, as well as informing business strategy and reducing risk. Geoff provides the perfect example of the power of data – a data solution called ‘Precision for Pharmacy’ which is currently deployed for the Western Health and Social Care Trust at Altnagelvin Hospital.

Geoff explained: “We helped the clinical pharmacy team move away from paper-based record systems by co-designing a digital solution that enabled greater transparency and improved reporting methodology. The bottom-line was that the teams felt more empowered and they collaborated more effectively. Managers were also able to evidence the impact of the work they carried out.”

The Challenges of Digital Transformation

Organisational change is inherently difficult to accomplish. However, it remains the only constant in today’s dynamic business environment, and the powerful results of a well-developed and strategic change management plan should not be underestimated. 

Analytics Engines has a wealth of hands-on experience in helping organisations develop their digital roadmap. He said: “I’ve found that quite often the biggest challenge businesses face when starting their data journey is properly understanding and correctly mapping out the problem they are seeking to solve. Organisations are aware that they have data, and they understand that it can help but they don’t always understand how. We work closely with businesses to help them understand their problem and to deliver a solution that properly meets their needs.”

For many businesses, there are some hurdles to overcome when implementing a digital transformation strategy, such as getting access to the right data at the right volume, managing it effectively, and getting buy-in from different functions across the organisation.

“Working with an expert partner such as Analytics Engines helps to demystify the process for organisations and gives them the confidence that their digital transformation roadmap is one that will be effective, with useful and positive outcomes that can have a significant impact on the organisation,” he said. 

“We collaborate with a wide range of businesses and offer advice on a variety of areas, such as how to best source and present the raw data, how to cleanse it, and how to draw down those all-important insights.” 

Increased Potential from Digital Transformation Opportunities

Digital transformation presents exciting opportunities for a range of business functions in organisations of every size and sector.

“Some organisations may feel that digital transformation is for more technically matured businesses only, or that it is only suitable to certain industries and sectors,” said Geoff, adding: “Digital transformation is so much more than an online presence. We guide and assist organisations to realise the value of their data assets and to identify where they could be missing out on real business opportunities.”

Often, it is in an organisation’s best interest to be receptive to new data and information.

“Many can combine their owned data with open datasets which can be incredibly enlightening and identify key trends and indicators that the organisation would otherwise have missed,” said Geoff.

With experts in data science, graph and text analytics, location analytics, data visualisation, artificial intelligence, advanced record linkage, legacy system integration, and custom business processes, Analytics Engines have helped organisations – from very varied backgrounds – to embed digital transformation with great success. 

“We recently worked with The National Gallery in London as part of their digital transformation process. We pulled in a range of datasets to create a ‘single source of truth’ reporting methodology,” said Geoff. “The custom dashboard was rapidly adopted across the organisation, putting everyone in every department on the same page in terms of their reporting methods and their understanding of how visitors interacted with their exhibitions. We put the user at the centre of the solution – reducing system complexity and ensuring they could draw the greatest possible insights from their data to optimise organisational performance.”

Experienced in working with healthcare organisations, local and regional government bodies, biomedical science centres, the entertainment and media industries, the hospitality and tourism sector, and education and higher education establishments, there are few industries Analytics Engines have not worked with.

“We have the agility to design business intelligence solutions that provide our partners and clients with comprehensive insight that is capable of enabling change and quickly providing a return on their investment,” said Geoff.

Analytics Engines is also organising a major conference – Big Data Belfast – featuring business use cases and data analytics thought leaders drawn from local domain experts and multi-national organisations. The event takes place at the ICC Belfast on Thursday October 24 2019, and is sponsored this year by EY, as well as Dell, CME Group, Allstate Northern Ireland, SmashFly, SpotX, Altra Executives, Invest Northern Ireland and Signifyd. Find out more about Big Data Belfast and register to attend the conference by going to: https://www.bigdatabelfast.com

To find out more about Analytics Engines and how they can help your business, log on to: https://analyticsengines.com.

Join us this Halloween at The Market Place Theatre in Armagh, if you dare, for the mother of all horror movies.

Phoenix office worker Marion Crane, seeking a new life, leaves town with $40,000 stolen from her employer, and heads towards her lover Sam’s store. Travelling on the back roads to avoid the police, she stops for the night at the ramshackle Bates Motel and meets the polite but highly-strung proprietor Norman Bates, a young man with an interest in taxidermy and a difficult relationship with his mother. Psycho is now considered one of Hitchcock’s best films and praised as a major work of cinematic art by international film critics and scholars. Tickets are priced £9 which includes a Green Lady cocktail.

Celtic Soul, the definitive tribute to Van Morrison, comes to The Market Place on Saturday 2 November, with a memorable journey through the songbook of our very own musical legend! Receiving critical acclaim from devout Vanatics wherever they perform, they have continued their success with shows across Ireland.

With years of playing in blues, folk, trad and jazz bands, the seven-piece band have the ingredients to deliver Van’s music authentically. They are Clarke Wilson on vocals and saxophone, Ray McEvoy (electric guitar), Marcus McAuley (acoustic guitar), Rik Gay (drums), Keith Ward (piano and keyboards), Gerry McClurg (trumpet) and Mark Crockard (electric and double bass). Expect to hear songs from right across Van’s musical history including the big hits as well as stand out album tracks.

Tickets are available from the Theatre Box Office on [028] 3752 1821, or online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre. To keep up-to-date with the latest news at the Market Place Theatre, you can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marketplacearmagh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/mptarmagh) where you will find all the latest information, special offers and video previews.

-ENDS-

On Friday 25 October, North Down Museum, Bangor is bracing itself for some intergalactic visitors when ‘Invasion from Planet X’ takes place in its historic building.

Find out of if you could survive an alien invasion at this fun event which is part of a series of after dark happenings across Northern Ireland, to encourage over 18s to try a different kind of night out at their local museum. 

On the night, museum visitors can expect storm trooper performances, escape rooms, alien walkabouts, live music and more!

The event is adults-only with an on-site bar, food, live music and a DJ, all the ingredients for a great night out.

Speaking about the event, North Down Museum’s Manager, Heather McGuicken said: “After the success of last year’s Zombie event, we are thrilled to host Invasion from Planet X. We do hope people will come along and enjoy this unique experience – something different for Halloween!”

Students from South Eastern Regional College are involved in the night and will be showcasing their artistic and theatrical skills with a fantastic programme of alien-themed antics.

‘Invasion From Planet X’ will take place on Friday 25 October in North Down Museum, from 8.00pm to 11.00pm. Tickets for this strictly over-18s event are £10 and available to book online:  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/invasion-from-planet-x-tickets-70136537271

The event is part of ‘The Late Shift’ – a series of after-dark, adults-only happenings in museums across Northern Ireland this autumn. The project is supported by National Lottery Heritage Fund, Tourism NI, and Department for Communities.

Attention Foodies: feast your eyes on this!

Celebrate the abundance of flavours autumn has to offer with a distinctly local twist. #TasteOfComber is our third tasting tour this autumn, taking in some of the finest dining establishments in historic Comber on Thursday 31 October 2019

This guided food tour begins at the award-winning Indie Füde, experts at sourcing the finest artisan Irish produce. Enjoy your main course in the beautiful No 14 at The Georgian House, followe…d by dessert at the multi-award winning Sugarcane Cafe Bistro. The tour ends at McBrides On The Square, where guests will enjoy the finest local cheese paired beer and ale.

Tickets must be booked in advance: £47 per person

Full menu and booking details available on

https://www.visitardsandnorthdown.com/events/food-tour-a-taste-of-comber

To celebrate Positive Ageing Month, Ards and North Down Borough Council is hosting a Positive Ageing Event in Ards Blair Mayne Wellbeing and Leisure Complex on Monday 28 October from 10am-1pm.

Aimed at those aged 55 and over, local agencies and clubs will promote their activities and ensure visitors are provided with important information about what’s on offer in the borough.

There will be an opportunity to try different sports and activities on site, including low-impact taster sessions in Tai Chi as well as ‘Active Ageing’ and ‘Gently Does It’ classes. And for those who want to be a bit more active, they can try badminton, pickleball, zumba and walking football!

This year’s theme is based around ‘Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing’ – a Public Health Agency campaign that aims to raise awareness of five simple actions to maintain and improve emotional wellbeing: Give, Be Active, Connect, Keep Learning and Take Notice.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Alderman Bill Keery, said:

“The event will highlight the range of activities and clubs that are available in Ards and North Down. The number of older people in the world, including our borough, is increasing at an exponential rate so we want to bring them together and help them become more active and more socially connected.

“This growth in our population is one that should be viewed as a successful achievement and the Council intends to make Ards and North Down a great place to grow older as well as a place that is supportive, valuing and enabling for older people.”

The Positive Ageing event is free to attend and opens at 10am on Monday 28 October. A variety of exhibitions, workshops and activities will be on offer so remember to wear comfortable clothes and suitable non-slip shoes!

More information is available from Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Environmental Health Protection and Development department. For further queries, contact Jennifer Parkinson or Gareth McCausland on 0300 013 3333 ext. 40221 or email healthandwellbeing@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk.

Leading Dolly Parton tribute act, Donna Stewart is set to rock the Belfast Barge for a special show on November 15, not only showcasing the very best of the Queen of Country’s songs and other big country numbers.

After a string of sell-out shows across the country the County Down star, along with her live band Dolly’s Jukebox, is bringing her show to the city’s only floating arts centre.

Donna said: “I can’t wait to play this special show. The Belfast Barge has seen many great acts play, and I know everyone will have a ball singing along and dancing to Dolly’s songs and our carefully chosen hits from other award winning country artists.

“We want you all to rock the boat on the Lagan to the very best of country music.”

Fans can expect a set packed with hits such as 9-5, Coat of Many Colours, I Will Also Love You and Jolene, as well as hits from artists such as Hank Williams, Shania Twain, Johnny Cash and many more.

Donna has spent years perfecting not only the songs, but the Dolly look, spending thousands on the outfits, shoes, wigs and instruments to make sure her shows are as close to Dolly’s shows as possible, but adding in other famous artists to make her show unique.

In the last ten years Donna has spent a whopping £40,000 on her act with a staggering £15,000 of that on creating Dolly’s look alone.

Donna said: “Dolly Parton once said that ‘it takes a lot of money to look this cheap’ and she wasn’t wrong.

“But I’m not the kind of person that does things by halves.

“The show aims to emulate country icon Dolly Parton at her 80’s best right up until now, we also play songs from classic country, we aim to please everyone,” she said.

“We carefully chose the greatest hits that people love and remember and even if you’re not a die-hard Dolly fan you’ll certainly catch yourself toe tapping and singing along at some point throughout the night.”

The Belfast Barge show is a BYOB show meaning attendees can bring their own drink and food.

Tickets are available here: skiddle.com/e/13609235

Belfast International Arts Festival runs from 15 Oct – 3 Nov in various locations across Belfast.  With over 200 events and 14 UK, Irish and world premieres, there is something for everyone.  This week’s top picks are:

To Da Bone, Fri 25 – Sat 26 Oct, The Grand Opera House,

Christine and the Queens fans will recognise the work of French arts collective (LA)HORDE from the video for Girlfriend, and from their stunning Glastonbury performance.

To Da Bone is a captivating, contemporary rebel-call to the social media generation and explores youth culture, identity and expression.  The cast of 11 dancers were crowd-sourced from across Europe through internet auditions, and have created this pulsing and electrifying performance of jumpstyle dance, with powerful intensity and emotion. High energy.  Stunning.

Real Magic, Tues 22 – Wed 23 Oct, The MAC,

Groundhog Day meets Samuel Beckett!  Real Magic creates a world of absurd disconnection, struggle and comical repetition. Part mind-reading feat, part cabaret act, part nightmare game show, this surreal adventure takes its cue from popular culture and current affairs, while questioning larger systems of control. A compelling commentary on the individual desire for change in the face of higher power.  Make your own political comparisons!

Before, Thurs 24 – Fri 25 Oct, The MAC,

Touchingly combining some of the best-loved songs from musical theatre with the story of an estranged father and daughter, this solo show is set on the closing day of Clery’s department store in Dublin. Writer and performer Pat Kinevane received the Herald Archangel Award at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival.

Staging Schiele, Sat 26 Oct, The MAC,

Four dancers inhabit radical artist Egon Schiele’s highly-charged world of colour, masterful lines and unusual perspectives that put the human body on visceral display. Shobana Jeyasingh’s award-winning choreography matches the raw intensity of Schiele, and scrutinises the relationship between male artist and female model; the viewer and the subject.

Unique Instruments, Expectant Spaces, Fri 18 Oct – Fri 8 Nov, Ulster University, York Street

Metaphor, simile and story-telling are at the heart of local architectural practice Hall McKnight’s work.  This large-scale installation, which appeared at the prestigious invitation-only 16th international Architectural Exhibition in Venice, cross-references a number of their projects including the re-imagining of new civic spaces from a variety of different perspectives. 

The Octavia Poetry Collective, Wed 23 Oct, Ulster Sports Club,

Octavia is a poetry collective for women of colour, founded by poet, Rachel Long in response to the lack of inclusivity and representation in poetry and academia. The evening will explore themes of representation, cultural identity, and equality.

Lanny with Max Porter, Tues 22 Oct, Black Box,

An innovative hybrid of fairy tale, fable, and myth, Lanny is Max Porter’s hugely anticipated second novel and was recently long-listed for the Man Booker Prize 2019.

The Worst Cafe in the World, Wed 23 – Sun 27 Oct, Worst Café (pop-up), Cotton Court

If reality TV had a lovechild with theatre, this is it.  A Big Telly special for Festival, there is just one week to get a table, place your orders and experience the gloriously mad ‘Worst Café in the World’. Pure comedy and pathos, this chaotic foodless venue promises a large serving of entertainment for people who like their theatre fresh. Make sure to book your dinner elsewhere!

For information visit: https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/ or to book call 02890 246609.

The Market Place Theatre in Armagh is thrilled to be hosting ‘Shackleton’s Carpenter’, the story of Harry McNish, carpenter on board the doomed ship ‘Endurance’ on her Antarctica expedition.

‘Endurance’ sank amidst the ice floes, leaving Shackelton and his crew of 27 stranded. McNish, brilliant carpenter and shipwright, played an absolutely vital role in ensuring all 28 were saved, but in so doing, had to defy The Boss, and paid the price.

For all his bravery and ingenuity, McNish was one of the very few who were never awarded the Polar Medal. His health impaired by the experience, he emigrated to New Zealand where his condition worsened, and he could no longer work.

Now, alone and destitute, one still night on the dockside, he challenges The Boss one last time. In his fevered mind he relives the Endurance expedition, pitting himself against Shackleton and plagued by the ghosts of his past. How did he antagonise the hero of Antarctica? How does he come to terms with it?  On stage on Friday 25th October.

Then on Saturday 26 October, be sure not to miss The Slocan Ramblers, the bluegrass band of the moment, direct from Canada. Rooted in tradition yet fearlessly creative, The Slocan’s have garnered a reputation for unforgettable live shows.

Their impeccable musicianship, inventive approach, and old-time sensibilities make for a show that hits every target. With an uncanny ability to convert anyone within earshot into a lifelong fan, The Slocan’s have been winning over audiences worldwide. They are a band at the very top of their game.

Tickets are available from the Theatre Box Office on [028] 3752 1821, or online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre. To keep up-to-date with the latest news at the Market Place Theatre, you can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marketplacearmagh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/mptarmagh) where you will find all the latest information, special offers and video previews.