Business Wire
December 15, 1997 KPMG
consulting launches Center for Data Insight
at Northern Arizona University
First Data Warehousing Facility to Offer Rapid Testing with Diverse Analysis Tools
Mobil Oil Among First to Test at Center
December 15, 1997 (Flagstaff, AZ) KPMG Consulting, the consulting arm of KPMG Peat
Marwick LLP, in partnership with Retrograde Data-Systems and Northern Arizona University,
today announced the opening of the Center for Data Insight
(CDI), the first academic
facility designed to help companies test and develop leading data mining technologies.
Located on the campus of Northern Arizona University, CDI combines KPMG Consulting's
business and analytical knowledge with Retrograde's data mining analysis and the
University's College of Engineering and Technology and College of Business
Administration's technical experience. At the Center, companies can test a combination of
tools, from data warehousing to advanced analytical engines, to techniques for visualizing
and understanding new knowledge extracted from raw data.
Companies can use up to six different software tools to build and test prototype models
for data mining. The new Center allows companies to cut testing time from the typical 12
months to four weeks and use third-party expertise and independent evaluations to evaluate
and select the appropriate data mining tools.
"KPMG Consulting recognizes the business impact of data mining technologies in
transforming company data into corporate intelligence," said Steve Cranford,
partner-in-charge of KPMG's Data Warehousing. "The Center is an example of KPMG
Consulting's commitment to providing low-risk environments where companies, using their
own data, can work through the knowledge discovery process to solve a variety of
real-world business problems."
Because no one product has the breadth and depth of all statistical needs, the Center
offers clients an opportunity to create specific, business-oriented data mining
applications. Without such a testing environment, companies would be required to evaluate
disparate vendor offerings and purchase multiple tools, significantly increasing the time
and financial investment spent on data mining technologies.
Clients using the Center can load their own data onto servers and utilize a variety of
data mining tools for knowledge discovery and management as well as data analysis.
Organizations in financial services, retail, and the telecommunications industries can
take their own raw data, organize and analyze it, and then employ different modeling
techniques such as customer retention and lifetime value models. Currently, Mobil Oil
Corporation is using the Center in this capacity.
NAU Provost Charles Connell observed, "the new Center is an excellent opportunity
for NAU to provide a first rate education to our students in the very important technical
area of Data Mining while providing our faculty with the opportunity to collaborate with
KPMG to perform leading-edge applied research for businesses."
Vendor partners include Angoss International, Cognos, CrossZ Software, DataMind
Corporation, DBStar, ISL Decision Systems, Oracle Corporation, SAS Institute, Silicon
Graphics, Inc., SUN Microsystems, Inc., Thinking Machines Corporation, Unica, Visible
Decisions Inc., and Vmark Software, Inc.
An open house, hosted by KPMG and Oracle, will take place on December 16. Press are
encouraged to attend. To R.S.V.P. to CDI's open house, call 1.888.216.4027, option 2, and
leave a voice-mail.
About KPMG Consulting's Data Warehousing Practice KPMG Consulting is an industry leader
in delivering data warehousing solutions that can provide maximum value to clients.
Utilizing the firm's comprehensive methodology and extensive technology resources, KPMG
Consulting and data warehousing teams assist clients in assessing their business needs and
identifying the corresponding enabling technology requirements. In concert with the
client, KPMG Consulting professionals can then implement the most effective approach,
whether itbe a custom data warehouse or an Accelerated Business SolutionSM (ABS). ABS is a
new service delivery model from KPMG that helps clients implement data warehousing and its
allied technologies across the enterprise in less time, with less cost and risk than
traditional approaches.
About KPMG:
KPMG Consulting is the consulting arm of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, the U.S. member firm of
KPMG International, the worldwide professional services firm. KPMG International has more
than 6,000 partners and 76,000 professionals serving clients in 153 countries. In the
U.S., KPMG partners and professionals deliver a wide range of value-added assurance, tax
and consulting services. The firm is moving toward becoming the leader among professional
services firms in capturing, managing, assessing and delivering information to create
knowledge that will help its clients maximize shareholder value. Additional information
about the firm is available on KPMG's World Wide Web site (http://www.kpmg.com).
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