From Data to Decisions: Harnessing the Power of Numbers

ID: WMA2026_546

Track:

Data acts as a “crystal ball” by leveraging predictive analytics, AI, and integrated data sets- such as visitor behavior, market trends, and historical performance- to forecast future outcomes. Learn how museums can collect valuable data and use it to transform raw information into predictive models, actionable insights, and data-driven decisions. From guest sentiment to retail sales, explore different data streams, how they can identify trends, and inform decisions across a wide range of museum operations.

Session Information

Format: Regular session/panel (roundtable, single speaker, etc.)

Uniqueness: It represents different methods of gathering, organizing, and utilizing data to identify trends that might otherwise remain inaccessible or hidden in vast data streams.

Objectives:

1. Learn different approaches to identify and capture data streams that are relevant to institutional operations. 
2. Identify ways to organize data to improve accessibility and form reliable, information based conclusions.
3. Learn how to apply data to decision making and integrate data streams to improve various functions across multiple programs.

Engagement: Audience members will be encouraged to share examples from their own museums, such as guest comments or visitation trends, to collectively build a list of possible data streams. They will also be challenged to consider examples of how they have effectively used data to affect change and where they might be missing opportunities. Time for questions will also be provided.

Relationship to Theme:

Audience

Audiences: Development and Membership Officers Events Planning Marketing & Communications (Including Social Media) Other Technology 

Professional Level: All levels 

Scalability: Our panel will include representatives from various sizes and types of museums that reflect a wide range of resources, operations, and priorities. This will help make content relevant to a broad range of participants and show how the underlying principles can be applied in a variety of settings and in different ways.

Participants