Page 7 - 2019 Delegate Assembly Conference

DATA ANALYTICS INITIATIVE
State of the Network Reporting
Using Goodwill's New Analytics
System
Speakers: Andrea Affeltranger, Chief Learning and
Analytics Officer, Kyle Stewart, Senior Director of Data
Strategy, and Matthew Vile, Senior Director of Research
and Analytics, Goodwill Industries International (GII)
As GII prepares to launch the next phase of its
Enhanced Monthly Reporting (EMR) and Annual
Reporting tool, members of GII’s data analytics
team provided an update on a phased approach
to improving the Gateway analytics system
to address member concerns and deliver
enhanced value. Additionally, the team provided
a comprehensive review of the state of the
network based on data insights from the 2018
annual report.
GII Chief Learning and Analytics Officer Andrea
Affeltranger said the shared vision of the
Gateway analytics tool is to help Goodwill
leaders leverage advanced analytics and make
timely, strategic and proactive decisions. At the
same time, she acknowledged the growing pains
associated with the initial launch and said her
team plans a comprehensive effort to bring back
reports Goodwill leaders are accustomed to
seeing, address pain points in the system’s initial
launch, and seek member feedback to validate
how the new tool is organized and operates.
2018 State of the Network in Living Color
To demonstrate some of the enhanced
capabilities of Gateway, Matthew Vile and Kyle
Stewart presented results of the 2018 State of
the Network using the analytics tool. While the
membership posted $6.1 billion in total revenue
in 2018, Vile stated that growth as a percentage
over the past 28 years suggests a degree of
volatility. That total revenue growth in 2018
grew 3.7 percent gives credence to the volatility
narrative.
Stewart then showed Goodwill leaders a
visualization of actual data on Gateway, a tool
that allows users to slice and dice the data. As
he reported that donated goods retail posted a
5 percent growth in 2018 — a percentage not
seen in five years — Stewart pointed out the
new growth five years ago in 2013 was likely driven
by 147 new stores opening, as opposed to the 14
net new stores that opened in 2018.
“We’re achieving more out of our existing
infrastructure than we had in the past,” Stewart
said. “We’re getting more out of every transaction.”
In looking at revenues generated by program
services and business services, Vile pointed out
that while both business service revenue and
direct program service revenue fell, the decline in
program services is largely a function of changes
in reporting categories. He further reported that
only a few local organizations drove the decline in
business service revenue. “Overall, the $16 million
decline in top-line business services revenue
results from two Goodwills losing contracts
valued at $27 million and two Goodwills expanding
contract revenue by $11 million,” he said.
Moving Forward and the Data Analytics
Opportunity
As the GII data analytics team begins to
communicate enhancements to the EMR this
fall with a January 2020 launch of an improved
data specification, the leaders discussed the
opportunities available for the network:
1. Optimizing the EMR by improving the user
experience and ensuring familiar reports get
back in Goodwill leaders’ hands.
2. Learning more from existing data by making
reports easily accessible but also supporting
the dissemination, use and understanding
of the insights the reports provide relative to
business operations.
3. Leveraging new data and technology to unlock
deeper and more granular insights.
4. Optimizing data assets, allowing for a
connected data strategy.
Watch, Read, Learn | Curated Resources
1. State of the Network Brainshark
Presentation
2. Visit the Analytics & Impact community
page to access additional resources.
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