I’ve attended the conference that’s now IBM World of Watson for the past six or seven years. While each year brought something new and exciting, I believe this year will be a watershed year where a critical mass of companies begin their journey towards cognitive computing. And attending World of Watson will be the first step in that journey.
I worry I sound like an old timer saying this, but just a few years ago this conference was called IBM Information on Demand. Then it became IBM Insight. Now it’s World of Watson. These name changes are much more than new branding or a case of semantics: they are reflective of the computing journey IBM and all of us have been on as we moved from focusing on technology, to focusing on data and acting on that data, to today, where we are now talking about true business enablement from meaningful data.
One great example of how business can be enabled by making strategic use of meaningful data is the case study presented by our customer, Rick McKissack of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance. In his presentation, Data-Driven Marketing at Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance, Rick will share how his organization is using predictive analytics to develop prioritized sales lead lists for its agents, resulting in going from an average 12% success rate to an average 45% success rate. Attendees will learn the strategies and thinking behind their approach to analytics that has led to the company seeing a significant increase in new insurance policies, without having to increase the sales staff.
World of Watson provides an incredible learning opportunity for individuals and organizations who are embracing or even just researching cognitive computing. The team at IBM has put together a great agenda that goes both deep and wide. There are sessions designed for senior executives, for line of business managers, for analysts, for data scientists and for technologists and developers. Attendees can learn about cognitive computing, predictive analytics, and how to leverage each within a business to add value. Industry-specific tracks including banking, industrial, government, healthcare, telecommunications, insurance, consumer products, retail, media and entertainment, travel and transportation, education, and energy and utilities.
The team from Revelwood will be attending, and we plan to have several gatherings for our clients and friends. If you plan on going to World of Watson and want to meet up, drop us a line at info@revelwood.com
See you in Las Vegas!
