After the success of the 2013 PASS Business Analytics Conference, PASS is doing another one. The 2014 PASS Business Analytics Conference will take place May 7-9 in San Jose, CA.

Last year, I was a speaker as well as part of the official Blogger Core for the event. You can read my posts on this topic:

Who’s Got Two Thumbs And Is Speaking At The PASS Business Analytics Conference?

Business Analytics And PASS: Yes, Please!

PASS Business Analytics Conference – Live Blogging – Keynote Day 1

PASS Business Analytics Conference – Live Blogging – Keynote Day 2

PASS Business Analytics Conference Recap

Alas, I am unable to attend this year. But I wanted to help spread the word about what I feel is a hugely valuable learning opportunity.

In the 1990s, you often heard people talk about the Information Age. This was essentially the revolution of computerization and the adoption of our new digital world. You could argue that we are still in the Information Age, but I think we have transcended that simple definition. Even in the Information Age, information was something to be tightly controlled and protected as an asset; something to be used by the privileged ones.

<<INSERT YOUR OWN JOKES ABOUT WIKILEAKS, ETC HERE>>

Analytics solutions were there to be used by senior people in companies in order to drive strategic decisions, etc. It was not something to be shared with just anyone, even within those organizations. What we have seen over the past several years is the adoption of the idea that everyone should have access to better information. The concepts of the Democratization of Data and bringing BI to the Masses have taken root and are driving a lot of the innovation that we have been seeing. With this movement, people are truly realizing that it is not only CXOs and senior managers that need better information to make better decisions.

I picture Oprah standing before all of us, as her audience, saying “YOU get access to better information! And YOU get access to better information! And YOU! and YOU! You ALL get access to better information!”

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/puroticorico/2129229071/sizes/l/

From the release of Power Pivot for Excel 2010 to the incorporation of Power View into Excel 2013 to the launch of Power BI for Office 365, Microsoft has certainly embraced this viewpoint. Anyone who needs to make decisions can benefit from better information. As such, the role of the Information Worker has expanded to more and more people as the tools of the trade have become much simpler to use. What is key, though, is that people understand how to use this information, and the tools involved, effectively. I have to applaud PASS for creating a Business Analytics Conference at such an important time and continuing to help us make better use of such a highly prized asset.

Although I cannot attend PASSBAC this year, I really want to encourage you to do so if you can. My own experience last year was just fantastic. PASS consistently puts on quality events with great speakers and networking opportunities. And I have no doubt the 2014 PASS Business Analytics Conference will live up to expectations.

NOTE: If you had told me back when I first started blogging that I would feature Oprah in a post, I never would have believed you. But, here we are…