Driving Agility Through Analytics: Advancing Data-Driven Decision Making in Higher Education

With a background deeply rooted in social psychology, Nicole Muscanell’s career journey reflects the power of combining academic expertise with a passion for driving change in the education sector. Her graduate studies in social psychology not only shaped her intellectual foundation but also provided the insights that would guide her leadership roles throughout her career. “Social psychology is similar to sociology, but with a more focused approach, examining individual and small group behaviors rather than large societal structures,” explains Muscanell, Ph.D. Researcher, Research & Insights, EDUCAUSE. “This discipline delves into issues such as group relations, identity, race, social influence, and attitude change. During this time, I gained extensive research experience in quantitative social science and my graduate training allowed me to develop my skills as a researcher.”

While completing her postdoctoral degree and taking on the role of assistant professor at Penn State York, Muscanell conducted research and helped build their new psychology undergraduate program. After five years, she returned to her hometown of Orlando, Florida and began working as a Research Analyst at JHT Incorporated. While working for JHT, she was contracted to work for the Department of Defense to help evaluate their educational training programs at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI). “DEOMI is in charge of training all active-duty members across the military branches in topics such as human relations and equal opportunity,” explains Muscanell. “I helped assess the effectiveness of their training programs, and it was an experience I truly enjoyed. Later in 2022, I wanted to return to my roots in higher education and joined EDUCAUSE as a researcher, heading up all aspects of research projects from design and data collection to analysis and publication.”

Exploring Emerging Trends
In her role at EDUCAUSE, Muscanell is a key member of the Research & Insights group, which plays a vital part in advancing the organization’s mission to transform higher education in service to a greater good. “Our goal is to help higher education professionals and institutions stay up to date with the latest trends, especially around technology and data, so they can make informed decisions and improve institutional success,” shares Muscanell. “To fulfill this mission, the research team conducts studies and produces research products focused on emerging topics, such as the 2024 EDUCAUSE AI Landscape Study published mid-February 2025. They also produce quick polls on timely, relevant subjects, allowing them to gather and share data rapidly.”

To help ensure that EDUCAUSE members stay ahead of trends and challenges in higher education, the team regularly publishes forward-thinking reports, like the Horizon reports and the “Top 10” issues in higher education IT. “These reports examine emerging trends and offer insights on how institutions can prepare for the future,” says Muscanell. “We’ve also been conducting several AI Landscape studies and try to focus on what might happen in the next few years and what steps can be taken now so we’re not blindsided. I recently shared some of these insights at EdgeCon where I explored the current landscape of analytics in 2024 and what that looks like for higher education.”

One of Muscanell’s notable contributions at EDUCAUSE is her authorship of the EDUCAUSE Analytics Landscape Study, a comprehensive report focused on advancing data-driven decision-making in higher education. Titled Advancing Data-Driven Decisions in Higher Education: Overcoming Barriers and Harnessing Analytics, the study explores the “current state of affairs” of analytics in higher education and the challenges institutions face in leveraging data effectively. When reflecting on her research, Muscanell says she was surprised by the contrast between the growing recognition of the importance of analytics in higher education and the slow progress in implementing the necessary infrastructure and actions to leverage them effectively. “While the recognition of analytics as a strategic priority has seen significant growth—rising from 28% in 2012 to 69% in 2024—the concrete steps needed to fully integrate analytics have not kept pace.”

Among the key findings from the 2024 EDUCAUSE Analytics Landscape Study, Muscanell found that the majority of respondents (79%) feel that their institutional leaders are interested in or are fully committed to analytics. The study also revealed that analytics are most commonly used to support key operational areas, including admissions, enrollment processes, and ensuring compliance with accreditation standards and regulatory obligations. In line with these operational uses, institutions primarily focus on analytics to enhance student success and outcomes, boost retention rates, and drive enrollment growth. When asked about adopting AI tools for analytics, approximately 35% of respondents indicated that their institution is making strategic efforts to incorporate AI into analytics, while 46% noted that these efforts involve collaboration between teams working on both analytics and AI strategy.

On January 9, 2025, Muscanell joined EdgeCon Winter 2025 to moderate the keynote panel discussion and share key insights from her Analytics Landscape Study. “This was my first time attending EdgeCon and I was really impressed by the event’s focus on innovation and forward-thinking solutions,” shares Muscanell. “I appreciated the balance between embracing emerging technologies like AI while maintaining a cautious and realistic approach. The discussions, both in breakout sessions and informal conversations, reflected an eagerness to explore how AI and other technologies could be used creatively and effectively in higher education. One of the highlights for me was an AI panel that concluded with a practical sharing of AI tools and their applications, which I found truly inspiring. What struck me most was the enthusiasm for technological advancement, but grounded in discussions about real-world challenges, like upskilling the workforce and preparing future generations for an AI-driven world.”

Enhancing Analytics Capabilities
To address the challenges of implementing analytics in higher education, Muscanell suggests several practical steps that institutions can take even with resource constraints. “One key strategy is to prioritize and align analytics with institutional goals, focusing on high-impact areas like student success, operational processes, and finances. Start to strategize and plan where analytics fit in with your institutional goals. Professional development, upskilling, and reskilling staff are also critical to enhancing analytics capabilities. While hiring new personnel is often not feasible, investing in the personnel that you already have and expanding their knowledge and literacy can be hugely beneficial.”

To foster collaboration and help break down silos, Muscanell suggests developing cross-functional teams that bring together expertise from various departments. “Bringing people together from across the organization, including IT, academics, institutional research, and finance, creates a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with implementing analytics. This collaborative approach not only encourages diverse perspectives but also helps align goals across different departments, making it easier to develop cohesive strategies and drive meaningful change.”

“Since data governance is involved, I would also suggest taking a phased approach to implementation, ensuring that progress is made gradually and systematically, with clear plans and accountability metrics in place,” continues Muscanell. “For institutions with fewer resources, look into leveraging open-source tools like Python and R for analytics that can handle anything from descriptive statistics to machine learning. If your organization does not have staff with the appropriate expertise to mature your analytics, consider consulting with external experts even for a short time to help bridge staffing gaps. Most importantly, look to form partnerships with your peer institutions and determine ways to share resources and knowledge to help each other succeed in analytics and AI initiatives.”

Prioritizing Agility and Scalability
To address the challenges of implementing In a rapidly changing landscape, integrating AI and other advanced tools into higher education analytics can be extremely challenging. “Higher ed can be slow to change and the swift evolution of technology, especially with AI, can make it difficult for institutions to stay ahead and properly address knowledge gaps,” says Muscanell. “When a new AI platform emerges unexpectedly, it can feel overwhelming for institutions that are already struggling to keep up. To mitigate these challenges, focus on scalable solutions and implementing technologies that are adaptable and can integrate well with existing systems. This helps avoid the need for complete infrastructure overhauls with every new development.”

In addition, Muscanell advocates for building agile technology teams capable of responding quickly to changes. “Since technology is not stagnant, make your IT more agile by training staff and cross-functional teams to be able to respond swiftly to new developments. Also invest in ongoing digital literacy initiatives and creating a continuous learning environment for all faculty, staff, and students. This ensures everyone remains current as technology evolves. By prioritizing scalability, agility, and continuous learning, institutions can better navigate the rapid changes in AI and other technologies. By fostering agility through analytics and prioritizing scalability, institutions can unlock the full potential of data-driven decision-making and remain at the forefront of innovation in an ever-evolving world.”