CAP recertification, new society & IAAA

Time to renew CAP certification

For many individuals who have earned their CAP® certification, it’s time to renew in order to avoid possibly having to retake the exam. Renewal is less hassle, it costs less and it saves wear and tear on your nerves.

Why does anyone have to renew? Passing the exam proved you have the knowledge, but this is a professional certification that requires you continue to maintain and even exceed the level of knowledge you displayed when first taking the exam. Recertification entails continued activity in the field and continued knowledge of improvements, developments and innovation in the field.

How does one renew? It is relatively easy. Continued employment in the field can be counted toward recertification, as can educational courses, seminars or workshops, etc. If you are pursuing an additional degree, some courses may be applicable, and the hours you spend there may be used for recertification. If you present at a conference, write published articles or serve as an officer in a relevant association, the hours you spend on those activities may be counted.

You need to amass 30 hours of professional development units (1 hour of activity) to recertify.

For specifics on what areas of learning and/or activity are acceptable, consult page 28 of the Candidate Handbook, the CAP website or contact[email protected].

In related news, Manuel Bolivar of the Universidad de los Andes recently became the first person in Colombia to earn CAP certification.

Analytics Section becomes the Analytics Society

The Analytics Section has become INFORMS’ newest society, so its now called the Analytics Society of INFORMS. Achieving society status recognizes the new society’s significantly increased membership base (well over a thousand members) and its vastly expanded scope of activities, all of which were on display at the 2016 INFORMS Conference on Business Analytics & Operations Research in Orlando, Fla., in April. The Analytics Society remains the fastest growing subdivision of INFORMS.

Highlights at the conference included a recognition breakfast for the finalists and winners of the various awards sponsored by the Analytics Society. The Society supported the INFORMS Practitioners Colloquium, which helps practice-oriented students transition into successful real-world careers, and its volunteers offered much appreciated mentorship for these students throughout the conference.

Innovative Applications in Analytics Award

The Innovative Applications in Analytics Award (IAAA), which recognizes creative and unique developments, applications or combinations of analytical techniques used in practice, has garnered significant interest in its brief life. The IAAA for 2016 was awarded to an MIT-led team for its submission entitled, “An Analytics Approach to the Clock Drawing Test for Cognitive Impairment,” during the recent INFORMS Conference on Analytics & Operations Research in Orlando. Fla.

The Innovative Applications in Analytics Award is the flagship competition of the Analytics Society of INFORMS. The purpose of the award is to recognize the creative and unique application of a combination of analytical techniques in a new area. The prize promotes the awareness and value of the creative combination of analytics techniques in unusual applications to provide insights and business value.
Other finalist submissions included runner-up “Analytics for the Engagement Life Cycle of IBM’s Highly Valued IT Service Contracts” and third-place finisher “Driving Organic Growth with Zilliant SalesMax.”