New Improvements to AACSB’s DataDirect

AACSB has been collecting data from member organizations since 1967, when we first released the AACSB Salary Survey (now the Staff Compensation and Demographic Survey). In 2004 we migrated from sending custom reports of that data via postal mail to making it available for access via an online platform, DataDirect. For 18 years, DataDirect has been the go-to platform for AACSB’s member business schools to generate custom reports on various aspects of business school operations. We are pleased to announce several new features that will make data access and analysis even easier.

1. New Tool for Downloads of Multiyear Data Segments

Using the Data Segment Export Utilities, individual users can download full segments of school-level data for their custom group across multiple years in a matter of minutes. Information on business school programs, enrollments, admissions, faculty, and more, at all levels, can now be downloaded in CSV files for the more advanced data analyst to closely examine the data and/or use the data to merge with other data sets.

The Data Segment Export Utilities tool is available on the Quick Reports page on the Benchmarking menu.

2. Eliminating Comparison Group Restrictions for Non-Confidential Data

Within DataDirect, data is classified as either confidential (i.e., data not available at the school level, such as salary data) or non-confidential. Previously, comparison groups being run on either confidential or non-confidential data were subject to restrictions (such as comparison group size) to ensure the confidentiality of the data. We have changed this, such that now comparison groups being used with non-confidential reports will have no restrictions on their composition. Comparison groups being used with confidential data will still retain their current restrictions.

3. Status and Access Tracking

Upon logging in to DataDirect, the new Data Availability Table on the home page displays the most recently released iteration of each survey, whether or not the user’s school submitted a validated survey, and whether or not the user personally has access to the data from that given survey.

Data Availability

4. Organizational IDs

We have all been there—trying to match records or combine data sets based on organizational names that are written just a little bit differently each time. The Report Writer tool for single year data, as well as the Data Segment Export Utilities discussed above, now both contain DataDirect IDs for non-confidential, school-level data.

5. Guidance for Optimizing Your DataDirect Experience

The top navigation menu now includes an FAQ page, where users can find answers to frequently asked questions about data entry, data access, and step-by-step instructions for using all DataDirect tools and features.

On the Benchmarking menu, the new Overview of Tools heading provides a list and brief description of all the benchmarking tools available in DataDirect.

More improvements are coming! Stay tuned for updates to the DataDirect video tutorials, found under the Reports navigation tab. Additionally, we will soon be making available a data dictionary for all reports available on the Benchmarking menu so you can be sure you are interpreting the data provided correctly.

We value member feedback and we want to thank all of our members for making suggestions that led to many of these new changes. Not only do we strive to ensure that DataDirect contains the most comprehensive and trusted set of data on business schools in the world, but we want have an efficient and user-friendly system for our members who seek that data in support of their strategic planning and tactical decision-making.

We encourage all of our members to log in to DataDirect and take a look at all the new features available! If you would like to know more about these recent changes, please view our webinar from November 15 (available within the DataDirect User’s Group on the AACSB Exchange) or email us at [email protected].