Thursday 20 February 2014

Political Analytics

Would you like to learn how to apply predictive modeling methods to target voters in political campaigns?

Here is an interesting online course, Political Analytics at Statistics.com, which will teach you which aspects of campaigns are especially important for modeling purposes, and the difference between traditional targeting methods and more recent micro-targeting techniques. The course covers what to measure and how to design surveys to measure it.  The role of experiments is discussed, and you will learn how television advertising, online advertising, and social media fit in.

Learn more in Mr. Ken Strasma’s online course "Political Analytics" at Statistics.com. 
For more details please visit http://www.statistics.com/political-analytics/.

Who Should Take This Course:
Data analysts who are familiar with predictive modeling and want to learn how to apply it in the political world.  Political consultants and staff who have had some exposure to predictive modeling, and want to dive deeper and learn how it is applied in a political campaign.

Course Program:
WEEK 1:  Background and basic campaign concepts
  • Why campaigns need to target
  • Phases of a campaign
  • Finding the right targets for the right phase
  • Calculating the effectiveness of a voter contact

WEEK 2: Traditional targeting vs. individual level modeling and beginning the modeling process
  • Traditional targeting
  • Microtargeting - shifting the focus to the individual
  • Deciding what to predict
  • Survey instrument design
  • The modeling process

WEEK 3: The modeling process in detail
  • Common pitfalls
  • Missing values
  • Building new indicators
  • Evaluating models
  • Combining models

WEEK 4: Advanced modeling concepts and the future of political targeting
  • Ask, observe and test
  • Controlled and natural experiments
  • Targeting for broadcast television
  • Targeting for online advertising

Instructor Mr. Ken Strasma is co-founder and CEO of HaystaqDNA, a firm that provides predictive analytics and strategic consulting services for corporations, non-profits and membership organizations.

Strasma served as targeting director for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, and for President Obama's 2008 campaign. Through his firm Strategic Telemetry, Strasma produced the predictive analytics models used by the campaigns, and helped popularize the use of that technology. Ken is the author of numerous articles and studies regarding targeting, marketing, demographics and social media analysis.

You will be able to ask questions and exchange comments with the instructors via a private discussion board throughout the course.   The courses take place online at statistics.com in a series of 4 weekly lessons and assignments, and require about 15 hours/week.  Participate at your own convenience; there are no set times when you must be online. You have the flexibility to work a bit every day, if that is your preference, or concentrate your work in just a couple of days.

We, the Center for eLearning and Training (C-eLT), Pune, partner with Statistics.com and offer these courses to Indian participants at special prices payable in INR.

For India Registration and pricing, please visit us at www.india.statistics.com.

Call: 020 6680 0322

Websites: