From Prediction to Action: Modern Prescriptive Analytics

Course overview

Data-driven decision-making increasingly relies on three pillars: descriptive analytics to understand what has happened, predictive analytics to anticipate what will happen, and prescriptive analytics to determine what should be done. While advances in machine learning have made descriptive and predictive tools widely accessible, many analysts still face the crucial question: “Now what?” How to turn predictions into optimal, real-world actions.

This course bridges that gap by introducing the foundations of prescriptive analytics and the “art” of mathematical modelling. Through practical examples, from allocating healthcare budgets to routing delivery fleets or planning electricity purchases, participants learn how prescriptive models transform predictions into effective decisions. The course also demonstrates how integrating predictive and prescriptive methods enhances both: optimization models become more powerful when fed with forecasted inputs, and predictive models gain real-world relevance when tied to decision pipelines.

Designed for analysts, policymakers, researchers, and professionals across sectors, this course provides the tools to build customized prescriptive solutions and create end-to-end analytics pipelines that connect data, forecasts, and decisions to deliver measurable impact.