Assistant Professor Willie Reddic led the creation of the data analytics curriculum at DePaul’s School of Accountancy & MIS. Data analytics is one of the fastest growing areas of study in the college, and what motivates Reddic most is preparing his students for the accounting field of the future.
“I think data analytics is where the accounting profession is headed,” says Reddic. “We are currently in an age where everything is data driven and accountants are going to have to learn a different thought process. It is important for students to learn analytics because of the new world we live in.” 
Reddic defines data analytics as the act of taking information and interpreting it in a way that can convey some type of predictability to clients. For example, if a business is looking to improve sales, an accountant could look at sales trends over time and interpret data for many different sales variables to determine ways to reduce expenses in one area and increase sales opportunities in others, maximizing shareholder value and revenue.
“Data analytics is about coming up with the statistics and letting the data tell the story behind business decisions,” says Reddic. “We make sure the data is valid and that the information is translated correctly. We are basically storytellers deciphering information.”
Translating information gleaned from data is a skill that accountants increasingly need, especially with the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) in business, Reddic says. Recordkeeping or bookkeeping jobs may get replaced by AI, he says, but there will be a need for accountants with the data analysis skills.
“The accounting profession will not become obsolete, but by 2030 some services will no longer be needed,” says Reddic. “That is why the accounting profession needs an increase in analytics skills because accountants are the ones that are going to be creating the AI software and interpreting the data.”
Storytelling is something that Reddic finds valuable in teaching data analytics. He uses Chicago as the setting for his story and brings local alumni and professionals from the city’s top accounting firms to guest lecture. He even works with top accounting firms to build case studies for students to learn from real-world examples.
“Many people think that the accounting field is boring,” says Reddic. “That is why I liven everything up by bringing in real examples and showing students what accounting really is and framing it as a story. As educators, the way to captivate the audience is to show them through stories how accounting relates to the business world and showing the practical side in addition to theory and basic accounting.”