CGI Business Analytics Competition

Business Analytics: Data-Driven Decision Making

Sponsored by: CGI

Data is everywhere, but raw numbers don’t tell a story on their own. The United States Federal Government established Data.gov in 2009 with the goal of improving public access to high value, machine-readable datasets. Since then, the site has grown to more than 370,000 datasets, capturing everything from lotto numbers to food prices to storm events. The data is the starting point, what you do with it tells the story.

Your challenge is to design and prototype a business analytics solution that combines descriptive analytics (summarizing and visualizing trends) with predictive modeling (forecasting what might happen next) using one or more of the datasets available on Data.gov to provide recommendations to decision-makers.

Your solution should:

  • Visualize insights: Build dashboards or reports that summarize trends, KPIs, and patterns.

  • Tell a story: Use visuals that highlight key takeaways and support decision-making.

  • Predict the future: Incorporate predictive modelling to help identify what will happen in the future.

  • Support decisions: Show how the platform helps identify risks, opportunities, and “what-if” scenarios.

  •  Make recommendations: Use prescriptive models to give recommendations on how to move forward.

Deliverables:

  • Prototype: A working demo showcasing dashboards, visualizations, and at least one predictive feature (descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive).

    • Dashboards or visualizations built from Data.gov data.

    • At least one predictive component (such as a simple forecast, trend model, machine learning prediction or ect.)

    • Clear connections between the data insights and recommendations for decision-makers. 

  • Documentation: A clear 1 page write-up of data sources, methods, and design choices.

    • The datasets you used (with links to Data.gov).

    • Your methods and tools.

    • Key design choices and rationale for your approach.

By the end of this challenge, your solution will turn raw Government data from Data.gov into actionable insights and you’ll show your ability to communicate findings that drive smarter business decisions. 

TIMELINE

  • February 16, 2026 (11:59 PM Eastern) - Preliminary submissions due 
  • February 26, 2026 – Finalists notified
  • March 27, 2026 – Final presentations (during SCLC) and winners announced

PRIZES

  • First place: $2,000 USD
  • Second place: $1000 USD
  • Third place $500 USD

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT

Only teams from current AIS Student Chapters are eligible to complete.   

Evaluation Rubric

Guidelines 

Points

Storytelling and Visualization

  • Are insights easy to understand and presented in a compelling way? 

  •  Does the documentation explain the story behind the data effectively?

20

Analytical depth

  • Are one or more analytical techniques (descriptive, predictive, or prescriptive) applied effectively and appropriately within the prototype?

  • Are methods clearly described in the documentation?

20

Business value

  • Are the benefits and recommendations communicated clearly to non-technical decision-makers through the prototype and documentation?

20

User experience

  • Is the prototype intuitive, visually engaging, and easy to navigate?

  •  Does the documentation make it easy for others to understand how the prototype works?

20

Innovation

  • Does the solution stand out in its approach, design, or application of analytics?

  • Does the documentation reflect creative problem-solving or unique thinking?

20

Total

100