The new, special issue of the Journal of Business Forecasting & Planning is available for download now.

This is a particularly interesting issue of the journal because it is written almost entirely by women. Designed to showcase the leading women in forecasting, planning and analytics, this issue brings fresh perspectives from some of the brightest minds in the field.

In a field that often focuses on the analytical/technical side, this issue discusses not only this element of our profession, but also the broader business element that puts analytics and number crunching to practical use.

As we tap into a different demographic for this issue’s articles, we benefit from new perspectives, some of which may surprise you – if you ever thought Liberal Arts wasn’t a natural gateway to demand planning, you may find yourself changing your mind. You may also learn a thing or two about how different areas of study and different mindsets translate remarkably well to facilitating the collaboration and business acumen that are so crucial to succeeding in this field.

Other highlights of this issue include how to use performance indicators to improve forecast accuracy, how to adapt as a demand planner from one industry to another, why forecasters should shift their focus from forecast accuracy to forecast bias, and, the lead article for this issue, how to transition from forecast analyst to data scientist.

The lead article is especially relevant. We are at an inflection point where we are moving away from time series forecasting to artificial intelligence and machine learning. And that means over the coming years, forecast analysts need to develop new skills. Here in this issue, you have a blueprint to do exactly that from somebody who has successfully made the transition.

I encourage you to take advantage of this special edition of the Journal written by the leading women in our field – members can download it for free. If you’re not a member see an extended preview and consider the benefits of membership, and get this journal delivered to your door every quarter.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE JOURNAL