2010 is going to be a good year for analytics, if the survey of International Institute for Analytics members is any indication. 90% say analytics will have a greater impact on their organizations’ strategies in the coming year.

52% believe they can achieve the impact with the same level of spending, and 45% will be spending more. Some of the increased spending will go for hardware and software, but services and people seem to be the greatest spending priority.

52% of respondents say that their organizations plan to add permanent, in-house analytics staff, while 21% will add contingent analytical labor and the same percentage will outsource.

Technical challenges—“getting the right systems in place”—are the greatest issue cited by the survey respondents, followed by getting enough budgetary resources and increasing the organizational use and support of analytics from management.

In terms of application areas to be emphasized in 2010, the survey yielded a surprise—the greatest focus will be on analytics for sustainability and corporate citizenship efforts, followed by marketing/media analytics and workforce analytics. Certainly sustainability issues have not received the bulk of analytical attention in the past.

“Helping you develop as a leader” was first among members’ priorities for IIA, followed by reviews and ratings of analytical tools and professional networking.

Expect the IIA to employ webcasts as a delivery channel, since that was the most-desired event type.

Of course, the sample size of members responding was small—29—and not random. However, there’s no reason to suspect that these members would be more optimistic than average. Perhaps the combination of an improving economy and an increased awareness of analytical capabilities will make 2010 a banner year.

And congratulations to our Amazon.com gift card winners: Victor Lo, Jim Agnew, Geoffrey Smith, and Kurt Thierling.