This business analytics project analyzes Notre Dame's Irish Card wallet system to identify opportunities for improving promotional campaign effectiveness and user engagement. Through comprehensive analysis of synthetic transaction data from 5,000 users over 60 days, we examine promo redemption patterns, user behavior segmentation, and the impact of targeted nudge interventions.
- 55% of users exhibit suboptimal promotional engagement behavior
- Four distinct user segments identified: Non-Engagers (30%), Frequent Abandoners (25%), Moderate Redeemers (30%), and Successful Redeemers (15%)
- Baseline promotional redemption rate: 62% with significant drop-off opportunities
- Primary barriers: Reward expiration (15%), unclear eligibility (12%), technical issues (8%)
- Location variance: Dining halls achieve higher redemption rates than retail locations
- Temporal patterns: Peak engagement during meal times presents targeting opportunities
- 16-25% improvement in redemption rates through targeted nudge notifications
- 8-12x ROI on intervention investment
- $60,000-100,000 annual potential value creation across full user base
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Behavioral Nudging
- Implement proactive reminder systems for pending promotions
- Target high-intent, low-completion users (Frequent Abandoners)
- Timing-based notifications aligned with user behavior patterns
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Communication Enhancement
- Clear reward expiry countdown timers
- Simplified eligibility criteria and terms
- Context-aware promotional messaging
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Technical Friction Reduction
- Streamline redemption process workflows
- Address system reliability issues
- Mobile-first user experience optimization
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Personalization at Scale
- Segment-specific promotional offerings
- Predictive intervention before drop-off occurs
- Dynamic reward structures based on user behavior
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Campus Ecosystem Integration
- Cross-platform promotional coordination
- Event-based promotional timing
- Academic calendar awareness for targeting
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Data-Driven Optimization
- Continuous A/B testing framework
- Real-time performance monitoring
- Advanced analytics for pattern recognition
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Friction Minimization
- Every additional step in payment/redemption process creates exponential drop-off risk
- Mobile-native design is essential for campus environments
- Seamless integration with existing user workflows
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Engagement Psychology
- Behavioral interventions can drive 15-25% improvement in key metrics
- Timing and context are critical for promotional effectiveness
- User segmentation enables precision targeting with limited resources
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Data Intelligence
- Real-time behavioral analytics provide actionable insights
- Predictive modeling can identify at-risk users before churn occurs
- Location and temporal data unlock context-aware services
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Campus as Innovation Lab
- Closed-loop environments provide controlled testing conditions
- High user density and engagement frequency accelerate learning cycles
- Student populations are early adopters of digital payment innovations
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Promotional Effectiveness Framework
- Traditional promotional metrics (offers sent, response rates) are insufficient
- Completion rates and actual value realization are critical success indicators
- Intervention timing is as important as intervention content
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Technology Infrastructure Requirements
- Real-time notification systems are table stakes for engagement
- Analytics infrastructure must support rapid experimentation
- User experience consistency across touchpoints drives adoption
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Cross-Platform Integration
- Campus wallet success depends on broader ecosystem connectivity
- API-first architecture enables third-party integration opportunities
- Standardized promotional frameworks support partner participation
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Regulatory and Privacy Compliance
- Student data protection requires enhanced privacy safeguards
- Transparent opt-in/opt-out mechanisms build user trust
- Compliance frameworks should enable, not hinder, personalization
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Financial Sustainability
- Strong unit economics are essential for sustainable promotional programs
- Behavioral interventions provide cost-effective optimization alternatives
- Long-term user value creation justifies short-term promotional investments
The project demonstrates the application of:
- Pandas and NumPy for large-scale data manipulation and analysis
- Statistical modeling for user segmentation and behavior prediction
- A/B testing frameworks for intervention impact measurement
- Data visualization for executive-level insight communication
This analysis provides a blueprint for:
- Immediate implementation of behavioral nudge systems
- Strategic framework for promotional program optimization
- ROI-justified expansion of engagement initiatives
- Data-driven decision making for digital wallet evolution
The methodologies and insights developed here are directly applicable to campus environments nationwide and provide valuable lessons for the broader emerging payments ecosystem.
irish-cards.ipynb: Complete Jupyter notebook with data generation, analysis, and visualizationsREADME.md: This comprehensive summary and strategic insights document
- Cross-campus validation of behavioral intervention effectiveness
- Integration analysis with external payment systems and campus services
- Long-term user journey mapping from enrollment through graduation
- Competitive analysis of alternative campus payment solutions
This project was completed as part of MSBA 6210 - Business Analytics coursework, demonstrating practical application of data science techniques to real-world business challenges in the emerging payments space.