Month: May 2015

What Does “BI Solution” Really Mean?

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Doug Hoogervorst - Big Data, Blog, General

Have you ever been having a conversation with a consultant, but were unaware of the buzzwords that kept being brought up? Often times in the business intelligence industry, this is the case. However, we understand that an informed consumer is the best kind of customer and we would rather you have a firm understanding of your potential BI options than to be overwhelmed by keywords.

That’s why in this post we’re going to break down the popular terms that are frequented in BI circles. These terms are the ones that are more broadly considered BI solutions.

“Products”

In the BI community, the term product is arguably the most generic. It can refer to many things outside of a business intelligence context, but within its context, the definition is quite simple.

If you find yourself shopping for a tool to use to enhance the way your company gathers, tracks, displays and analyzes your data, you’ll find products on the sales floor that are dedicated to helping you accomplish your mission. While you may have found an answer to your professional need, you will likely need a professional BI consultant to help you integrate and implement the new product into your existing system.

“Solution Accelerators”

Solution accelerators are also known as blueprints. They are likely a collection of tools that have been used on prior projects. Project tools like data connectors, transformation logic, metrics, data models and dashboards are prime examples of a solution accelerator.

Instead of starting a project from the very beginning, these tools (for a lack of a better term) accelerate the overall process of using business intelligence to your full potential.

“Architecture”

The architecture of a BI system deals with the framework that organizes the data. Its role is crucial because it affects development and the decisions made in implementation. It includes data sources that users need to analyze their statistical information.

Depending on who you ask, structured or unstructured data is included in the makeup of BI architecture. This overall framework is customizable and can include applications like reporting, data mining, data visualization tools and more.

Before You Commit…

When you’re on the market searching for a new product, it’s super important to do your research beforehand so you’re not perplexed when the time comes to choose your BI solution. Knowing the difference between these keywords not only saves you time in the purchasing process, but it also gets you closer to understanding which solution will truly meet your company’s needs.

Whether you already know what you’re looking for or if you need guidance in making the right decision, feel free to contact one of our representatives. We’ll gladly assist you in clearing up any confusion you may have with understanding business intelligence and any of its tools.

Is Your Business Intelligence TOO Complex?

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Doug Hoogervorst - Big Data, Blog

A major part of maximizing your business intelligence solution is the ease in which you’re able to use it yourself. Of course, if you have an independent BI team that is managing all of your tools, then the need to understanding the inner workings of it decreases in importance.   However, for those of you who are taking on the responsibility, we understand how difficult it can be to learn on the job. New tools bring new stresses — and new terms bring on new confusions. And with constant changes coming in the industry, it raises the questions:

– Can BI become too complex in nature?
– How much is too much business intelligence?
– When do you know it’s time to simplify your tools?

In this post, we’ll highlight the tell-tale signs of an overcomplicated BI structure within your organization and offer ways to make sure your data collections efforts remain simple, intuitive and effective.

The Importance of Simplicity

“For BI to be actionable, it must be accessible,” says steven Schneider, Chief of Products at Logi Analtics.

And this couldn’t be more true. Not every business is large or fortunate enough to have the ability to train employees on how to use the several BI tools that are available. And while the technology may be affordable for an organization, the training and/or hiring of an in-house analytical team can cost more than organizations can handle.

After all, it’s important to note that the true value of business intelligence is NOT in having the tools — but in having the know-how to make smart decisions with the data gathered from these tools.

Simplification is Becoming a Trend

While some BI manufacturers are still creating tools that are geared towards highly-qualified data scientists, there is also an influx of data tools that cater to those who aren’t as well versed.

For business functions that are more widely used, such as modeling, profiling and algorithm blending, simpler versions are now becoming more commonplace in new BI solutions. Making these functions easier to use not only benefits the end-user, but also helps the BI provider’s sales by creating a wider audience for their product.

When Complexity Becomes an Issue

For a newcomer, dealing with company statistics is bound to be a challenge. One must deal with many graphs, statistics, charts, algorithms and more — and be able to interpret all of their meanings.

With that said, BI tools are supposed to lessen the gravity of this task by doing most of the grunt work for you. However, sometimes you may find yourself doing more work than you anticipated if your BI infrastructure is overly complicated.

Here are some signs that your BI solution is actually becoming more of a limitation rather than an asset to your organization.

– You find yourself asking more questions than solving issues
– More time is spent figuring out HOW, than actual work
– No progress is being made in speed of decision-making
– Analysis takes longer than pre-BI implementation

Looking Towards the Future

Besides the inevitable fact that business intelligence will become democratized even further as the years go by, one thing is true: more employees will be able to make use of BI tools as the technology becomes easier to use.

The need for highly-educated data scientists will also decrease. More organizations will be able to take full advantage of the many years of BI development to make better, faster and more long-lasting decisions as long as business intelligence continues to simplify.

And with all of these changes happening concurrently, the ones who adapt to these changes earlier, will also be the ones to first take advantage of the business profits that come with the industry’s developing tools.   As the industry of BI continues to progress, businesses will also be able to reap the benefits in their sales and decision-making skills and by cutting analysts from their team — creating a more lean organization and a more profitable business. It all starts with simplification and the industry is already well on its way.

BI & Business Analytics: Are They The Same?

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Doug Hoogervorst - Big Data, Blog

You’ve definitely heard of business intelligence and you’ve likely heard the term business analytics before. In fact, you probably heard both terms used interchangeably, but you aren’t quite sure what the difference is. That’s expected, as some in the BI community aren’t exactly sure where the two terms diverge into separate concepts.

BI experts actually have several different interpretations as to what the differences are between the two, but there are commonalities in their personal definitions that we’ll highlight here. In this post, we’ll break it down so you have a better understanding of the unique qualities of both business intelligence and business analytics.

How Do You Define Business Intelligence?

There are many fancy words that can be thrown around in the industry, so it’s not uncommon to be overwhelmed by what each of them mean. The term business intelligence has actually been on the decline for the last 10 years in Google searches while the term business analytics has risen.

According to CIO, Business Intelligence is defined as the following:

“an umbrella term that refers to a variety of software applications used to analyze an organization’s raw data. It’s a discipline made up of several related activities, including data mining, online analytical processing, querying and reporting.”

In other words, BI is the entirety of everything you know in regards to data collection, displaying and this includes the analysis portion of the BI process.

The concept of BI (and its tools) is required to run a company efficiently by giving the decision makers the data needed to make high quality choices.

The CEO of BigData-Startups, Mark van Rijmenam makes a great point in differentiating the two concepts when he said, “…both will provide you with different, not less, insights. BI is important to improve your decision-making based on past results, while business analytics will help you move forwards and understand what might be going to happen.”

How Do You Define Business Analytics?

As many will agree that BI’s function is to maintain an organization’s efficiency with the data it provides, business analytics serves as an integral function under the BI umbrella. Analytics takes on many capabilities with several intricate tools that offer several different methods of analysis.

For example, business analytics makes use of your current data to project how your company will perform in the months to come. These functions can be conveniently stored in your BI package in the form of dashboards, reports, data mining or even applications.

Analytics is more about revolutionizing and improving upon your company with the data you collect, while BI serves as a maintenance measure to help you continue working successfully in the present.

As the VP of Engineering at Noetix Products, Pat Roche, put it, “business intelligence is needed to run the business, while business analytics is needed to change the business.”

Still, while many experts have offered their different perspectives on what the fundamental difference is between the two, one thing is clear: both of the concepts work together to offer you solutions for your data collection efforts in the present and the future.

As the term BI has been around for decades now, business analytics is right behind it in popularity. The convenience of having analytical tools within your BI infrastructure, takes away the need to hire analysts in your team. Its integration allows your team members to take over the role and plan for the future with confidence, knowing that your analytical tools have served its purpose well.

3 Tactics to Boost Your BI Production

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Doug Hoogervorst - Big Data, Blog, General

No business owner wants to be at the mercy of their business intelligence technology. While many BI applications can serve your business for a reasonable amount of time, this isn’t the case with most solutions. As you may already know, the requirements and updates that these providers offer are constantly changing and make it difficult for your team to keep your technology up to standard.

In order for you to stay ahead of the curve and reduce your dependency on the technological side for gathering, maintaining and displaying your big data, we’ve listed a few pointers to help you stay on track, regardless of your BI solution.

Prioritize Your Outcomes

Some of the original business intelligence solutions didn’t focus on giving its users valuable outputs. Instead, it employed a bottom-up mentality that emphasized the technology and its glamor. This is why we encourage BI users to NOT get caught up in your BI solution’s characteristics, especially if it’s not providing you with valuable data.

Rather, focus on what you purchased the technology for — tangible information. By using a top-down approach to your business, you should be able to make use out of the critical stats that help you make smarter business decisions. With that said, make sure you have a method to capture key performance indicators (KPIs) and other valuable information to keep your business running effectively.

Don’t Forget About Your Data

Never underestimate the power of your data. In fact, data is everything when it comes to business intelligence. While some BI programs continue to ignore the significance of your data, you shouldn’t. A sure way to lose the effectiveness of your technology is to neglect your data by providing unfinished, doubtful or untrustworthy data and inputting it into your system.

With this said, we urge you to focus on your functional reporting capabilities so you can maximize the use of your data and your current BI solution. Like most tools that you use for your business, the outcome of your work heavily depends on the information that you put into it.

And the more complete, detailed data that you place in your BI solution will make it easier for you to truly implement sound business decisions moving forward.

Technology Isn’t Everything

In the past decades, we were all unable to show crucial business information with the click of a button. At least, not easily. While the 21st century has brought several advancements to the BI community and beyond, it has also dragged in many distractions that hinder progress.

Due to the overwhelming amount of gadgets, tools and buttons that are available, sometimes fancy BI solutions can be more distracting than beneficial. Now, with easily-navigable user interfaces, we can perform in-depth functions in less amount of time. We say this, to say that much of your time spent on a BI application should be on analyzing your data and managing your business.

Don’t forget what the “B” in BI stands for — and make sure that it’s at the forefront of your actions.

In Summary…

We understand that in today’s world there are several trends, distractions, tools and specialists that may pull you in several directions. However, when it comes to your BI solution, the goal should be to make use of your data to make decisions that propel your organization forward.

With tools that should give you clear projections for the coming months, your business intelligence solution should be a benefit not a liability. In sum, by implementing these mindsets as a business owner or manager, you’ll be able to keep your focus on what really matters — improving your business.

What is Big Data Discovery?

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Doug Hoogervorst - Big Data, Blog, General

In the business intelligence community, not much has been discussed yet about big data discovery. However, in a couple of years you should be ready to get real familiar with the term. In fact, the term is so new, as you read the first sentence over, you may even begin to think that a typo was made. We assure you it’s not.

Big data, data discovery and data science are all the tools that make up the newest trend in BI — big data discovery.

Limitations Transitioning into Strengths

In recent years, all three of these components have risen in popularity to give business owners, analysts and managers simpler ways to make use out of their data. At the same time, however, these tools also have their fair share of limitations.

Big data grants its users the ability to store a large volume of various data, but it lacks the affordability and ease of implementation. Data discovery is simple and flexible but fails to deliver a comprehensive capability to explore the information. Furthermore, its analysis, while appreciated, is not as in depth as it could be.

As far as data science is concerned, it provides the analysis complexity with a range of tools and intelligent algorithms, but it is too complex for everyday users to master.

What makes big data discovery truly unique is that within these three different areas, their limitations are the other’s strengths — which makes the value of big data discovery well worth it.

According to Gartner, 2017 will mark the year where big data discovery will become its own market category.

Who Benefits?

The combination of these three useful, but near-perfect tools is going to change a lot of businesses who make use of business intelligence solutions. Its simplicity will make it simpler for users to make sense out of the tricky statistics, graphs and analysis functions. What used to be reserved for specialists to maneuver (data science products), will now be available and more intuitive for a much wider audience.

Now, the users of big data discovery will not eliminate the need for those data scientists. Instead, it will simply expand your team’s knowledge on the subject so more employees can aid your data specialists in analyzing your information.

What to Expect Moving Forward

While all of these innovations are aimed to simplify the way your company gathers, displays and analyzes your company statistics, there is still much room for improvement. And this is why the advent of big data discovery is crucial. While there are some who are aware of the concept, it’s prevalence in the real world is still minimal. So for some, the idea is not even on their radar, but for others, 2017 can’t come soon enough.

The future is look bright for big data discovery nonetheless.

Take this piece of optimism from Gartner as an example:

Big data discovery may require investigation by BI and analytics leaders to seek a portfolio of technologies and tools to be deployed; since no single vendor offers all the components required, from data access to advanced analytics.

Big data discovery will help expand the use of big data analytics because exploration of big data sources will occur more often, much faster and at a lower cost per analysis, delivered by a broader range of users with more rudimentary technical skills.

Mobility & Production: The Now & The Future

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Doug Hoogervorst - Big Data, Blog, General

Mobility in the workplace is a trend that has been on the rise since we were able to bring smartphones and tablets into the office. No longer reserved for phone calls, smartphones have become the secondary screen of choice for most, behind the desktop computer.

However, with globalization and the need to be on-the-go continuing to increase in importance, the use of a mobile device for production purposes is beginning to creep into the first-place position.

With more innovations coming our way, what’s the future of mobile production looking like? What can we expect to be simplified in the coming months and years? And what’s the current state of mobile production?

In this post, we’ll address these questions and find out how the trend of mobility and on-the-go production is affecting companies across the world for the better.

Current State of Mobility

One of the downfalls of being able to access your work information from your mobile phone is the plethora of other distractions that are also waiting for you. From applications that focus on games to music to news and beyond, there are many other options that employees may be influenced by. In fact, according to Flurry Analytics, 32% of mobile users spend their time on gaming apps, where productivity apps garner just 4%.

Many have speculated that the practical use of a smartphone for manual, productive work is severely limited. And this can explain why users are spending far less time working on their mobile devices and more time playing games. The smaller screens and fewer features make it more difficult to work on intricate tasks like spreadsheets or graphs.

However, for those managers or executives who simply need to use their mobile device to track numbers or to stay updated on current operations, big data applications serve them well. More BI applications are providing real-time information that is beneficial for those mobile managers who find themselves constantly in and out of meetings and need real-time access to KPIs to keep those meetings productive.

Changes to Expect in the Near Future

Across the board, mobile applications that are made for productivity must be able to provide reasonable usability given their awkward and space-limiting format. One of the underlying issues is that developers may be creating productivity apps as a secondary platform and not for primary use. User experience decreases when moving from a desktop platform to a mobile device and this transition needs to be more smooth.

Another feature that needs to be implemented, should you be in the market for a mobile application, is the solution’s ability to cross platforms. To accommodate your employees who have different types of devices, your mobility tools should be compatible with Apple products as well as Android devices, and this goes for programming languages as well (HTML, Javascript, etc.).

A Silver Lining in the Current Structure

On the other hand, there are some positive attributes of mobile technology. As far as displaying data is concerned, as long as your internet connection is strong, this shouldn’t become a problem. In fact, displaying data may be one of the most important features that a BI app can offer at this point in time.

In Summation

The whole process of bringing mobility into the workplace is a complicated one. However, the more progress that is made, the easier it is for business owners to reap the rewards of their investment.

Data works best when it’s all in one place — and while BI application developers may already know this, it’s the simple, practical and user-friendly aspects of mobility that still have kinks that need to be worked out.

In the future we can expect less apps that perform separate tasks, but instead, more resources that are all-encompassing and strive for a smoother transition from desktop to mobile device. And further down the line, we can reasonably expect the development of workplace applications that are so similar to their desktop counterparts that users can’t distinguish the difference.

For more information on how to select the proper BI solution for your organization, contact one of our specialists today!

The Pros & Cons of Data Warehouses

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Doug Hoogervorst - Big Data, Blog, General, Reporting

Your BI solution’s data warehouse (DW) serves as one of the initial checkpoints for your important business data. Your DW is a repository where your data is stored electronically before the data is able to be reported and analyzed. As a whole, this portion of you BI solution is also in charge of loading, managing and extracting this data.

While this tool is certainly useful for many businesses, not every type of DW is relevant to your business makeup or industry, even. This is why, in this post, we’re going to break down the essential pros and cons of data warehousing, to ensure you make the right choice when choosing yours.

PROS of Data Warehousing

– Speedy Data Retrieving

How many times have you had a piece of information that you wanted to retrieve, but forgot where it was placed? Once you input your information into your DW, you will never lose track of this data again. By conducting a quick search, you’ll be able to find the statistic and further analyze it — without having to waste time in your search.

– Error Identification & Correction

Many of us have the natural tendency to skip over dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s when inputting raw information, but data warehouses help eliminate user oversight. Before loading data, your data warehouse makes it a point to show you inconsistencies and correct them. This is extremely helpful for those who may be careless or hasty when it comes to gathering data.

– Easy Integration

Your DW also adds value to operational business applications like CRM systems when the warehouse is successfully integrated. The complexity of its makeup allows a data warehouse to translate the information in a more simple, digestible format to the point where your team members can easily understand what’s been placed in front of them.

CONS of Data Warehousing

– Time Consuming Preparation

While a major part of a data warehouse’s responsibility is to simplify your business data, most of the work that will have to be done on your part is inputting the raw data. Now, while the job the DW does for you is helpful and extremely convenient, this is the most work you’ll have to manually perform, as the DW performs many other functions for you.

– Difficulty in Compatibility

Depending on the system you currently have in place, the use of data warehouse technology could likely require a helping hand from an independent BI team. With the intricacies of operating systems, software and programs, it can be difficult for a business owner to figure out how to properly make use of their data warehouse. Especially since the costs of these tools are investments in your business, you’ll want to ensure that your system is working exactly the way you intend it to.

– Maintenance Costs

One of the pros and cons of your DW is its ability to consistently update. This is great for the business owner who wants the best and latest features, however these upgrades don’t usually come cheap.

Including regular maintenance for your system, you can expect to shell out more than your initial investment should you want to have the latest technology at your fingertips.

– Limited Use Due to Confidential Information

If you have sensitive data that should only be viewable from a certain staff members, your DW’s use will be limited. In order to maintain the security of your current system, less usage could eventually decrease the overall value of your data warehouse.

No matter your needs or concerns, our specialists at Business Impact look forward to helping you make the right decision when it comes to selecting the right BI solution for your company. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your organization get the most out of its business intelligence solution.

How the Cloud & IoT Work Together

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Doug Hoogervorst - Big Data, Blog, cloud BI

Every generation is making it easier for technology to solve our workplace needs. And if it’s not solving, it’s certainly improving company operations in ways we didn’t think were possible. This is the case especially when it comes to cloud technology and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Both of these innovations have made it possible for mobility and wireless capability to revolutionize the office. With cloud technology making it easier to store important documents, retrieve files from different platforms and more, the need for in-house storage is thrown out the window.

The devices that have been birthed from the idea of IoT — smart objects — even have the capability of transferring data to the cloud without the need of much maintenance. Now, that’s impressive.

Both cloud and IoT work together to minimize the physical work employees have to perform while simplifying their workload and giving them the chance to manage processes wirelessly.

Cloud Computing

Now, as we’re confident that you’re aware of the concept of cloud technology that’s sweeping across all industries, we’ll give you a quick refresher. Cloud computing, put simply, is the ability to store and access information and programs over the internet as opposed to a hard drive or network server. The biggest benefit is being able to use your mobile devices to access your desired files from anywhere you may be.

What Exactly is IoT?

The Internet of Things is a concept where devices synchronize and give users the ability to transfer data over a network — without the need for human-to-human or human-to-device interaction. Virtually anything that can be assigned an IP address can become a part of this interconnection.

In the manufacturing industry, an example of IoT would be a sensor in the inventory room that alerts computers to re-order more equipment once the supply reaches a certain level. This efficiently streamlines company operations where smaller tasks need not be done by employees, but rather supervised.

Benefits of this Relationship

Well, why are we talking about this? In short, this is the future. We’ve already said goodbye to wires and we’re currently saying goodbye to physical storage devices. Despite so many wires being cut, we’re still more connected than we’ve ever been. Both of these ideas feed off of each other and the workplace has a lot to benefit from this relationship.

We can expect to see more advancements in the workplace where employees can reduce their amount of physical work, and instead, focus on managing the wireless relationship that IoT and cloud computing have helped create.

Applying Technologies to Business Intelligence

If you’re a convenience store owner, winery manager or any business who benefits greatly with the use of big data, you can expect changes too. In the future, it’s possible that we will see IoT and cloud come together to revolutionize your data collection strategies. We’ve already seen Cloud BI become a useful tool for many, so we’re sure that full integration is not too far behind.

Perhaps your BI solution will integrate into your IoT where you’ll receive data updates when and how you want them delivered. Cloud technology can enable you to share these statistics with your management team — all before you even reach your office.

Now, while there’s a lot to still be desired as technology improves and as business owners learn new ways to use these innovations to their advantage, the future is looking very promising. For employees on the go and for those who would like to use multiple resources to achieve their goals, we can look forward to a stronger relationship that will change the workplace for the better in the coming years.

3 Common Struggles for Big Data Users

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Doug Hoogervorst - Big Data, Blog, General

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of all the potential options for your company’s business intelligence solution. And once you finally select the software that suits your needs, it may take some time to get acclimated to its interface and detailed components. Often times, even if you believe you’ve found the right BI solution, you may struggle to finalize the absolute perfect way to manage big data.

It’s one thing to embrace its importance but it’s another thing entirely to fully optimize your solution to make use of all of your statistics in a clear, intuitive way. Below, we’ll address the most common factors that managers struggle to master and understand when it comes to business intelligence.

Dispersed Data

According to a report from Capgemini Consulting, less than 15% of companies have fully optimized their big data initiatives. The same report also noted that 4 out of 5 businesses have yet to integrate their data sources to every department within their organization. This proves to be a problem due to these companies’ inability to amass all of their data from each individual team.

A comprehensive BI solution allows executives to extract the information they need quickly because all of the organization’s information is conveniently amassed into one central location, encompassing every department.

With most businesses not taking advantage of this ability, it leads to more time being spent gathering and less time analyzing. Synchronizing your BI solution to include every department allows you to make important decisions quicker and with more confidence.

Trouble Joining Forces Among Departments

Depending on the size of your organization, analytics will likely involve the participation of each department. From sales to inventory to beyond, each number serves as an important detail that shouldn’t be overlooked.

It’s issues like these that require strong leadership to stress the importance of your data collection efforts. Once you’ve selected a BI solution that can achieve all of your goals, it’s then your turn to explain to each department how, why and when to input their respective data.

With this cooperation, it makes it easier to make goals from the executive level. Perhaps appointing a leader within each department can aid you in solving the issue of having disorganized team involvement when it comes to your most important data needs.

Adjusting from Your Old Methods

Let’s face it, change is scary. And in the world of business, it’s just as frightening to make the leap to new technology, even though its intention is to simplify your world. If you’re just now getting on board with a BI solution, there remains a lot to learn with new tactics, strategies and capabilities that blow traditional programs like Excel out the water.

Having a pessimistic view of this change is natural, but it’s more productive when you embrace the positive changes that will come when it’s time to break down your big data. It’s times like these where having an independent BI team can significantly work to your advantage.

Making use of your relationship with a third party allows you to take a backseat on analytics while still giving you the necessary information you need to make sound decisions. These teams aim to simply make data work for you and not against.

In addition to this team, you could also organize a group within your organization, made up of leaders from each department, to discuss weekly trends so everyone in your company is kept in the loop.

For more information on how to maximize your data collection efforts or to help optimize your current BI solution, contact one of our specialists today!