** This guest post was written by Estelle Nicholson. Learn more about Estelle in the author bio at the end of this post. **

When starting a BI project, your first step should be taking a quick look at existing initiatives and the overall culture and support for BI. Understand the “4 Ps” of “people, products, power and pilot” before you launch:

1. Assess what you already have. Who are the people currently doing business intelligence activities? What roles could they play in a more formalized BI setting? Data experts, analysts, data set owners and compilers – all are key resources for requirements gathering and power use.
2. What products and tools are people already using? Large data repositories, analytical software, spreadsheets, custom-built systems?
3. Check your sponsorship or the power behind the mandate or the initiative.
4. Engage influencers in a pilot early to demonstrate the capabilities of the tool(s) you’re implementing and build support.

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The 4 P’s of Business Intelligence SuccessRead More »

Business Intelligence (BI) consistently ranks as one of the top priorities in various CIO and IT surveys. A recent Gartner survey puts BI as the top CIO priority for the last two years running. Forrester comes to the same conclusion.

The fact is, many companies are (or are planning on) adopting a Business Intelligence solution for the very first time. With data growing by leaps and bounds, it’s no surprise that more businesses are looking for ways to capitalize on that data.

The only problem: Most BI implementations fail. It’s no secret. According to various surveys on the topic, anywhere from 60% – 80% of BI projects fail. Yikes.

This paints a grim picture. Implementing BI is the #1 CIO priority, and many businesses will start a BI project in the near future…but most BI projects fail.

Today, let’s explore a few ways to lower those numbers. What must companies who are new to BI do to ensure success? What critical tips should these companies follow? We posed those questions to a few experts in the field, and have compiled their advice (along with some of my own) below. Here are 6 critical tips for BI beginners:
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6 critical guidelines for Business Intelligence beginnersRead More »

** This guest post was written by Estelle Nicholson. Learn more about Estelle in the author bio at the end of this post. **

After an initial burst of enthusiasm, we’ve discovered that BI projects, like many other IT projects, get derailed or circumvented for a host of reasons. People who approach BI projects come from environments outside of traditional IT, so it’s important to understand reasons why your project isn’t getting off the ground (or why it’s crashing) and some of the potential consequences.
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5 Reasons for Non-Adoption or Circumvention of a BI SolutionRead More »

Imagine waking up at 2 a.m. to the sound of a screaming smoke alarm. Would you go back to bed? Of course not! You’re scrambling to get up and get the family out of the house as fast as possible!

Now, let’s compare that smoke alarm to your Business Intelligence (BI). Like a smoke alarm, a BI solution gathers data and alerts you to issues–but it ultimately falls on you to take action. This is where many businesses stumble. They either ignore the signals from their BI solution, or aren’t prepared to act when an issue arises. It’s like going back to bed when you hear the smoke alarm, or removing the battery so it won’t wake you up anymore.

I know that’s an extreme example, but it illustrates just one common “worst practice” of BI–a topic that we’re going to examine today. Now, chances are, you understand the concept and the value of BI. It helps you better understand your business and improves decision making, with the end goal of increased revenue.

The problem is, many businesses misuse BI, rendering their Business Intelligence either less effective or completely ineffective. What are these mistakes, and how can you avoid them? To help you answer those questions, I’ve compiled a list of 7 of the biggest “worst practices” of Business Intelligence, and outlined them below:
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7 worst practices of Business IntelligenceRead More »

IBM estimates that “90% of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years alone.” While I can’t imagine how they came up with that number, the point is clear: We’re now creating more data than ever before.

At the same time, we’re seeing a fundamental shift in technology itself. In just a few short years, smartphones and tablets have become mainstream. We’ve seen consumer technology and software catch, and surpass traditional business technology. We’ve become an always-connected, mobile society that requires instant answers.

At the intersection of these technology shifts and data output lies some fascinating changes in the world of BI. Like what? I’ve compiled what I believe to be some of the biggest BI trends of the near future, and listed them below: …

7 key Business Intelligence trends of the near futureRead More »

Are you confused by all of the Business Intelligence options and terminology? If so, you’re not alone.

In fact, this confusion is actually hurting the BI industry as a whole.

According to the research firm, Gartner, the Business Intelligence (BI) software market slowed slightly in 2012. One of the reasons for this slowdown: Confusion surrounding BI technology terms.

The fact is, despite having more options than ever before, businesses face a growing problem: With an ever-increasing number of BI vendors touting their own solutions and terminology, choosing a BI solution is now a confusing process.

If you’re dealing with this issue, I’d like to help. We’ve put together a free BI guide entitled, “Essential features of a good BI solution.” The free guide helps companies cut through the BI confusion and understand which features and capabilities they must target in a BI solution. I hope you find it useful.

Many companies are stuck using BI tools and practices that are in desperate need of replacement. These outdated BI tools/practices waste precious time, harm decision-making, and keep these companies from truly taking advantage of their data.

How do you know? Outdated BI displays many warning signs. Unfortunately, many companies either ignore, or don’t recognize these signs. Maybe they don’t like change. Maybe they don’t realize there’s a better way. Whatever the reasons, ignoring these warning signs will ultimately lead to larger problems.

So, what are these warning signs? How can you know if your company’s BI needs an overhaul? To help you out, I’ve solicited input from multiple experts and have compiled their advice below. Here are 7 warning signs that you’re dealing with outdated BI: …

7 signs that your Business Intelligence (BI) needs an overhaulRead More »

Business Intelligence (BI) solutions come in all shapes and sizes. Some emphasize architecture while others tout their flashy interface. Some cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, while others cost hundreds.

With all of these options, how do you separate the good from the bad?

We just released a BI Guide aimed at helping you do just that. It outlines which essential features and capabilities make a good BI solution, and even separates each feature into 4 different categories:

The guide is free and you can download it right here: Essential features to look for in a good Business Intelligence solution. I hope you find it useful.

The world of Business Intelligence (BI) is undergoing some pretty fascinating changes. Whether or not you buy into the “Big Data” hype, you can’t deny the fact that we’re generating crazy amounts of data–more so than ever before.

What are we doing with all of this data? Or, more specifically, do we fully understand the potential? I’m not so sure that many companies know the answer to those questions.

While these changes create many questions, here’s one thing you can count on: Data analytics is changing, and will play an increasingly important role in the business world. When you combine this deluge of data with recent tech trends, we get a few very important changes to the world of Business Intelligence. What are they? Here are 5 key ways that BI will change in the near future: …

5 ways BI will change in the next 5 yearsRead More »

Did you know that most Business Intelligence (BI) projects fail? While the various surveys on the subject can’t seem to agree on the exact percentage, somewhere between 50% – 80% of BI projects end in failure.

Where do these projects go wrong? What could they have done differently?

While the reasons vary by company and situation, there are a few common mistakes that can lead to BI failure. What are they? While I’m sure there are more, here are 5 mistakes to avoid when implementing Business Intelligence: …

5 common Business Intelligence mistakes to avoidRead More »