For New BI Tools, Communications is a Two-Way Street

January 28, 2009

In the past, BI platforms have been incapable of quickly and fluidly incorporating input from people in the field. Often, workers are left using error-prone and cumbersome spreadsheets to fill the gap between what they have and what they need. Harriett Fryman, the Business Unit Executive for BI and Platform for IBM, says that emerging software from IBM Cognos and others make a dialog possible. This results, she says, in tools that are far better attuned to employees’ quickly changing requirements.

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The View From Here: Forbes, IBM Get it Right–But Don’t Go Deep Enough

January 27, 2009

Forbes ran an interesting two-part Q & A with Steve Mills, an SVP at IBM. The content was right on the mark. The more intriguing element of the interview, however, was why it was written. Any senior level executive who still needs to be told that a data game plan is necessary should be shown the door.

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A Quick Note

January 27, 2009

The IT Finance Connection is adding two free newsletters. Here’s why…

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Integrating BI, Portals and CMS Software Into a Single Platform

January 26, 2009

Companies want to optimize their investments by buying best-of-breed platforms. The difficult job of integrating these packages always falls to the IT department. Bluenog Co-Founder and CEO Suresh Kuppusamy says that newly available open source tools are the most effective way to knit together and maintain these all-inclusive platforms.

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Coral8: Continuous Intelligence Drives Fast and Savvy Actions

January 22, 2009

The quicker data can be put to use the more valuable it is. John Morrell, the Vice President of Marketing for Coral8, says that the firm’s Continuous Intelligence platform updates events on a real-time basis and links to historical data.The result is far more timely information that drives proactive responses and, potentially, provides competitive advantages compared to companies that use platforms that are updated less frequently.

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If Not Now, When? Business Conditions are Ripe for SaaS CPM, Part II

January 20, 2009

In the second part of a two-part series, Host Analytics’ Ric Ratkowski says that the marriage of Corporate Performance Management (CPM) and software-as-a-service (SaaS) is a natural, especially in hard times. SaaS avoids the heavy investment and frequent cost overruns of traditional software deployments, while CPM has a proven track record of cutting costs.

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Finding Bottlenecks, Supporting Demanding Apps Keys to Surviving a Tough 2009

January 19, 2009

Things aren’t getting easier: The economy is spiraling downward as corporate demands increase. Indeed, in some cases the amount of data a company collects has doubled in just a few years. Harvey Tessler, the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Syncsort, says that the keys are accurately predicting where the bottlenecks will be and adequately planning for the most demanding applications. During the difficult year ahead, the emphasis will be on finding efficiencies by doing more with less.

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If Not Now, When? Business Conditions are Ripe for SaaS CPM, Part I

January 14, 2009

In the first of a two-part posting, Host Analytic’s Ric Ratkowski explains why new approaches are necessary in the current harsh environment and how corporate performance management (CPM) can help. The bottom line, according to Ratkowski, is that a well executed CPM project offers a variety of tactical and strategic advantages — and some welcome good news.

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The View From Here: Accenture, Gartner Surveys Show a Confusing BI Environment

January 13, 2009

Few people doubt the benefits of business intelligence software. The problem is that there is a tremendous amount of certainty about how to implement the tools. Surveys from Accenture and Gartner suggest a confusing landscape in which big and small vendors are doing different things and one in which executives see deployments as inadequate.

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EPM Enables More Effective Use of BI Tools

January 12, 2009

Lori Wizdo, the Vice President of Marketing for KNOA Software, says that managers know little about the problems and challenges end users have in their use of sophisticated BI programs. KNOA’s experience and performance management software—which, she says, sits between BI and business process management—is designed to shine a light on the issues.