Everyone over the age of five knows about social networks and social media. No matter which platform you prefer and how you choose to share your thoughts and ideas, you are no doubt engaged in the networking world. When it comes to business intelligence and analytics, there is no reason you can’t employ the same techniques to share, collaborate, create and innovate.
When your business users are asked to take on yet another responsibility, they are likely to balk. Most companies are short-handed and expect more of their team members than ever before. There are a lot of good reasons to initiate data democratization and engage in digital transformation to modernize and improve the enterprise and to improve results. If the business can encourage data sharing and collaboration, it can also improve the shared knowledge of the team and create accountability and empowerment. In so doing, the business can leverage the knowledge and skill of each team member and ensure that every business user is working to their full potential with the all the information they need to solve problems and to capitalize on opportunities.
The days of managing a business by opinion or ‘gut feeling’ are long past. Every business has competition – whether local or global or both and the only way to know that the business is performing against objectives and goals and is strategically competitive is to use measurable goals.
If you think Business Intelligence solutions are just for business analysts, data scientists or IT professionals, you are missing the real intent of business intelligence. Business Intelligence is, by its nature, supposed to inform the business and make it easier to make the right decisions and drive your business forward but if 90% of your users have no access to real, clear information, you are missing most of the advantages and tying up your team in red tape, delayed decisions and endless requests for information. You are shackling your analysts, data scientists and IT team by burying them under those requests for information and using precious time they might be spending on strategic and crucial initiatives.
