TDWI Channel - Business Intelligence

Data Visualization and Discovery for Better Business Decisions

Tue, 09 Jul 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Data visualization and visual data discovery can enable diverse types of users—from data scientists working with big data to nontechnical business managers and frontline users—to see significant trends and patterns in data that they would have struggled to see in voluminous tabular reports and spreadsheets. As big data volumes grow and organizations seek to integrate diverse and complex information, users’ ability to comprehend information quickly and put it to productive use hinges on data visualization.

Data Governance: A Business Opportunity the Business Can No Longer Ignore

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Certainly, every business leader wants to have trusted, secure, consistent, and usable information, but data volumes and systems complexity have been increasing for years. Plus, most organizations rarely prioritize data governance, so why care now?

Realizing the Potential of In-Memory Computing for BI and Analytics

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 07:00:00 GMT

For business intelligence and analytics, in-memory computing is a groundbreaking development. In-memory computing can free users from many of the performance constraints on data access and analysis caused by having to go to disk. Using expanded main memory opens up a much larger territory for running analytic functions against data locally, and for reports and analytic models that demand real-time data.

Managing the Mayhem of Mobile BI

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Apple defined a new category of computing with the release of the Apple iPad. It also reinvigorated the BI market with visually attractive dashboards on every tablet. Mobile BI promises to make BI more immediate and accessible for executives and field workers alike.

Managing Big Data: A Key to BI Success

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Geeknet explores how organizations of every size are recording more data than ever, but still letting terabytes, petabytes, and exabytes fly by unanalyzed. Managing these gigantic flows, probing massive repositories, and speedily extracting actionable business intelligence is a major opportunity for enterprises.

Delivering Exceptional Information Solutions Using Dell Toad Business Intelligence Suite

Fri, 03 May 2013 20:17:00 GMT

More than 80 percent of all IT projects fail, but how is it that some IT specialists deliver spectacular results every single time? What are they doing differently? In this new white paper, discover tips, tricks, and little known best practices for amazing solutions, regardless of the project scope. See how to grab a competitive edge! Get your copy of this paper today.

Challenges in the Effective Use of Master Data Management Techniques

Fri, 03 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

With master data management (MDM), businesses benefit from having all of their critical data in one common place of reference. Many companies realize the advantages of this technology, but few have been able to implement an MDM program successfully.

Super Analysts: A New Generation of Competitive Distinction

Fri, 03 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Now more than ever, big data, social media, and the consumerization of IT have created a huge demand for data analysts. In this article, information expert and executive consultant John Weathington discusses how to capitalize on these trends using insider secrets and the new Toad Business Intelligence Suite.

Challenges in the Effective Use of Master Data Management Techniques

Wed, 01 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Master data management is an activity that goes beyond the needs of any single business function, so it is important to finesse any recognized barriers to success. In this paper by data quality and MDM thought leader David Loshin, we look at how data consolidation (the typical approach to master data management) can fail to meet data consumption needs. By transitioning from a consolidation approach to a data utilization approach, you will see how MDM can contribute to a long-term information strategy that uses best practices to take advantage of shared repurposed enterprise information.

Connecting Velocity to Value: Oracle Fast Data

Wed, 01 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

The world of business is speeding up. Enterprise leaders have always faced the challenge of responding to customers, maximizing new opportunities, remaining competitive, and ensuring decisions are prudent. With the explosion of more devices and more data than ever before, now there isn’t a moment to waste. Enter fast data. With the advent of new technologies in big data, real-time business analytics, in-memory technologies, and engineered systems, high-velocity solutions are now entering the mainstream. It’s now possible for business decision makers to not only manage this huge information influx, but also to quickly analyze and then act on the information in real time. In this paper, you’ll learn more about Oracle’s solution for fast data and how companies are recognizing the benefits of high-velocity solutions.

Four Key Pillars to a Big Data Management Solution

Wed, 01 May 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Big data has the potential to change the way that companies leverage data. Success factors for making the most of big data are beginning to emerge: using tools that simplify big data integration and manipulation, a greater need to apply data quality procedures, and applying project management and governance principles from the start to avoid repeating past mistakes.

Putting Data to Work for Mid-Market Companies

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:18:00 GMT

Data truly becomes valuable to your company when you see its potential. In this new Dell white paper, discover the power and potential of business intelligence, and how you can put data to work for your mid-market company.

Big Data in its Infancy

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

A new survey highlights how enterprises are collecting customer and product data and their use (and projected use) of external big data.

Integrating Hadoop into Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

TDWI recognizes that Hadoop usage is a minority practice today, but assumes that mainstream usage of Hadoop within business intelligence (BI) and data warehousing (DW) applications will become common across many industries within a few years. This Webinar provides an overview of Hadoop products and best practices in the context of BI/DW applications so that user organizations can prepare to integrate Hadoop into their BI/DW technology stacks and software portfolios successfully.

Best Practices for a BI and Analytics Strategy

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

At a time of great economic volatility, decision makers can no longer rely on experience or intuition when making decisions. The demand to respond faster, with greater insight into ongoing internal and external events, is increasing. As a result, a growing number of organizations are moving toward more pervasive business intelligence by turning to evidence-based decision making supported by a range of BI and analytics technologies and processes. These enable decision makers to have the best possible intelligence about customers, finances, operations, suppliers, and the market.

TDWI Hot Topic // Investigative Computing: The New Frontier in Business Intelligence

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Today, the practice of “embedding” BI into operational processes yields results that are less analytic than reportorial. The New Model—“investigative computing”—will fundamentally change this.

The Ventana Research Value Index: Business Intelligence 2012

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Ventana Research ranked Information Builders high in its Value Index for Business Intelligence 2012 study. Prepared for Information Builders, the report is based on a thorough analysis of customer assurance and product categories that best represent how an organization should evaluate its BI technology vendor.

Performance Management Isn’t Only for Executives

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

This Ventana Research paper explains how performance management can improve operations while aligning processes with strategy and goals.

A New Era of IT

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

This white paper shows how Information Builders' WebFOCUS BI platform and IBM PureSystems work together to reorient and optimize IT practices for cloud computing, resulting in higher ROI.

TDWI Hot Topic // Reading the Tea Leaves: BI Architectures of the Future

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

To respond to a changing data environment, BI architectures must change. The role and primacy of the data warehouse will change, too. But will it go away?

Executive Summary: Integrating Hadoop into Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Hadoop promises to assist with the toughest challenges in BI today, including big data, advanced analytics, and multi-structured data. Download this TDWI Best Practices Report to learn how to integrate Hadoop into your business intelligence, analytics, data integration, and data warehousing technology stacks.

TDWI Research Report Reveals Hadoop Technologies to Impact Half of BI/DW Environments within Next Three Years

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

User acceptance and aggressive adoption of open source solutions indicate preparations under way to meet the growing demands of big data and advanced analytics

TDWI Best Practices Report | Integrating Hadoop into Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Seven Steps for Implementing Data Discovery Tools

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Expectations for what business intelligence needs to deliver are changing fast. At one time, BI technology demanded that users overcome steep learning curves, backlogs for applications, delays for batch queries, limited historical data, and static reports. Now users expect more. Tools and technologies are rapidly evolving to satisfy greater demands for ease of use, timely data access, and deeper analytics.

Faster Analytics and Better Business Intelligence

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Today’s business and analytics users place high value on timeliness. Reaching decisions quickly—at the speed of thought—depends on two factors: the response speed of the data exploration tooling and the delivery speed of data into the exploration environment. Modern tools deliver these features through in-memory operation on locally stored data and direct access to operational data, respectively. The result is faster turnaround time of decisions based on more timely information.

Meeting the Challenge of Big Data

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 21:40:00 GMT

Big data represents a sea change in the technology we draw upon for making decisions. Organizations will integrate and analyze data from diverse sources, complementing enterprise databases with data from social media, video, smart mobile devices, and other sources. To exploit the diverse sources of data for decision-making, an organization must develop an effective strategy for acquiring, organizing, and analyzing big data, using it to generate new insights about the business and make better decisions.

Business Intelligence Journal | Vol. 18, No. 1

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Download this issue to learn six practical steps for integrating and acting on social media. Our authors also reveal the keys to making self-service BI sustainable, and they take a hard look predictive analytics, in-memory analytics, and analytic platforms. You'll also read about mobile BI, Hadoop for big data, career advice, and the philosophy of postmodern BI.

BI: Becoming Cheaper, Better, Faster, and More Pervasive Each Year

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Technical innovations are making BI more pervasive each and every day.

World Conference 2013: Agile BI

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 22:57:31 GMT

San Diego, CA: August 18-23, 2013

Business Intelligence—It's Better Here: Why the WebFOCUS Business Intelligence Platform Beats the Competition

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT

What sets WebFOCUS apart from competing business intelligence solutions? It comes down to the strength of our products, our core values, and the commitment of our people. In this white paper we present several critical technologies that differentiate WebFOCUS and eight key reasons WebFOCUS is the better BI choice.

Process-Driven BI: Building Smarter Business Processes

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Improving operational efficiency involves more than simply automating labor-intensive activities. It requires organizations to continually seek out new methods of managing increasingly complex business processes. By injecting business intelligence technology directly into critical business operations, you can ensure that the right people get involved at the right time to make decisions that impact your bottom line.

A Road Map to Better Data-Driven Decisions: Straightforward Directions for Improving Tactical and Strategic Decision Making

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:46:00 GMT

Running a company without complete visibility is like driving at night without lights; it’s incredibly hard to avoid obstacles. In the case of a business, staying on the road means having the information you need: cash flow, profit and loss, customer buying patterns, inventory levels, and more. Without accurate financial and operational data, you can’t assess profitability, let alone make sound tactical and strategic decisions. Download this white paper for a road map to help you make better data-driven decisions.

Five Steps for Getting Your BI Dashboard and Self-Service to the Next Level

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Dashboard and self-service excellence is essential to gaining full value from investment in business intelligence tools. Dashboards can play a critical role in increasing an organization’s information awareness and improving overall transparency, strategic alignment, accountability, collaboration, and data governance. However, after initial success in deploying their first dashboards, many organizations struggle with how to get them to the next level of maturity. They also face challenges in keeping growing numbers of dashboards well-managed and in sync, especially as users employ more self-service BI tools and seek to interact with dashboards on their mobile devices.

World Conference 2013: Emerging Technologies 2014

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:52:26 GMT

Orlando, FL: December 8-13, 2013

World Conference 2013: Business Driven BI

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:52:05 GMT

Boston, MA: October 20-25, 2013

Solution Summit: Cloud BI

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:29:08 GMT

Scottsdale, AZ: November 3-5, 2013

TDWI Seminar Series - BI Essentials

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:26:25 GMT

New York, NY: August 12–15, 2013

Business Intelligence: A Guide for Midsize Companies

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:39:00 GMT

This white paper from SAP offers guidance on how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your company with business intelligence.

8 Principles That Can Make You an Analytics Rock Star

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 17:04:00 GMT

Follow these principles -- many of which are overlooked by traditional methodologies -- and you could become an analytics heavyweight in your organization.

A Buyer’s Guide to Strategic Analytics: Five Critical Criteria for Analytics Success

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:02:26 GMT

This white paper explores five crucial criteria you should apply to any platform you evaluate for strategic analytics. The guide provides insight and guidance on how to make the best decision for your organization.

Big Data and the Democratisation of Decisions: A Report from the Economist Intelligence Unit

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Too much important and relevant data—including new sources of big data—remains out of reach from those in your organization who can turn it into value.

Enterprise Data Strategy: It’s Not Magic

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:00:00 GMT

A data strategy that does not anticipate business and technology change will likely be doomed to irrelevance.

Achieving Greater Agility with Business Intelligence and Analytics

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Delivering value sooner and being adaptable to business change are two of the most important objectives today in developing and deploying business intelligence (BI) and analytics. Organizations are under pressure to adjust strategies and tactics to fast-changing markets and economic situations, and they are depending on BI and analytics to help them make good decisions. In addition, as more users are exposed to BI and analytics tools, the more they want in terms of functionality, data access, and other capabilities. IT organizations, used to long “waterfall” development cycles, are struggling to keep up, and are hearing loud and clear from users that they want an end to the frustration.

Nucleus Research: Anatomy of a Decision: Birst vs. QlikView

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 18:28:04 GMT

Analytics end users deciding between Birst and QlikView prefer Birst as a vendor that provides a more predictable cost solution and partners well with clients. To better analyze Birst's differentiation, Nucleus explored both the decision-making process that led customers to consider Birst as an analytics solution and then the differentiation that led to the final choice of Birst over QlikView.

Q&A: Big Data Warehouses and the Intelligent Enterprise

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 07:00:00 GMT

What are the most important topics BI and data warehouse professionals should be paying attention to?

Executive Summary: Achieving Greater Agility with Business Intelligence

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 07:00:00 GMT

The information that flows from BI, analytics, and data warehousing systems can help organizations find the right decision-making balance that avoids the extremes of snap decisions and rigid processes. This new survey-based research report examines benefits, barriers, technology solutions, and recommendations for achieving greater agility with business intelligence.

TDWI Best Practices Report | Achieving Greater Agility with Business Intelligence

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 07:00:00 GMT

The information that flows from BI, analytics, and data warehousing systems can help organizations find a decision-making balance that avoids the extremes of snap decisions and rigid processes. This new survey-based research report examines benefits, barriers, technology solutions, and recommendations for achieving greater agility with business intelligence.

TDWI FlashPoint: Exclusive Excerpt for Datasource Consulting Subscribers

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:34:47 GMT

That Was the Year that Was: Major Data Warehousing Events of 2012 (and Predictions for 2013)

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 07:00:00 GMT

How well did we predict 2012's big events, and what's ahead for 2013?

5 Ways SMBs Are Putting Information to Work

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:00:00 GMT

In many ways small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) have greater opportunity when using BI. Yes, budgets and resources may be more limited, but most SMBs are not as constricted by robust IT infrastructures that control BI access and use like their enterprise counterparts. Consequently, many SMBs are empowered through their BI applications by being able to take advantage of interactive technologies without the limitations associated with large-scale enterprise wide IT infrastructures. Part of this includes the way in which BI is being deployed to reach a wider audience and to make its use more consumable to more people both internally and externally to the organization.

Building Dashboards for Real Business Results

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Dashboards have rapidly moved to become the face of business intelligence, allowing busy managers and front-line workers to monitor multiple indicators at a glance. BI teams are charged with evaluating new solutions, sometimes integrating with existing BI platforms or replacing previously custom-developed solutions.

Actionable Analytics for Healthcare Providers

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Analytic challenges and opportunities are shaking up the healthcare industry. Policy and regulatory changes that affect reimbursement and patient-care performance are forcing organizations to move quickly to improve data analysis. Healthcare providers must upgrade their financial, clinical, and patient-care professionals’ abilities to access and analyze data. Business intelligence, data discovery, visually compelling dashboards, and analytics can help organizations replace slow, manual spreadsheet-based processes. Based on real-world experiences at Swedish Medical Group, a large, integrated health system, this Webinar will discuss how business intelligence and analytics can be applied to the challenges faced today by healthcare providers.

Responding When It Matters: Creating Real-Time Unique Responses Using Analytics

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 07:00:00 GMT

To make real-time unique response a reality, you must focus on three core competencies.

The Role and Benefits of In-Memory Computing to BI Analytics

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 07:00:00 GMT

There is considerable buzz in the IT industry about in-memory technologies. At the same time there is considerable confusion about the role and benefits of these technologies in business intelligence processing and performance. A major reason for this confusion is that in-memory computing means different things to different people. This technology can be used at a client or a server level and may be used by an analytic server or a database management system.

Product Lifecycle Management and the Data Deluge: Transforming Data to Enhance Performance

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:08:10 GMT

“Big data” is data so large it can’t be effectively or affordably managed or exploited using conventional data management systems. Big data management systems were born of the Internet, where big data volumes collided with a host of seemingly impossible constraints: -- Massive and impossible-to-predict traffic -- A 99.999 percent availability rate -- Sub-second responsiveness -- Sub-penny per-session costs -- Two-month innovation road maps