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September 17, 2003

Both Hands on The Wheel

Summer passed quickly as major IT solution providers consolidated and refocused

by Jeanette Burriesci

What you focus on is what you move toward. This seems to be an immutable law of human nature. If, while driving, you become absorbed in searching for an address to your right, you can end up steering your car right out of your lane. While running, you go faster if you watch the horizon than if you stare at the ground in front of you. And if you focus on the technology you use for BI, rather than on satisfying business requirements, you end up with a system that may not meet your business needs.

While our cover says "BI Technology in Focus," this issue's feature authors Michael Gonzales and Creighton Lang ask us, somewhat ironically, to step back from a focus on specific BI technologies and reorient ourselves toward what it is that we hope to accomplish with these systems.

Gonzales points out that many people don't perceive a distinction between BI and data warehousing. (See "Breaking Out of the Warehouse.") But what about all those end-user expectations that the data warehouse can't satisfy? And, worse, what about the possibilities for BI that go unimagined because they don't fit the mindset of historical analysis? After deconstructing the warehouse, so to speak, Gonzales proposes some technological possibilities for creating BI solutions that are nimbler and encompass more of the enterprise.

Lang breaks the spell cast by seductive business performance management applications. (See "What Are You Measuring?") He reminds us that these often colorful tools are only as good as the metrics that underlie them. With principles outlined 20 years ago, you can devise proper performance measures for your newfangled displays. After all, when you're flying by instruments, your instruments had better be accurate.

Some companies don't need to be reminded about focusing on business results vs. technology decisions. These companies have used BI to advance their market share or create new markets. They have discovered innovative ways to spend more effectively or capture the loyalty of more customers. These companies, in short, get it. They "get" the connection between BI and business success. In our third feature, "Twelve That Get It," David Stodder recognizes a selection of these model intelligent enterprises.

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BI Buyers' Guide Update

If you haven't seen our interactive BI Buyers' Guide, you don't yet know what a great resource it is. Intelligent Enterprise editors working with Mark Smith of Ventana Research created this guide to scrutinize the capabilities of BI products by function. Mark provides a framework for categorizing their capabilities and a grid that helps you identify products that match your needs. The annual update is coming in September. Sign up for the Intelligent Enterprise newsletter at www.IntelligentEnterprise.com now to be notified when the 2003 update is online. You can always find this resource from our home page: Under the Information Centers listed in the left-hand column, select the Business Intelligence info center. Once in the BI info center, click the link for the "Strategic Guide to BI Products" from the Resources list.