Intuitive Self-service BI
Below is the continuation of the transcript of a Webinar hosted by InetSoft on the topic of Developments in Business Intelligence Software. The presenter is Mark Flaherty, CMO of Marketing at InetSoft.
What are you hearing from customers regarding InetSoft Style Intelligence, and what is the reaction to the concept of intuitive self-service BI?
Mark Flaherty (MF): While InetSoft has been providing reporting software for fourteen years, our BI platform, Style Intelligence has been in the market for four years now. The adoption rate is growing. And part of the reason is because of the feedback we are receiving from customers so along the lines of this: they start to put the software into the hands of certain people in one department, others start to see the use of that dashboard and reporting tool by their colleagues, and then the usage grows in a kind of viral fashion because there is really no training involved.
The way an end user can easily explore and understand their own data without IT involvement is very compelling for those co-workers. So that tends to spread to others. It’s easy to access the application since it’s Web based, and all that is needed is a browser. You just need a to make simple request to IT to get permissions, and then soon you could be exploring your own data. So it has a very viral spreading effect in organizations, and we have seen that kind of intuitive simpleness really appealing to end users that otherwise have struggled with traditional BI tools.
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Even at InetSoft here we have seen the adoption of Style Intelligence as the most popular BI tool within our ranks, compared to Excel, let’s say, and this is obviously because we want to drink our own champagne, but we have seen Style Intelligence used by not only by the C level, which is important for them to understand quarter end results, but also any one of us in the organization regardless of level in the company.
So the adoption rate is growing. Part of the reason is simplicity and ease of use, but also from an IT involvement, how easy it is to set up and start to turn through large volumes of data without this large data warehousing project in front of them. So, so far, things are tracking very well in terms of customer adoption and feedback for the BI solution.
What is great is that we can bring a solution in to the client that really has a really fast implementation time in terms of getting something productive up and running in weeks. Not having a project last a year or two years is a very, very important thing. If you look back to the old times of business intelligence, it took people sometimes years to consolidate data and to draw relevant data out of systems.
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What Are Some Ways to Make a Fast Implementation Time for Self-Service BI Software?
Implementing self-service business intelligence (BI) software efficiently requires careful planning and execution. Here are several strategies to facilitate a fast implementation time:
- Pre-Implementation Preparation:
- Needs Assessment: Clearly define the requirements and objectives of your self-service BI initiative. Understand the specific data needs, user roles, and desired outcomes.
- Data Preparation: Ensure that your data sources are clean, well-structured, and accessible. Invest time in data cleansing, normalization, and integration before implementing the BI software.
- Infrastructure Readiness: Evaluate your existing infrastructure and ensure it can support the BI software. This includes assessing hardware, software, network, and security requirements.
- Select the Right Tool:
- Choose a self-service BI tool that aligns with your organization's needs, user skill levels, and budget. Consider factors such as ease of use, scalability, integration capabilities, and vendor support.
- Opt for cloud-based solutions if possible, as they typically have faster deployment times and require less IT infrastructure setup.
- User Training and Onboarding:
- Provide comprehensive training and onboarding sessions for users to familiarize them with the BI software's features and functionalities. This will empower them to leverage the tool effectively for their analysis and reporting needs.
- Offer self-paced learning resources, tutorials, and documentation to support continuous learning and skill development.
- Prototype and Iterative Development:
- Start with a small-scale prototype or pilot project to validate the chosen BI solution and gather feedback from users. This iterative approach allows you to identify and address issues early on, reducing implementation time in the long run.
- Incrementally add features and expand the scope of the implementation based on user feedback and evolving requirements.
- Customization and Configuration:
- Tailor the BI software to suit your organization's specific requirements and workflows. Customize dashboards, reports, and data visualizations to provide relevant insights to different user groups.
- Leverage built-in customization features and templates offered by the BI tool to expedite the configuration process.
- Data Governance and Security:
- Establish robust data governance policies and security measures to ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of your data. Define roles and permissions to control access to sensitive information and prevent unauthorized usage.
- Implement data quality checks and validation mechanisms to maintain the accuracy and reliability of your BI reports and analyses.
- Collaboration and Support:
- Foster collaboration between business users, IT teams, and BI experts throughout the implementation process. Encourage open communication and knowledge sharing to streamline workflows and address any challenges effectively.
- Leverage vendor support and expertise to troubleshoot technical issues, optimize performance, and stay updated on new features and best practices.