Traditionally, business intelligence (BI) platforms were complex, expensive tools which only technically sophisticated users could operate.
The business would submit its requests to the IT department, which would carefully collect and analyze the relevant data to create reports and dashboards. But this was a slow process, and by the time these reports arrived on the desks of executives they might already be out of date.
Meanwhile, preparing all this data for consumption added an extra burden to the IT-workload.
Now we live in a new era. Self-service tools designed for the business user have revolutionized the BI landscape. These solutions put data directly in the hands of the end user.
However, with so many self-service BI solutions on the market, making the right choice is more difficult than ever. That’s where Software Advice comes in.
In this e-book, you’ll learn:
✦ Whether a self-service BI tool is right for you. What are the needs of your organization? How deep are your users willing to dive into the world of data? Ask the right questions at the outset and you reduce the risk of acquiring shiny shelfware.
✦ When IT will need to get involved. While self-service tools have come a long way towards empowering the business user, there are still key aspects that require input from the IT department.
✦ The problem of data governance. After all, if ever end user is preparing his own reports, then errors can creep in and data liberation can become data chaos. Who watches the data?
✦ The importance of training. Should IT build a bridge to the business user end to help them understand more about the data they are manipulating?
We spoke with leading industry experts to uncover the strengths and limitations of self-service BI. Claim your free download today and gain instant insight into these critical issues.
