BI industry

Looking for Kool-Aid at the Tableau conference

November 21, 2011

It’s no secret that some people hear about Tableau’s passionate users and wonder what all the fuss is about. Back in June, in fact, one skeptical industry analyst tweeted to a Tableau fan, “Pal, you seem to have had a bit too much Tableau Kool-Aid.” Tableau users I know just shrug. People who say things [...]

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Conditions for the rise of analysts: my latest TDWI column

October 5, 2011

See my latest column in BI This Week (TDWI), “6 Conditions for the Rise of Business Analysts.” As they rise, analysts may end up ruining the neighborhood for both IT and business people.

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Steve Jobs on elegant, simple solutions, and a plea

August 26, 2011

I hate to be so timely, but I saw a Steve Jobs quote today that I like. When you first start off trying to solve a problem, the first solutions you come up with are very complex, and most people stop there. But if you keep going, and live with the problem and peel more [...]

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Big BI and the ladder man to come calling at the Tableau conference

August 15, 2011

Howard Dresner is a celebrity in the business intelligence industry, but most people at last year’s Tableau conference didn’t even recognize him when he showed up there. Who needs BI? Tableau Software liked to think it had left BI behind. BI people, after all, were the control freaks who denied access to data. They sneered [...]

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The joy of 6.1

August 4, 2011

There’s nothing like a Tableau release. No one but Tableau users tweet so exuberantly, not even a flock of birds at dawn. What’s going on here? This week Tableau Software released version 6.1, on paper just a single decimal point up from last fall’s Six. We got more iPad readiness, improved maps, and other handy [...]

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Top three ways BI buyers choose badly

July 11, 2011

A veteran sales person at a major vendor of business intelligence products lists the top three reasons for buying decisions. The reasons are contrary to most people’s view of themselves as sophisticated.

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The Dow of BI

June 23, 2011

How do we take the pulse of the BI/analytics industry? What if those who promote the technology, advise the clients, and build the systems actually measured their collective progress with a number? It would be an ongoing, forever-updating, simple benchmark. It would be the industry’s Dow Jones Industrial Average.

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What’s that tool? It’s a macguffin, sir

March 24, 2011

When will someone write the first novel about business intelligence? Easier said than done!

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Smarter, faster, roomier inside

February 2, 2011

What do you get if appliances keep getting smarter, faster, and roomier inside? Choice A: abolition of IT, because who needs geeks? Choice B: license to be sloppy. You guessed it: sloppy and proud. Out of the loud, unruly marketplace we have now for analytics appliances will come new, bold categories to satisfy every need. [...]

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Impress your colleagues with year-end predictions!

December 27, 2010

Why should the smart people have all the fun with year-end predictions? You can issue your own! At this time of year, even hopeless nitwits can seem smart. Once you set up a blog — any free service will do — all you have to do is throw together your trends. Keep these easy-to-use techniques [...]

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