Business intelligence - particularly the data analysis tool component that constitutes the major portion of most business intelligence solutions - is tremendously powerful. It is designed to enable managers to analyse, strategise, execute and measure across their businesses in order to attain real competitive advantage.
"That`s the theory," says Rian Durandt, head of Informatics at 3fifteen, the Microsoft applications solutions division in the Dimension Data group. "The reality is that while many organisations have implemented management information solution (MIS) systems in one form or another, and most MIS systems incorporate analysis tools, the intelligence they offer doesn`t reach the people who need it, when they need it or, most important of all, in the format they need it.
"While most analysis tools enable users to `slice and dice` data - which is very nice - not many decision-makers have the technical skills required to do this. In fact, very few decision-makers even have access to the sophisticated slice and dice features of the MIS system. The information is present within the organisation, but they can`t use it," he adds.
Durandt maintains the solution to this problem is ensuring information is "ready at hand" rather than just having it "present at hand". This requires a way to deliver the information to the desktops of the people who need it in a format they can use.
"This sounds complicated and expensive, but it is neither. The fact is that most organisations already have the systems and tools needed to achieve this: by utilising software that is legally installed and licensed on virtually every desktop throughout their organisation - Microsoft Office.
"Not only is almost every person in any business licensed to use Microsoft Office on their desktop, the important point is they actually know how to use at least some of it, particularly Outlook and Explorer. All that`s required is the ability to `sweat this asset` effectively," he says.
"Current MIS solutions deliver information that is present at hand. 3fifteen`s solution - to use existing communications systems built around MS Outlook or Explorer - ensures that information is ready at hand."
Durandt points out that utilising these systems for business intelligence delivery also solves a common problem that hampers the delivery of business intelligence in virtually every company that has attempted to implement it: the fact that most organisations undergo some form of reorganisation every four months.
"No sooner has the organisation settled into using the business intelligence system than its requirements change. This is linked to another common problem: no one can know exactly what information they will require to do their job efficiently. The scary reality is that as soon as they receive the answer to a question, the question changes. That`s the nature of business dynamics and that`s human nature.
"The IT solution, therefore, is to empower people to ask as many questions as they like, knowing they have the ability - on their desktop - to get the answers they need, when they need it.
"And this can be achieved quickly. Most companies already have a business intelligence solution in place - they simply have to make it work for them," Durandt concludes.
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3fifteen is a Microsoft solutions development company in which Dimension Data, through Protocol, has taken a 45% strategic investment. The company, headquartered at The Campus, represents the Microsoft solutions offering in the Dimension Data SA stable.
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