Despite the many benefits associated with self-service BI, uptake locally and internationally has been slow; but this could change in the not-too-distant future.
That’s the view of Sven Vosse, leader of the Johannesburg Power BI User Group, who estimates that only 10%-15% of South African companies have embraced true self-service BI.
Internationally, research indicates things are also bleak. Real internal adoption remains dismal at between 4%-5%, according to Yellowfin BI. However, businesses are investing heavily in self-service BI – Fortune Business Insights projects the global self-service BI market reaching $26.54 billion by 2032, up from $7.99 billion this year.
Vosse points out that although today’s BI tools are far easier to use than those of a decade ago, self-service BI is still evolving. Now, artificial intelligence (AI) may lower the barrier still further, allowing managers to query data in natural language and driving greater and potentially faster adoption.
However, Vosse is clear: “AI can help build reports, but it can’t yet replace the solid data model that underpins them.”
Why adoption lags
One reason for the slow uptake could be the complexity involved in moving to self-service.
According to Vosse, even with the benefits that AI promises, rolling out self-service BI isn’t about flipping a switch – it’s a journey that evolves over time. The key is to start small, prove value early and then build iteratively.
The first step is identifying a primary data source, such as a CRM or ERP system, and creating the initial set of tables and formulas. At this stage, the effort is often managed by a single person or a small team – sometimes even someone who has picked up BI skills alongside their day job in smaller companies. Larger organisations may dedicate full teams to the task.
“However, it doesn’t have to take six or 12 months before you see results. You can start with the basics, test formulas and build a reliable model that people can actually use. That way, users begin seeing insights within weeks, not months,” Vosse says.
Nevertheless, he warns that self-service BI is not a once-off project, but “a journey that never ends”.
Self-service freedom
The question is – why bother moving to self-service at all?
Vosse says the key promises of self-service BI are freedom and flexibility. Instead of sending a request to IT and waiting days, or even weeks, for a new dashboard, managers and executives can drag and drop visuals themselves in the various BI tools that are currently available.
“The flexibility is enormous,” Vosse explains. “Sometimes you don’t know what you want until you see it. With self-service, you can change things instantly instead of queuing another request with IT.”
The result: faster answers, sharper insights and far less frustration. Vosse puts it simply: self-service BI delivers “insights at your fingertips”, insights that could impact all aspects of a business. With appropriate training of users and the correct governance measures in place, self-service BI is “democratised data” in action, he concludes.
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