By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
SmartData Collective
  • Analytics
    AnalyticsShow More
    data-driven image seo
    Data Analytics Helps Marketers Substantially Boost Image SEO
    8 Min Read
    construction analytics
    5 Benefits of Analytics to Manage Commercial Construction
    5 Min Read
    benefits of data analytics for financial industry
    Fascinating Changes Data Analytics Brings to Finance
    7 Min Read
    analyzing big data for its quality and value
    Use this Strategic Approach to Maximize Your Data’s Value
    6 Min Read
    data-driven seo for product pages
    6 Tips for Using Data Analytics for Product Page SEO
    11 Min Read
  • Big Data
  • BI
  • Exclusive
  • IT
  • Marketing
  • Software
Search
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Mobile Business Intelligence: The Pseudo Revolution
Share
Notification Show More
Latest News
anti-spoofing tips
Anti-Spoofing is Crucial for Data-Driven Businesses
Security
ai in software development
3 AI-Based Strategies to Develop Software in Uncertain Times
Software
ai in ppc advertising
5 Proven Tips for Utilizing AI with PPC Advertising in 2023
Artificial Intelligence
data-driven image seo
Data Analytics Helps Marketers Substantially Boost Image SEO
Analytics
ai in web design
5 Ways AI Technology Has Disrupted Website Development
Artificial Intelligence
Aa
SmartData Collective
Aa
Search
  • About
  • Help
  • Privacy
Follow US
© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.
SmartData Collective > Business Intelligence > Mobile Business Intelligence: The Pseudo Revolution
Business Intelligence

Mobile Business Intelligence: The Pseudo Revolution

Yellowfin
Last updated: 2011/01/21 at 12:08 AM
Yellowfin
8 Min Read
SHARE
- Advertisement -

Business Intelligence (BI) vendors are full of their own importance. 

I appreciate the need to vigorously promote your own handy work.  But, I also understand its purpose.

Business Intelligence (BI) vendors are full of their own importance. 

More Read

internet of things and business intelligence

How IoT Can Be Connected to Business Intelligence

14 Brands Using Mobile Apps Instead of Ads to Build Customer Loyalty
How Data Cleansing Can Make or Break Your Business Analytics
Accessible Business Analytics Set to Be a Boon for Small Businesses
5 Vital Business Intelligence Tips All Companies Should Embrace

I appreciate the need to vigorously promote your own handy work.  But, I also understand its purpose.

It’s simple.  Mobile BI is evolutionary; not revolutionary – it has developed over time.  It is a logical response to changing business needs and the emergence of new portable communications technologies.  It’s also not revolutionary because it won’t drastically change how most companies use BI.

Evolution: The slow burn

Like most things, BI has changed in response to technological advancements. As Aberdeen’s David Hatch, stated:

“The dynamics of business information delivery have changed gradually over time. As mobile communications and computing have become more advanced and widespread, many companies have moved to a mobile and / or remote workforce strategy.”

The need for Mobile BI has arisen via a meld of technological innovation and user demand, stimulated by a new tech savvy generation of business people.

Mobile BI: Interest outweighs action

As this new technology has emerged, logically, there has been both interest and adoption from business communities.  So, as expected, Mobile BI adoption and implementation rates have grown over the last few years.  But, it appears that curiosity far outweighs serious buyers.

Aberdeen research demonstrates this point.  Aberdeen produced a 2008 study investigating best practices for making BI available on mobile phones.  The report revealed that 17 percent of companies surveyed said they were already delivering BI to mobile devices within their organization, while 78 percent of respondents said they were interested in Mobile BI.

The situation has progressed, but certainly not at a revolutionary pace.  A recent Aberdeen survey from May last year, found that 23 percent of respondents said they had “a mobile BI application or dashboard in place”, while an additional 31 percent said they were planning on instigating “some type” of Mobile BI within a year.

So the Mobile BI market has grown and evolved over the last two or three years.  Unquestionable.  But, with the proliferation of increasingly sophisticated handheld devices capable of receiving and displaying increasingly rich content – such as Apple’s iPhone and iPad – this growth in uptake and interest doesn’t seem unprecedented.  Even factoring in the effects of the recession.

What’s that I hear you say?  But those ARE impressive numbers.  Well yes; sort of.  However, if you listened to all the hype and self-congratulatory backslapping within the BI industry, you’d believe that Mobile BI was for absolutely everyone – no matter industry, sector or business.  Concurrently, if you took the marketing excitement at its word, you’d expect 99.9 percent of Aberdeen survey respondents (allowing for the 0.1% of those who obviously don’t care about the success of their business) to say that they were at least interested in pursuing a Mobile BI program.  We would have also seen significantly more companies with, or in the planning stages of, Mobile BI rollout.

The converts

Despite the conclusions I’m drawing from these figures, some would vigorously disagree with my analysis.  Samir Sakpal, an analyst from Frost & Sullivan, predicts that mobile analytics will penetrate far beyond niche markets and move into the mainstream.  Sakpal makes this prediction because he claims Mobile BI facilitates two things: “faster decisions and a higher quality of customer service.”  Hard to argue with that logic. 

Mobile BI: It’s just not for everyone

But, for most business people who spend the majority of their day behind a desk, it’s hard to see how the ability to access data analysis on their phone will noticeably effect their ability to make faster decisions or deliver better customer service.

As stated in a recent Business Analytics Tech Target interview, Sumit Agarwa, a BI consultant with Accenture, said that many organizations or departments can’t see the need either.

“Honestly, I haven’t seen any interest in Mobile BI applications (from our clients at Accenture),” Agarwa said.

While Agarwa posited the view that Mobile BI is suitable “for senior or top-level management who need to access the high-level numbers on the move”, he said that it’s usefulness for office-based workers is limited.

“For most reporting and BI needs, I don’t think there would be much justification for data access through mobile apps,” Agarwa said. “This would make it really difficult to justify the added cost and return on investment on such solutions.”

Dresner report: Mobile BI a niche market

This view is backed-up by Howard Dresner, president and founder of Dresner Advisory Services and a former Gartner analyst, in his latest survey.

In an interview with SearchBusinessAnalytics.com news editor, Jeff Kelly, Dresner said survey results indicated Mobile BI is particularly useful for time-poor executives and mobile sales teams.

“The best real-world example of it’s usefulness came from a big retailer from the survey.  They said it allows their management and sales management team to go out in the field and meet with the various stores without a lot of preparation,” Dresner said.

“In the past they had to generate a lot of documents in advance – by the time they got out to the stores a lot of that information was already stale.  So it didn’t allow them to do anything ad hoc or impromptu.”

Dresner said that although “interest is intense”, only around 50 percent of respondents considered Mobile BI as important, and “around 30 percent of respondents are actually doing ‘stuff’ (with Mobile BI).”

Conclusion

So, am I, Hatch or Dresner suggesting that Mobile BI is unimportant?  No.  Not for a minute.  It offers many possibilities and opportunities to empower mobile and time-poor executives, sales and field service personnel with the real-time data they need to make timely business decisions.

Just don’t believe the hype.  Mobile BI is a specific product, for a specific purpose, and will only be useful to specific markets.

TAGGED: business analytics, business intelligence, cellphones + user data, mobile applications, mobile business intelligence
Yellowfin January 21, 2011
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn
Share
- Advertisement -

Follow us on Facebook

Latest News

anti-spoofing tips
Anti-Spoofing is Crucial for Data-Driven Businesses
Security
ai in software development
3 AI-Based Strategies to Develop Software in Uncertain Times
Software
ai in ppc advertising
5 Proven Tips for Utilizing AI with PPC Advertising in 2023
Artificial Intelligence
data-driven image seo
Data Analytics Helps Marketers Substantially Boost Image SEO
Analytics

Stay Connected

1.2k Followers Like
33.7k Followers Follow
222 Followers Pin

You Might also Like

internet of things and business intelligence
Internet of Things

How IoT Can Be Connected to Business Intelligence

6 Min Read
businesses using mobiles app for success
Big Data

14 Brands Using Mobile Apps Instead of Ads to Build Customer Loyalty

19 Min Read
data cleansing tips for business analytics
Big Data

How Data Cleansing Can Make or Break Your Business Analytics

9 Min Read
accessible business analytics
Analytics

Accessible Business Analytics Set to Be a Boon for Small Businesses

7 Min Read

SmartData Collective is one of the largest & trusted community covering technical content about Big Data, BI, Cloud, Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, IoT & more.

ai is improving the safety of cars
From Bolts to Bots: How AI Is Fortifying the Automotive Industry
Artificial Intelligence
giveaway chatbots
How To Get An Award Winning Giveaway Bot
Big Data Chatbots Exclusive

Quick Link

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Follow US

© 2008-23 SmartData Collective. All Rights Reserved.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Go to mobile version
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?