analytical enablement -...

ANALYTICAL ENABLEMENT HOW LEADERS HARNESS DISTRIBUTED BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE TO DRIVE BREAKTHROUGH RESULTS

Most executives are well aware of the degree to which business intelligence (BI), the harnessing of data to enable sophisticated analysis, can lead to improved business insight.

Moreover, most executives are likely aware of the overall trend toward greater access to enterprise data. Salespeople use the cloud and mobile technologies to access inventories and pricing. Field engineers share site visit reports via tablets. And in BI, the trend is toward providing more and more data and data analy-sis solutions to more and more business executives and front-line teams.

But what most executives may not realize is the profound correlation between the rise of such distributed BI programs and stronger business performance: the greater the degree of self-service, the more the data is shared into the hands of those who need it, the more successful the BI environment.

Certainly, there are reasons for some degree of centralized control. Indeed, IT departments and business unit heads alike are concerned about data governance issues affecting every-thing from data security to its completeness and veracity.

But the advantages of a more distributed environment are so compelling that companies—using cooperation, innovation and the latest BI solutions—are finding that

effective data governance and broader data sharing can work hand in hand.

What are the benefits of a distributed approach to BI? For one thing, this puts data and analysis capabilities in the hands of those closest to business challenges and opportunities. Such busi-ness users are not only certain to possess keen insight into their activities, but since they hold bottom-line accountability, they are also the most likely to be highly motivated to seek enhanced business performance.

But the benefits by no means end there. Businesses report everything from greater responsiveness to a shift from static to forward-looking analysis, and even enhanced visual presenta-tions, which lead to clearer understanding and sharper insight.

As the below research demonstrates, leaders, or those with the most effective BI programs, tend to have a significantly higher degree of distributed, self-service elements. Based on what we’re observing, we predict the trend toward such an approach can only accelerate in the future.

—Bruce Rogers Chief Insights Officer,

Forbes Media

The most successful business intelligence programs feature processes that place analysis and decision-making solutions in the hands of business units.

FOREWORD

IN ASSOCIATION WITH:

•The most successful business intelligence (BI) programs feature processes and solutions that place analy-sis and decision-making tools in the hands of business units (self-service or distributed BI). The majority of respondents, 53%, say their overall BI programs are already delivering either significant (36%) or very sig-nificant benefits (17%). But this figure climbs to 87% among leaders, a group shown to exhibit significantly higher degrees of self-service.

• In a distributed BI environment, data governance—protecting its integrity, reliability, completeness and secu-

rity—can still be maintained by a central IT or BI function. Moreover, a central BI team can still play a critical, or even leading, role in assisting executives throughout the firm with analysis and perhaps the development of fundamental dashboards.

• But the difference is one of enablement versus control. In a distributed environment, business units them-selves have a greater degree of self-service access to both data and analytical solutions. In other words, those executives closest to the day-to-day business—arguably those with the most motivation to drive business improvement and the keenest intuitive insight—have greater freedom to model, explore and examine data at their fingertips.

• Distributed models deliver greater faith in the data. Business units often express concern regarding the verac-

ity, reliability and completeness of the data at their disposal. Here, the Forbes Insights survey demonstrates that the more distributed capabilities are at work, the more satisfied organizations become in terms of key aspects of their data.

•Benefits from distributed data environments include greater effectiveness in identifying business opportuni-ties, pricing, gauging productivity, optimizing sales and marketing spend—to name only a few.

• Today and also likely in the next 18 months, the most frequently cited form is internal biometric—often associated with time/motion studies. But going forward, companies will increase their use of a wide range of data, including device-generated (or Internet of Things—IoT), third-party open source/government-provided, and social media.

• Executives welcome the benefits of a self-service model: 73% say improving data visualization is a strategic imperative; 63% agree self-service data analysis models create a significant competitive advantage; and 63% believe distributed self-service enables end-users to develop more visually compelling analysis.

• Most initiatives (64%) are driven by a combination of senior management direction and bottom-up, organic activity.

• Key challenges include integrating data from multiple sources, ensuring data security and working with IT to enable access to needed data.

• Nonetheless, 57% of companies plan to accelerate investment in distributed BI capabilities. Future directives include enabling business units to interact with more forms of corporate and external data, expanding training for executives, as well as providing greater mobile and cloud access to needed data streams. Over half of com-panies, 54%, say they are also pursuing the creation of a center of excellence to improve their distributed data performance (rising to 68% among leaders).

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2 | ANALYTICAL ENABLEMENT

The fact that corporations around the world are embracing business intelligence (BI) should come as no surprise. As you’d imagine, the advanced analytics developed by world-class BI practitioners leads to deeper insight and significantly enhanced performance.

But decidedly newsworthy is the degree to which the most successful BI programs are migrating toward a self-service, distrib-uted BI delivery model—a sort of analytical enablement.

DEFINITIONS

• Business Intelligence and analytics: An umbrella term that includes the applications, infrastructure and tools, and best practices that enable access to and analysis of information to improve and opt im ize dec i s ion s and performance.1

• Self-Service or Distributed BI: A condition where data and analytical solutions are made available to, and can be modeled and analyzed by, business units themselves in the course of their decision making.

As our global survey of 449 senior IT and business professionals reveals (see Methodology), the most successful BI pro-grams are significantly more likely to feature

a distributed model for analysis. That is, among those firms self-described as having expert-level, seven out of 10 (69%) say their programs feature a significantly higher degree of distributed capabilities relative to the over-all sample. This expert group, referred to as “leaders” throughout this report, also tends to derive significantly greater benefit from its BI initiatives.

Most executives are familiar with BI and have programs in place. However, some may need a bit more background on what is meant by a distributed model for BI. The term “distributed” in this context describes a condition where data is made available to, and can be modeled and analyzed by, business units themselves. Overall, 52% of respon-dents say their BI environment features a significant (41%) or very significant degree (11%) of distributed elements—rising to 69% among leaders.

Note that in a distributed BI envi-ronment, data governance—protecting its integrity, reliability, completeness and secu-rity—can still be maintained by a central IT or BI function. Moreover, a central BI team can still play a critical or even leading role in assisting executives throughout the firm with analysis and perhaps the development of fun-damental dashboards.

But the difference is one of enablement versus control. In a distributed environment, business units themselves have a greater degree of self-service access to both data and analytical solutions. In other words, those executives closest to the day-to-day business—arguably those with the most moti-vation to drive business improvement and the keenest intuitive insight—have greater free-dom to model, explore and examine data at their fingertips.

1Source: Gartner, Market Opportunity Map for Business Intelligence and Analytics, Worldwide, Jim Hare et al, 17 March 2016

THE AGE OF ANALYTICAL ENABLEMENT

COPYRIGHT © 2016 FORBES INSIGHTS | 3


THE REVOLUTION IS HEREThere’s a global revolution under way. Business executives are no longer sat-isfied with the long waiting periods, high costs and questionable quality of data-driven decision support being developed on their behalf. Taking matters into their own hands, leaders are embracing a more distributed model, where end-users can take control of their own analytics, modeling, visualization and decision making. The results, say practitioners, are profound. Consider these examples:

• Delving into data points as diverse as trip utilization, on-time performance and customer service surveys, the U.K.’s international transport-focused National Express is able to rapidly assess, adjust and optimize its menu of des-tinations, routes, timetables and fares.

• At a major insurer, after placing analysis solutions in the hands of business units, end-users overlaid dates of claims with traditional fields to identify and isolate two agents who had been falsifying claims.

• Analysis of device-usage data at a major U.S. bank revealed the means to reducing printing costs by over $5 million per year.

• At a leading provider of services to the asset management and banking indus-tries, an accounting executive with no formal prior BI training was able to develop an array of dashboards providing insights so compelling that once shown to prospects, the firm was able to, nearly immediately, sign five new major clients.

Results like these are by no means exceptional. Rather, they are becoming the norm at companies where front-line business executives, those in the right place at the right time to translate insight into action, are given the keys to drive today’s most powerful analytics and decision-making platforms.

1Self assessment on a 1-5 scale.

5 LEADERS (FAR ABOVE AVERAGE) 16%

4 ADVANCED (ABOVE AVERAGE) 34%

3 AVERAGE 37%

2 BELOW AVERAGE 10%

1 FAR BELOW AVERAGE 3%

IN TERMS OF BI CAPABILITIES— WHAT IS YOUR LEVEL OF EXPERTISE1?

1Self assessment on a 1-5 scale.

5 VERY 25% 11%

4 44% 41%

3 TO SOME DEGREE 24% 30%

2 4% 14%

1 NOT AT ALL 3% 4%

HOW “DISTRIBUTED”1 ARE YOUR BI INITIATIVES? Leaders are significantly more likely to pursue a distributed BI environment.

69% 52%} }Leaders

Overall


Undoubtedly, higher degrees of self-service in terms of tools and data access correlate with greater success from BI initia-tives. The survey sheds light as to which elements of such an environment are most likely to be viewed as generating value. Seven out of 10 leaders (71%) say distributed solutions tend to accelerate learning and responsiveness. This is closely related to the fact that such an approach tends to place more tools in the hands of those closest to the business and its challenges—a benefit cited by 68% of leaders, but only 54% of the overall sample.

Other key benefits include enabling business units to develop their own dashboards, as well as creating more avenues for modeling tradeoffs/options (the pursuit of opti-mization) and achieving greater business optimization. The overarching point is that when executives have the right solu-tions and data at hand, they have greater freedom to really explore their performance and opportunities.

WHAT DRIVES THE BENEFITS? Accelerates learning/responsiveness

Enables optimization: clearer choices between tradeoffs

Places tools in the hands of those closest to the business

Reveals valuable and unexpected relationships in data

Enables business units to develop relevant dashboards

Enables clearer, more intuitive visual presentation of data

Encourages more creative thinking/innovation

Enables greater flexibility of analysis

71%

61%

68%

57%

67%

51%

64%

64%

55%

45%

54%

50%

57%

53%

48%

46%

• Leaders• Overall

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A DISTRIBUTED ENVIRONMENT?1

1Percentages = those expressing strong satisfaction (a 4 or 5 on a 1-5 scale).

Such enablement, the survey shows, drives performance. The majority of respondents, 53%, say their overall BI programs are already delivering either significant (36%) or very signifi-cant benefits (17%).

But a deeper dive reveals that the more distributed the BI environment, the greater the benefits derived from the initia-tives. Nearly nine out of 10 leaders, 87%, report significant (36%) or very significant (51%) benefits from BI. Recall—this is a group already shown to operate with relatively higher degrees of self-service.

DISTRIBUTED MODELS DELIVER STRONGER RETURNS

1Those describing their level of expertise in BI as expert or far above average.

VERY SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT 51% 17%

SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT 36% 36%

MARGINAL BENEFIT 10% 28%

VERY LITTLE BENEFIT 3% 10%

NO BENEFIT / NOT APPLICABLE 0% 10%

HOW MUCH BENEFIT IS BEING GENERATED FROM YOUR BI PROGRAMS TO-DATE?Leaders, with more distributed approaches, are experiencing significantly greater benefit.

87% 53%} }Leaders1 Overall

KEY TRENDS POINT TO GREATER DISTRIBUTION Using five-point scales, survey respondents were asked to share how their data environments are evolving across three core continuums: nature, focus, timeliness/delivery. The resulting evidence reveals that key business needs and objectives are trending in ways that are aided by a more distributed, self-service-oriented BI framework.

Whether the desire is for data to enable timelier, more actionable or more predictive business models, these goals are better served when decision makers have greater access to the needed solutions.

OVERALL 3.5 3.9

LEADERS 3.6 4.0

NATURE: SHIFTING TOWARD MORE TIMELY/FORWARD-LOOKING/PREDICTIVE:

Dated/ look back

Timely/ forward-looking/

predictive

OVERALL 3.7 3.9

LEADERS 3.8 4.0

TIMELINESS: A SHIFT FROM SLOW/SILOED TO EXPEDITED:

Delayed/siloed

Expedited: right place/right time/

multifunctional

OVERALL 3.7 3.8

LEADERS 3.9 4.0

FOCUS: SHIFTING FROM STATIC (REARVIEW MIRROR) TO ACTIONABLE:

Static/reporting-oriented

Actionable (in time to inform decisions/improve

performance)

Data modelers often express concern regarding the veracity, reliability and completeness of the data at their disposal. Here, the survey demonstrates that the more distributed capabilities there are at work, the more satisfied organizations become in terms of key aspects of their data. For example, regarding both completeness and timeliness, leaders (decidedly more “distributed” than the overall sample), are in both cases sig-nificantly more satisfied than others.

GREATER FAITH IN THE DATA

Completeness

Timeliness

Accuracy

Distribution

Confidence

79%

72%

72%

65%

68%

59%

51%

65%

51%

60%


HOW SATISFIED ARE YOU WITH THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS OF YOUR DATA?1



In terms of how value is created within a distributed BI framework, overall respondents most frequently cite improvements in activities such as identifying business opportunities (69%), optimized or dynamic pricing (65%) or gauging productivity (63%). But other frequently cited drivers include being better able to predict customer behavior or optimize logistics, energy consumption or marketing spend.

As to where value is being created today, the most frequently cited functions include finance (67%), sales (61%), marketing (60%) and compliance (60%). Note that among leaders, the most frequent deployment is in marketing (72%).

Going forward—asked where their organization should be using more distributed BI pro-cesses—the incidence for each function rises significantly in nearly every case. The steepest climb is in risk, rising from 53% (in use today) to 76% (should be in use).

But respondents also note the need for wider deployment in areas such as logistics and R&D. One area, finance, actually shows a statistically insignificant decline in the “should use” category. Likely, this indicates no change, meaning the majority of firms are relatively satisfied with their current levels of finance team access to BI.

Finance

Sales

Tax

Marketing

Risk

Compliance

R&D

Production

Logistics

67%

61%

54%

60%1

53%

60%

49%

57%

48%

65%

68%

63%

67%

76%

67%

68%

71%

64%

• Are using• Should be using

WHERE ARE THESE TOOLS IN USE TODAY— AND WHERE SHOULD THEY BE DEPLOYED? Identifying business opportunities

Predicting customer behavior

Optimizing prices (dynamic pricing)

Energy optimization

Gauging productivity

Optimizing logistics

Analyzing workflows

Optimizing sales and marketing spend

71%

58%

69%

53%

68%

47%

63%

61%

69%

61%

65%

51%

63%

49%

58%

62%


HOW IS THIS VALUE DERIVED?1


Identifying societal trends46%

49%

WHERE IS VALUE CREATED?


THE CASE FOR A DISTRIBUTED SOLUTION: FINANCIAL SERVICESAccording to the head of BI at a major asset management and banking services provider, “If you’re trying to run cen-tralized, one size fits all, that model will not be as effective as something more distributed and tailored.”

Even custom-tailoring—centralized application development—faces severe limitations. What tends to happen, says the executive, “is that companies spend months going back and forth between developers and end-users, each speaking a different language, so neither ever really understands the other.” Consequently, the output becomes “just another static end-of-month PDF or spreadsheet” that, while likely an improvement on prior reporting, “still isn’t timely, meaningful, flexible, interactive or on point.”

For these and related reasons, the executive and his team began searching for the means of developing a better BI solution. “What we needed,” he explains, “was something simple, powerful and intuitive” that end-users, those actu-ally closest to the business, “could use to explore their own data” and build their own analytics and dashboards.

Results to date “are nothing short of amazing.” Using self-service solutions, field executives are now able to develop their own dashboards and visualizations in a matter of hours versus what might have taken a typical develop-ment team many months to deliver—and at an accompanying cost. A model giving line executives so many analytic capabilities in a flexible, immediate and highly visual and therefore more readily understandable manner, says the spokesperson, represents “an absolute paradigm shift.”

WHAT DATA SHOULD YOU BE USING?As for data being analyzed within a distributed frame-work, today, and also likely in the next 18 months, the most frequently cited form is internal biometric—often associated with time/motion studies. Though mentioned by 44% of companies overall, this form of data rises to 61% among media firms and 59% among healthcare. Its preva-lence reaches 57% of companies over the next 18 months.

Device-generated, or Internet of Things (IoT) data, today holds second place at 39%, but is significantly more evident at technology (60%) and automotive (50%) firms. Though the use of IoT increases over the next 18 months, it drops in relative position as third-party and open source (e.g., government databases) data use grows even faster.

INTERNAL BIOMETRIC (E.G., TIME/MOTION STUDIES) 44%a 57%

IoT 39%b 44%

DATA FROM PARTNERS/SUPPLIERS 37%c 49%

THIRD-PARTY (PURCHASED) 35%d 51%

OPEN SOURCE (E.G., GOVERNMENT DATABASES) 33%e 49%

SOCIAL MEDIA 29%f 39%

WHAT DATA DO YOU USE TODAY—AND WITHIN 18 MONTHS?1 Now 18 months

a61% media; 59% healthcare; b60% technology; 50% automotive; c60% technology; d50% technology and telecommunications; e50% technology and telecommunications; f40% technology.1Percentages = those expressing use (a 4 or 5 on a 1-5 scale).



KEY DRIVERS OF THE DISTRIBUTED MODEL Beyond specific business benefits, the survey also provides insight into the experience and attitudes of business executives, illustrating the forces driving growth in distributed BI models.

A key feature of the most capable and user-friendly self-ser-vice solutions, for example, is that they provide end-users with an array of options for creating insight-revealing charts and graphs. Here, 73% of those using a distributed data and analysis model say improving data visualization is a strategic imperative. Moreover, 63% of those using a distributed model, and 53% of those who are not yet using one, agree that they enable more visually compelling analysis.

Similarly, nearly two-thirds of executives who are using a distributed model (63%) agree with the statement: self-service data analysis creates significant competitive advantage. Closely related, half of these companies believe such an approach can help to reveal commercially valuable insights.

Executives also point to a range of circumstances likely driv-ing their pursuit of a more distributed BI environment. The most commonly cited is working at a company where senior manage-ment sees the approach as valuable and creates a mandate. Often, such executives—and others in the company—are in turn driven by related drivers, such as the need for timelier and/or better-qual-ity analysis, or perhaps the demands and influences of customers.

The above chart shows, undoubtedly, that senior manage-ment plays a key role in the shift toward a more distributed BI environment. However, in the next question, respondents were asked to choose the description that best characterizes the key forces behind their adoption of distributed BI practices. In about a third of instances, senior management plays the lead role. But for most companies, 67% of leaders and 64% overall, some combination of senior management alongside an organic, bottom-up set of initiatives is what leads to the adoption of dis-tributed practices.

IMPROVING DATA VISUALIZATION IS A STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE 73% 54%

SELF-SERVICE DATA ANALYSIS MODELS CREATE SIGNIFICANT COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 63% 40%

DISTRIBUTED SELF-SERVICE ENABLES END-USERS TO DEVELOP MORE VISUALLY COMPELLING ANALYSIS 63% 53%

SELF-SERVICE ENABLES BUSINESS UNITS TO UNCOVER INVALUABLE COMMERCIAL INSIGHTS 51% 43%

DO YOU AGREE?1 Distributed2

Not Distributed3

1Percentages = those citing agreement (a 4 or 5 on a 1-5 scale).2Using distributed data and analysis in their organization (n = 369).3No effort/under consideration to use distributed data and analysis (n = 80).

Direction from senior management

IT initiative

Senior management attitudes

Company culture

Need for more timely analysis

Individuals taking personal initiative

Need for better-quality analysis

Customer demands/influence

82%

54%

86%

67%

75%

51%

74%

74%

75%

62%

77%

60%

76%

55%

71%

65%


HOW SIGNIFICANT ARE THE FOLLOWING IN TERMS OF DRIVING THE SHIFT TOWARD GREATER DISTRIBUTION OF BI ANALYSIS AND DECISION-MAKING SOLUTIONS?1


Supplier/partner demands49%

43%

TOP DOWN—ENCOURAGED/DIRECTED BY SENIOR MANAGEMENT 27% 24%

BOTTOM UP—ORGANIC/AGGRESSIVE ADOPTION BY “THE RANKS” 6% 12%

SOME COMBINATION OF THE TWO 67% 64%

WHICH BEST DESCRIBES THE KEY FORCES BEHIND YOUR ADOPTION OF A MORE DISTRIBUTED BI ENVIRONMENT?

Leaders Overall


None of this is to say there are no hurdles. Respondents were asked to choose their top three challenges from a list of 11 commonly cited issues. Here, the issue most frequently chosen as the most challenging is the potential difficulty in combining data from different sources (19% overall; 24% among leaders).

Another key challenge is ensuring data security (14% overall; 11% among leaders). Indeed, for a distributed model to be successful, its principals need to develop an effective data governance model—one that not only preserves data security and integrity, but also gives end-users confidence that their analysis works with complete and accurate data sets.

Other challenges, though not as frequently cited, will nonetheless require attention. For example, figur-ing out how to get the right information into the right hands is a challenge well suited for a more distributed BI model. As for understanding what the data means, those closest to business challenges often have the keenest insight—again, a cir-cumstance that benefits from a self-service model.

Respondents also indicate the need to work closely with IT to enable access to potentially critical data. This is an area that benefits from first achieving senior-level buy-in—to incentivize cooperation, adjustments and workarounds—but that also dovetails with the need to develop a robust data gover-nance environment.

IDENTIFYING KEY CHALLENGES

FUTURE STEPSBeyond working to address the above key hurdles, executives who have already implemented a more self-service approach to analysis and decision making are also taking a range of general actions to improve the quality and results of their distributed data programs. For example, 71% say they are, today, directing their IT departments to work more closely with business units to expand access to more forms of corporate and external data. Over the next 18 months, this figure declines to 61%, but that’s likely because by then, for many organizations, the expectation is that the mission will have been accomplished.

Another key undertaking is the expansion of training for executives to improve their understanding and usage of distributed analysis solutions. Today, 64% are taking such action, with the figure rising to 71% within 18 months—meaning for most, this will remain an ongoing initiative.

Other critical actions include expanding cloud and mobile access to the enterprise as well as expanding the emphasis on distributed BI skills in hiring, training and career development. Worth noting, the survey also found that 62% agree that line managers need to take significant steps to become more data literate (ris-ing to 67% among “distributed” companies).

Top choice

COMBINING DATA FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES 24% 19%

ENSURING DATA SECURITY 11% 14%

GETTING THE RIGHT INFORMATION INTO THE RIGHT HANDS 8% 11%

UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE DATA MEANS 11% 10%

WORKING WITH IT TO ENABLE ACCESS TO NEEDED DATA 13% 10%

WHAT ARE THE KEY CHALLENGES TO BE OVERCOME?

OverallLeaders

Given all of the above, it should come as no surprise that 56% of companies overall and 54% of leaders plan to accelerate investment in self-service, distributed BI capabilities.

Unquestionably, companies are deriving tremendous business benefit from their BI programs. But at the same time, as this research reveals, the most effective BI programs are not purely centrally controlled but rather, tend to feature significantly greater elements of a distributed, self-service nature. Leaders are placing the power of advanced, highly intuitive and associative solutions into the hands of the business users ideally placed to exe-cute some of the most timely, creative and informed analysis and take action.

Results to date speak for themselves, raising the question: is there any business or similar entity that would not benefit from such an approach?

NATIONAL EXPRESS: EMBRACING DISTRIBUTED SOLUTIONSA good example of a company embracing distributed BI solu-tions is the U.K.’s international transport-focused National Express. Distributed tools, says Frank Kozurek, head of business intelligence, means “people can work with what we provide, but then they are also free to add their own tables and charts—they don’t have to come back to us to build for them what they want. It’s all very customizable and flexible.”

Moreover, the executive is also very “impressed” with the visualizations achievable, which as Kozurek explains, “lead to better insights.”

DIRECT/ENCOURAGE OUR IT DEPARTMENT TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH BUSINESS UNITS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO MORE FORMS OF CORPORATE AND EXTERNAL DATA 71% 61%

EXPAND TRAINING FOR EXECUTIVES TO IMPROVE THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND USAGE OF DISTRIBUTED ANALYSIS TOOLS 64% 71%

PROVIDE CLOUD ACCESS TO ENTERPRISE DATA FOR DISTRIBUTED ANALYSIS 59% 61%

PROVIDE MOBILE TOOLS FOR DISTRIBUTED ANALYSIS 58% 60%

EMPHASIZE THE ABILITY TO DEVELOP CRITICAL ANALYSIS USING DISTRIBUTED TOOLS IN OUR HIRING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT 57% 65%

DEVELOP A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE TO FOSTER AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF DISTRIBUTED ANALYSIS 54% 68%

WHAT STEPS ARE YOU TAKING NOW—AND IN 18 MONTHS?1 Today In 18 months

1Using distributed data and analysis in their organization (n = 369).

CONCLUSION


The insights and commentary found in this report are derived from both a survey and qualitative interviews with senior executives. In March 2016, Forbes Insights, in collaboration with Qlik, conducted a robust global sur-vey of 449 senior IT and business unit executives. Key demographics include:

While the authors call out key differences based on key demographic variables, the data set is so robust that it would be imprac-tical to highlight every instance of statistically significant variation. One key finding is that there is surprisingly little variation by region or country; that, in fact, the real variation had more to do with familiarity and experience with distributed BI solutions. Nonetheless, readers are encouraged to visit www.qlikwholestory.com/index.html#forbes to view the full data set, and perform their own analysis of the survey respondents by industry, function, country, region and many additional characteristics using Qlik.

As for the industry vignettes and quotes appearing in this report, these are abstracted from a companion, fully qualitative Forbes Insights report, “Decisions, Decisions: How Leading Firms Are Arming Frontline Executives With Data-Driven Insight.” Also exe-cuted on behalf of Qlik, the full report can be downloaded at www.forbes.com/forbesinsights/qlik_decisions/.


METHODOLOGY

• CIO• VP/business unit director• CFO/treasurer/controller• Director • CMO • SVP/VP • CEO24%

10%

9%

8%

44%

1%3%

TITLE

Note: Does not add to 100% due to rounding.

50%

32% LOCATION

• Europe (composed of 8% each for the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Sweden)

• U.S. • Australia/New Zealand• Japan• India

19%

8%

8%

8%

57%


PROFITABILITY(measured by average EBITDA growth

over past three years)

• +1%-10% • No change/flat • +11%-19% • 20% or more • Not sure/do not divulge • Decrease

20%

22%

9%

9%5%

36%


37%

IT

Product Management

Strategy

Finance/Accounting

Human Resources

Operations

Sales

Supply Chain

General Management

M&A/Business Development

53%

19%

18%

12%

33%

18%

8%

26%

21%

PRINCIPAL FUNCTIONAL ROLES (executives could select as many as deemed relevant)

Customer Experience

R&D

17%

8%

7%

Manufacturing/industrial

Consumer or business services

Technology

Energy

Healthcare

Telecommunications

Financial services

Insurance

Banking

Consumer packaged goods

10%

6%

6%

6%

7%

6%

6%

6%

6%

INDUSTRY

Government

Pharmaceuticals

6%

6%

Automotive

Media & entertainment

5%

5%

Retail

Other

6%

6%

ABOUT FORBES INSIGHTSForbes Insights is the strategic research and thought leadership practice of Forbes Media, publish-er of Forbes magazine and Forbes.com, whose combined media properties reach nearly 75 million business decision makers worldwide on a monthly basis. Taking advantage of a proprietary database of senior-level executives in the Forbes community, Forbes Insights conducts research on a host of topics of interest to C-level executives, senior marketing professionals, small business owners and those who aspire to positions of leadership, as well as providing deep insights into issues and trends surrounding wealth creation and wealth management.

499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 | 212.367.2662 | www.forbes.com/forbesinsights

FORBES INSIGHTS

Bruce Rogers Chief Insights Officer

Erika Maguire Director of Programs

EDITORIAL

Kasia Wandycz Moreno, Director

Hugo S. Moreno, Director

William Millar, Briefing Author

Charles Brucaliere, Designer

RESEARCH

Ross Gagnon, Director

Kimberly Kurata, Research Analyst

SALES

North America Brian McLeod, Commercial Director [email protected]

Matthew Muszala, Manager

William Thompson, Manager

EMEA Tibor Fuchsel, Manager

APAC Serene Lee, Executive Director

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