How to evaluate a BI tool

Presented by Efi Goldman, Head of Solution Experts

Panorama Software

About Panorama Software The company that invented OLAP and sold it to

Microsoft 18 years of innovations in the BI industry Won multiple awards (SQL Server Pro Magazine,

Stevie® Award, Microsoft IMPACT award) Covered in BI Magic Quadrant by Gartner, BI Wave

by Forrester, Wisdom of Crows by Dresner Advisory reports

“Necto does seem genuinely different from most self-service BI applications aimed at business users out there.”

Panorama takes a cue from social media in Necto BI offering

More than 20 years with over 2000 Customers

Financial Services

Healthcare

Retail & Distribution

Manufacturing

Telco, Media, Entertainment

Welcome Necto

Visual: Astonishing & simplified infographics

Suggestive: Automated analysis & recommendations

Collaborative: A collaborative decision making experience

Governed: Self service, fully web based, modern & stylish UI for the everyday business users

Trusted: #1 in Gartner, Visionary & thought leader

Measure & Track Your Business Visually

“Panorama Necto 14’s straight forward, visual approach using Infographics will be easy for general users to adopt, while still offering use the detailed data drilling and linking capabilities we need”.

Leonard Strashnoy, WirelessWERX

What is a good BI tool?No such thing. Forrester and Gartner will also agree on this point here.

Each tool is focused on different Arena. Sometimes some of them are applicable.

And most importantly – there is place for everyone

Selecting a BI tool is very personal for each organization, and depends only on two aspects:1. The Business case2. Technical requirements

This will be covered next…

How other vendors are guiding you to the wrong direction?

Specific vendors will try attract you based on what features their tool offers, in comparison to other data analytics tools without those features.

Don’t let this fool you!

Don’t let them get you into a feature fight! Lead the evaluation process differently. Think Big.

Don’t contact any data analytics vendors until you really know the technical needs your business is looking for.

• Lead the evaluation!• Listen to the vendors advices, but in the same

time think together with your users where you want to take it.

• Accept to get help with the evaluation only from consultants that are not getting sales commissions from the vendor.

1.The Business caseUsers needs from a Data Analytics Solution

Describe the current issue to yourself. Write it down:

• What is wrong with the current BI solution that I have? • Why am I not happy with it? • Who are my users? what positions?• What my users think about it?• How they use it? Why they do what they do? What their goal is? What they

want to achieve? Who they give service to ? What does he need?

* Search to find the right method of work for your users.

Do not search a tool that will give your users same usability.

1.Technical requirements• What data sources should it connect to?• What will be needed in the next couple of years (.e. are you moving to a

different DWH platform / changing to Big Data)?• What operating system you can apply for the solution.• Should a desktop client be installed locally?• Whether a self-service data analysis is needed for the business users or do

they just use dashboards and reports to see their data?• Do they need the ability to share their data analysis with others?• Is data security and data content security needed and what for?• If it is part of an OEM – you will check the ability to build this application

inside yours, working with API’s, and JS.• Do you want to allow a business user to model and mash up data from a

couple of data sources?• Do you need a governed data solution?• Is there a need to publish the data analysis to IPad/ Tablets?• Which types of visualization are needed for your data?• Are there any data limitations?* Now it will be easier for the Vendor to understand your needs

Now, and only now, is it relevant for you to contact the vendors that best fit your criteria’s.

Usual steps in a tool evaluation:1. Filling of RFI/RFP2. The Demo session3. POC on your data on premise or

not4. Final evaluation

Evaluating a BI tool – The Demo session

1. Set a Demo session with each one of the vendors2. Talk about your business case. And your technical needs. Bring

the decision team to the session.3. Ask the vendor to show you a demo that will simulate answers

to these needs, without connecting to your data.4. During the demo try to understand what can be a constraint

with regards to your needs.5. See if they answer all of your requirements.

Your goal here is to see flaws in the process. To recognize which tool is worth spending the time on in a POC, and which tool does not worth it.