2013 BI Trends: Microsoft Dynamics Users Weigh Range of Options

Defined as a set of theories, methodologies, processes, architectures, and technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information, business intelligence (BI) is gaining ground in an environment where applications continually generate large volumes of data that can't be effectively managed, assessed, and utilized via manual processes.

Microsoft Dynamics customers already have many third party BI applications at their fingertips, as well as the building blocks for a custom BI and reporting strategy via Microsoft's SQL Server technology stack.  But the real challenge for many businesses is the more fundamental question of how to invest in BI in a way that makes accessible to the organization, technically achievable, and provides measurable benefits to the business, all while avoiding the temptation to relegate it  to second class status as an implementation goal.

BI: A Moving Target?

As the tools that enable business intelligence continue to evolve, the concept as a whole remains something of a moving target for companies seeking tangible benefits. In her recent Five BI and Analytics Takeaways from Gartner Summit 2013 blog, Thamina Christensen of BI software provider Domo, highlighted five important trends that are currently shaping the BI environment. Christensen's first observation was that old assumptions no longer apply to new information. "Not very long ago, we ran things on assumptions, axioms, and conventional wisdom," she writes. "But now that we have data on virtually every part of our business, old assumptions no longer apply. We have new information to guide every decision."

Christensen also shared other observations about the BI landscape: data ...