7 Key Trends in Business Intelligence (BI) for 2015

1. Mobile Analytics

Nobody can dispute that mobility is on the rise. This year alone, overall mobile usage increased by 25% (and climbing)! We’ve now reached a point where the demand for analytics that can handle the mobile environment can no longer be ignored, and is in fact necessary for companies, and products, to thrive in the mobile space. According to Forrester’s 2015 Predictions Report, mobile analytics adoption will continue to accelerate and become mainstream in the coming years.

2. Mobile Experience

2015 will see greater attention placed on the mobile end-user audience, focusing on user experience with an emphasis on the design aspect. Users expect their mobile space to work faster and easier, complementing the on-the-go ability working on mobile provides. Companies need to design their UX to reflect that, or risk losing their audience altogether.

3. HTML5

HTML5 continues to be the best option for developers in the mobile space. Its structure allows software to be developed only once to be deployed on any device, giving users the same experience on desktop and mobile. As mobile usage grows in 2015, so will HTML5.

4. Self-Service BI

In 2015, Self-Service BI will continue to gain traction by helping close the business and technology gap for organizations. Self-Service BI offers simplicity for the business user, enables easier upgrades and deployments for the IT user, and all-around easier collaboration for the whole team. According to the BARC 2014 Survey, 55% of BI users are already engaging in self-service tasks.

5. Advanced Analytics

2015 will show more companies hopping on the analytics-bandwagon; relying more on analytics and hard fact, than hunches or gut feelings. According to IBM’s CDO, companies will become increasingly data-driven in the coming years; which is no surprise. As data awareness grows, so too will its adoption, and hundreds of companies globally have already proven that relying on analytics, works.

6. Analytics for All

As companies come to understand the full value of their data, they will open up that information to all decision makers throughout the organization. While traditionally data was only available to the analysts, many companies around the world are experiencing the benefits of making that data more available and easily consumable for all members. 2015 will see a rise in the democratization of company data.

7. Data Interaction

With the evolution of software, our way of looking at and interacting with data has changed. Traditionally, data was explored using spreadsheets and reports, but with the explosion of BI and dashboard software, the way we are able to interact with our digital information continues to expand. In 2015, organizations will continue to invest in dashboard and BI solutions, to take the analytical advantage that is now needed in order to stay ahead.