The emerging business tools of Big Data and Data Science create a demand for additional data interpretation resources. If you have ever attempted to evaluate large volumes of unprocessed data, you may have seen how poorly managed data becomes indecipherable. Turning raw data into useful business intelligence requires data transformation workflows that are stable and streamlined, consistent, and amenable to a structured presentation.
Gathering data and aligning it within a streamlined workflow provides a disciplined framework for reliable interpretation. This requires a consistent process where the methods are clear, allowing all users to pursue individual objectives while being aware of the big picture. Data worksheets provide a substantial part of the solution that turns multiple data types into parts of the big picture.
If your company is gathering vast quantities of data and decision-makers want to uncover the business intelligence that provides the path to the best outcome, you'll need an efficient process for interpreting data. Data should go from raw sources to analytics dashboard in a way that is both predictable and repeatable.
The first step is to establish the set of key performance indicators (KPI's) that provide the goal for the process. Fortunately, interpreting data does not require that you explore every single piece of data that is available; rather, the data interpretation process you choose will filter and select the data that leads directly to actionable information and decisions in as near to real-time as possible.
Digital automation allows you to set up to direct data through a process once and then repeat the same steps, much like a production line, assembling business intelligence that will in the end become suitable for data interpretation. A workflow that processes data consistently and comprehensively can reveal useful information, making it transparent to further analysis and interpretation on an as-needed basis.
When you have a structure and analytical system that provides a baseline method, your process for interpreting data will provide a consistent foundation. If multiple teams or departments share the same goals but use different approaches to interpreting the same data, mismatched objectives are likely to result.
Disparate methods lead to inconsistent solutions, duplicated efforts, wasted energy, time, and money. Whether different elements of your business have the same objectives or goals, teams within your company should at minimum have access to a single point of view as a reference - both to coordinate unit objectives and to understand their contributions in the whole.
A Database worksheet combines the values and text from OLAPs, relational databases, or Excel spreadsheets and displays it as unified tables of values. Worksheets are also versatile and flexible, bringing disparate data sources into the framework, adding formatting and formulae to perform further calculations; they are valuable tools for interpreting data.
IBM Cognos Disclosure Management delivers an outstanding automated solution for collaborative data worksheets. Disclosure Management is scalable, secure, and offers collaborative reporting for enterprise, processing data to extract the desired business intelligence. Disclosure Management supports collaboration between different units for dynamic data reporting and analysis, and works for both large and small organizations all while utilizing strong security features.
Worksheets have the features of dashboards and spreadsheets in one, which gives greater dashboard information density and ideally allows users to drill down into the details of the data, enabling each user to answer their own business questions on an individual basis while retaining the overall context. When you replace spreadsheets with responsive worksheet-based plans and forecasts, you integrate the broad overview at the top-level with the frontline details at the base.
Data worksheets provide some signifigant interpretation benefits:
Companies that depend on Big Data and analytics depend on streamlined workflows for efficient data interpretation. When you use data to reveal patterns and hidden opportunities you need a structure that extracts deep insights consistently. Companies that depend on rapid results from large data sets need a process for interpreting data that automates worksheet creation while integrating the top-level view with deep data drill-downs.
IBM Cognos and 5x Technology deliver the ideal combination to establish a set of processes that serve your whole enterprise. 5x Technology has nearly 20 years experience helping companies grow and scale their businesses using software like IBM Cognos. Explore the best options for you business - download our whitepaper on Data Analaysis and Interpretation for IT Professionals and learn how 5x Technology and IBM Cognos can make a difference in your data.