Bombarded by waves of data and analytics, your executives may find themselves in an unfortunate, though understandable, position in 2014—nursing a desire for simplified analytics, easier collaboration, and clear direction for increasing efficiency and access to data.
If this sounds like your business, you might be surprised by these three benefits of mobile business intelligence (BI).
Simplified Analytics for Mobile
One benefit of mobile BI is that, by design, the shape and size of smartphones and tablets lend themselves to simplified, visual analytics. For mobile BI that means colorful and visual representations of data that won’t bog you down with too many details, unless you want them.
Simplified analytics on mobile brings helpful limitations: the on-the-go app means viewing data, not manipulating it, and seeing general trends rather than drilling down to the details. While having access to these features is important in the long term, limited functionality on mobile devices means seeing what you need to see quickly and easily, and moving on.
Mobile and Cloud-Based Means Increased Collaboration
Nearly all business intelligence platforms are cloud-based, which means access from anywhere on any device. Your team is no longer limited to those who own personal computers, have access to certain computers, or who are located in a particular office.
More and more companies are looking to send mobile business analytics to the front lines so that employees can use their own smartphones and tablets for improved decision making wherever they are. Mobile business intelligence translates directly to increased collaboration.
Access for All, or None—It’s Up to You
By definition, collaboration means bringing more people into the mix. Mobile BI allows for permanent, intermediary, or temporary access to as many people in your company as you like, from high up to the front line, and from detailed data to reports only.
Providing access to all (or just a certain few) means one less check on your to-do list. All the employees in the know will have access to the information they need to get their jobs done.
The end goal of mobile BI is easier access to the context of the key analytics of your business—for example, BI maturity. And a key step along the way is providing mobile access to that data for increased collaboration.
