Evaluation guide: How to choose the right modern BI & analytics platform

Don't evaluate modern analytics with traditional BI criteria

Traditional reporting and distribution tools can’t offer the transformative speed to insight or the self-reliance of a modern approach to business intelligence with interactive, visual analytics. The transition to a modern BI model requires IT to adopt a collaborative approach that includes the business in all aspects of the overall program.

This guide focuses on the platform evaluation and selection, covering:

• Prerequisites for evaluation, including data source access and role representation
• Core platform attributes to factor in your assessment, including integration and accessibility, ease of use, user enablement, and more
• Evaluation criteria and considerations across critical roles at each stage of the modern analytics workflow
• Evaluating data and content governance capabilities
• Evaluating analytics platforms for transformational value
• Where to find additional resources to help you in your modern BI evaluation journey

How to use this evaluation guide

This evaluation guide aims to support IT organizations as they evaluate and select a modern BI and analytics platform suitable for a broad, enterprise-wide deployment. It is intended for IT to use collaboratively with business users and analysts as they assess each platform’s ability to execute on the modern analytics workflow, and the vendor’s resources and strategic guidance to effectively deploy and scale an analytics program that addresses the diverse needs of users across the organization.

This guide assumes the following core role types will be represented and available to participate in applicable aspects of the evaluation:

• IT/BI professional – performs all initial setup tasks including software installation, user provisioning, access rights, governance oversight, and some development tasks (content and data source).
• Content creator – performs most of the content creation tasks including data preparation, freeform exploration, content promotion, and data validation.
• Information consumer – primarily accesses and interacts with curated content and trusted data sources but may customize or create new content from existing.

Download the paper to read more and get started on your modern BI evaluation strategy.