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Business insights are a many-splendored thing: Data is meant for more

In 2019, Forrester predicts a shift in mindset from data and analytics untethered to outcomes, to action-oriented analytics that help enterprises win.
Written by Forrester Research, Contributor

Enterprise Mindsets About Data Are Changing

Give me a dashboard. Give me a report. Give me better insights. If that's your approach, it's old-school and you're falling behind. Leading enterprises have shifted their data sensibilities to action-oriented insights. "Interesting" is no longer the standard for business insights efforts. Instead, insights projects must draw a straight line from business objectives to business outcomes.

Also: Amazon Deeplens wants to jumpstart machine learning CNET

Seems obvious... MBA 101, right? Unfortunately, many business insights organizations let whimsical stakeholder requests drive their efforts. No more, Forrester predicts. To be successful, business insights professionals must focus their efforts on the business outcomes that matter most. Therefore, the themes of Forrester's business insights predictions for 2019 are:

  • The data economy will fail without a "fail fast, succeed faster" mindset.
  • Business insights professionals must become data storytellers.
  • Dashboards are for drivers, but we are fast living in a driverless world.
  • Data governance, until now a buzzkill, will become ambient and enabling.
  • Swamped data lakes will become virtual, because lakes too quickly become murky.

Bottom line: Forrester sees the mindset changing from data and analytics untethered to outcomes to become action-oriented analytics that helps enterprises win.

Also: What to do when big data gets too big TechRepublic


-- By Mike Gualtieri, vice president, principal analyst

Download Forrester's predictions 2019 complimentary guideto understand the 14 major dynamics that will impact firms next year.

This post originally appeared here.

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