Episode 10: BI is Dead, Long Live BI
Transcription:
Hello, my name is Przemek. I am a Data Strategy Manager at Speednet, and it’s my pleasure to talk with you today about how BI is evolving and changing in the finance landscape, what it means for you in your business and how you can benefit from the changes. And why you shouldn’t be afraid of it. So, without further ado, let’s jump into the podcast.
Chapter 1: The kings of the past.
When I first stepped into the world of data and analytics in 2014, the landscape was dominated by two giants, Tableau and Qlik. These tools were revolutionary at the time. They brought in memory analytics and drag-and-drop visualisation to the forefront. I remember the buzz around these platforms because suddenly, data that once required a specialist was accessible to anyone with a mouse and a little curiosity. This was a time when Power BI wasn’t even on a blip, on the radar; it was just starting.
So, we were captivated by the idea that data could not only be informative but also it could be just beautiful. I was really impressed by drag-and-drop possibilities, how we can jump from all-up cubes to more flexible data model creation, and so on. The focus was clear. Build the perfect dashboard, create the most insightful visualisation and the rest will follow. But something happened next.
Chapter 2: The cracks in the foundation.
Because as we roll, we’re all impressed by data visualisation. We saw new challenges that began to surface. I saw it first-hand. The dashboards were working, but there was something missing. Businesses realised that having pretty charts wasn’t enough if the underlying data wasn’t robust.
It wasn’t long before integration issues began cropping up. I watched as teams struggled to pull together data from various styles, cloud platforms became more prevalent, and suddenly managing the data pipeline was a full-time job, and just a visualisation wasn’t enough. The question shifted from how we visualise this data to how we even get this data in one place.
Chapter 3: The Age of Intelligence.
By the time Power BI entered the scene and began to grow its market share, the industry was already moving towards something more sophisticated. Companies were no longer satisfied with just looking at historical data. They wanted to predict the future. I remember the excitement and, at times, the scepticism as much learning and AI started being integrated into BI tools. It was a shift from hindsight to foresight, and suddenly, BI was about more than just reporting; it was about making decisions. The companies that embraced this new wave began to see BI not just as a reporting tool, but as a critical component of their strategy, capable of transforming grow data into actionable insights.
Chapter 4: The New Frontier.
So, today, the conversation around BI is radically different from what it was just a decade ago. I’ve seen how modern BI tools have become essential for not just analysing the past, not just for today, but also for navigating the future. The companies that truly get this are using BI to do more than ever before. They are integrating it across all levels of their organisation, using it to break down data silos and leverage the cloud to scale their operations. But what excites me most is how BI is now at the forefront of innovation. Whether it’s optimising supply chains with predictive analytics, personalising customer experience or identifying new market opportunities, BI is no longer a support tool. It’s a strategic asset.
The Future of Data Analytics
Over the past few years, I’ve been thinking about how AI and its potential are supposed to revolutionise the business. Everywhere you turn, there’s another headline about how much AI is set to take over the world of data analytics. But as much as I’m excited about these possibilities, I can’t help but notice that for many companies, AI is still more hype than reality. The truth is that when some organisations are exploring AI-driven analytics, the vast majority are still grappling with much more fundamental issues. I’ve seen it time and again. Businesses of all sizes in every industry still rely heavily on Excel for their day-to-day data needs. The research I saw and my personal experience show that more than 90% of companies still use Excel as their primary tool for analysis.
This tells me there’s still a huge opportunity for BI Systems to deliver real value by helping these companies move beyond spreadsheets to more powerful integrated solutions. If you are one of these companies, if you are wondering how you can turn your Excel into something more sophisticated, more on time, and more reliable, let’s jump on a call. I would be happy to talk with you and see how we can grow your business together.
Thanks for listening, it was really a pleasure for me. I hope to share my experience from the last 10 years in the Data Analytics industry, and I hope to see you next time. Bye.
