The New Year is quickly approaching. Not surprisingly, the business intelligence landscape continues to grow and evolve. Let’s take a look at what the New Year might hold in store for BI technology in 2015.
Hail to the Chief
The New Year might find us looking to the rise of the CDO, or Chief Data Officer. Industry experts are predicting that nearly 50% of Fortune 500 companies will be looking to have someone operating in this role in 2015. The CDO’s role is corralling the growing amount of data that now streams into businesses. The CFO will be tasked with overseeing all the moving parts in the data stream, like the gathering, cleaning and storage of data. This role is moving out of the responsibility of the CIO simply because of the amount of time that is needed to cover data management. Look to see news on these new masters of data in the upcoming year.
The Cloud is Growing
As demand for data increases, the need for accessibility is driving many CIOs to ensure their servers are up to the task. This means using cloud applications that allow applications to scale up quickly and on demand. Pulling large amounts of data off of the cloud for processing requires a speedy network. Older business networks that have been relying on technologies other than optical might find themselves slipping behind. Look in 2015 for higher demand for improved network speed to accommodate user and data demands.
The Internet of Things
Want to control your thermostat from your phone or start your car from your office? This is all a function of the Internet of Things. Look to see rapid growth in the IoT landscape as sensors and devices like the NEST thermostat and AT&T’s Drive Studio increase the volume of devices that are connected to and constantly reporting back on our machinery, vehicles and shipments. There has been plenty of discussion about the IoT during 2014; look for some real IoT products to emerge next year.
There is an App for That
Because there is always an app for that, users are looking to have an app for BI as well. Experts are predicting a demand for mobile applications that can do financials as well as narrative and management reporting. The principal users of this technology will initially be management, but as these types of applications begin to see more use, there will be a demand for apps like as mobile HR and financial forecasting for the users in the trenches.
Lock that Data Down
Along with increased and varied access means a need for increased security. 2014 was a year that saw a high volume of cyber attacks, most recently the one targeting Sony PlayStations, but also attacks on Target, Home Depot, P.F. Changs and Michaels. Experts agree that these will escalate even further in 2015. That, and the poor publicity that results from a data breach means that the corporate security landscape will evolve to be more complex in 2015, with integrated and multi-layer protection to keep unwanted hackers out. Says McAfee Senior Vice President Vincent Weafer, “Restoring trust in 2015 will require stronger industry collaboration, new standards for a new threat landscape, and new security postures that shrink time-to-detection.”
Microsoft Continues to Change
CEO Satya Nadella continues to surprise as he rebrands Microsoft to focus on productivity and the cloud. In his first year as CEO, Nadella has demonstrated that he is willing to go anywhere and everywhere along the bleeding edge of technology, with a vision of improving users’ lives and business productivity. 2015 looks to be another exciting year for the company.
