For Business Process & Applications Professionals

The Forrester Wave™: Predictive Analytics And Data Mining Solutions, Q1 2010

SAS, SPSS/IBM, KXEN, Oracle, And Portrait Software Lead, With Others Innovating

by James G. Kobielus, February 4, 2010

In Forrester's 53-criteria evaluation of predictive analytics and data mining (PA/DM) vendors, we found that SAS Institute, SPSS (evaluated separately from new parent IBM's other PA/DM offerings), KXEN, Oracle, Portrait Software, and IBM (pre-SPSS acquisition . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

BI In The Cloud? Yes, And On The Ground, Too

Why, When, And How To Select A BI SaaS Vendor

by Boris Evelson, January 26, 2010

Slowly but surely, with lots of criticism and skepticism, the business intelligence (BI) software-as-a-service (SaaS) market is gaining ground. It's a road full of peril — at least two BI SaaS startups have failed this year — but what software . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

IBM's BAO Service Offering Is Positioned For Growth In 2010

by Chris Andrews, January 25, 2010

In April 2009, IBM Global Business Services (GBS) announced the formation of its Business Analytics and Optimization (BAO) services organization, a move that IBM claimed would help clients make "a fundamental shift to a smarter, fact-based enterprise." . . .

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

SharePoint Server 2010: An Evolutionary Step Toward Content-Centric Middleware

by Rob Koplowitz, January 25, 2010

At the SharePoint Conference in October 2009, Microsoft disclosed the full functional road map for SharePoint Server 2010. Forrester views this release as evolutionary, not revolutionary. Since its debut in 2001, SharePoint's value proposition has evolved . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Topic Overview: Information Architecture

by Gene Leganza, January 13, 2010

Information architecture (IA) is a cornerstone of enterprise architecture (EA), but 43% of the architects we surveyed either have not yet addressed this domain or have only begun to implement what they need. And for the vast majority of the established . . .

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

The Next Wave Of IT Investment Is Smart Computing

Smart Computing Drives The New Era Of IT Growth

by Simon Yates, January 5, 2010

Like the mainframe, personal, and network computing eras that have gone before it, "Smart Computing" will usher in a new era of technology innovation and growth. But, says Andrew Bartels, it will be the most vertical epoch yet. It represents an amalgam . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Hot Insurance Tech Companies To Watch In 2010

by Ellen Carney, December 21, 2009

The insurance industry toughed it through the darkest days of the downturn by focusing on two perennial business themes — cutting costs and driving efficiency. But as the economy returns to growth, insurers are now aiming for business growth and . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

BI Maturity In The Enterprise

by Boris Evelson, December 4, 2009

This set of data charts present the findings from Forrester's Q4 2009 Global BI Maturity Online Survey.

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Smart Computing Drives The New Era Of IT Growth

A New Tech Investment Cycle Holds Seismic Promise — And Challenges

by Andrew Bartels, December 4, 2009

The technology industry has entered a new cycle of tech innovation and growth, which we are calling "Smart Computing." Like prior cycles of mainframe computing, personal computing, and network computing, Smart Computing will power a seven- to eight-year . . .

For CIOs

CIOs: Develop A Technology Watch List

The Top 15 Technology Trends To Watch

by Sharyn Leaver, November 13, 2009

As IT executives set out their strategies and plan for 2010 and beyond, they must determine what the top technology trends are for their business and gauge IT's ability to support the next phase of technology innovation and growth. To help, Forrester . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

In-Database Analytics: The Heart Of The Predictive Enterprise

by James G. Kobielus, November 12, 2009

Visionary organizations are adopting an emerging practice known as "in-database analytics," which supports more pervasive embedding of predictive models in business processes and mission-critical applications. With in-database analytics, enterprises migrate . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Inquiry Insights: Business Intelligence, 2008 To H1 2009

The BI Market Is Changing And So Are The Questions

by Holger Kisker, Ph.D., November 5, 2009

Forrester receives more than 20,000 inquiries every year that reflect the key questions for which vendors and users are seeking answers. In 2008 and the first half of 2009, 632 of these questions were related to the business intelligence (BI) market. . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Market Overview: The Business Intelligence Software Market

Advanced Analytics Will Drive Growth To $14 Billion By 2014

by Holger Kisker, Ph.D., October 23, 2009

Business intelligence (BI) software is the tip of the application software pyramid. Pure functionality, no matter how sophisticated, is no longer sufficient to successfully support the changing business requirements of today. BI provides business guidance . . .

For Customer Intelligence Professionals

The Marketing And Customer Analytics Software Landscape

Unraveling A Potpourri Of Technology Options For Customer Analysis

by Suresh Vittal, October 16, 2009

Marketers recognize that Customer Intelligence is rapidly becoming a mission-critical discipline. This should come as no surprise — valuing, targeting, and retaining the best customers are skills in high demand. But few marketing organizations can . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

The Top 15 Technology Trends EA Should Watch

by Alex Cullen, October 6, 2009

IT organizations need to inform their annual and longer-term plans with an understanding of how changes in technology will enable business outcomes. EA groups are the logical leaders for this effort. Forrester has identified 15 technologies with the greatest . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Forrester's BI Maturity Assessment Tool

by Boris Evelson, September 11, 2009

Business intelligence is a set of methodologies, processes, architectures, and technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information used to enable more effective strategic, tactical, and operational insight and decision-making. . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

The Business Case for BI: Now More Critical Than Ever

by Boris Evelson, August 25, 2009

Even as IT reduces or holds budgets steady in many enterprise software sectors, business intelligence (BI) initiatives remain front and center in most enterprise business and IT agendas. As the demand for pervasive and comprehensive BI applications increases, . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Untamed Business Processes: When Even The Best Of Intentions Go Awry

by Craig Le Clair, August 21, 2009

A business process — at its highest level — is any activity that helps an enterprise achieve its goals. Packaged and industry-specific applications form the transactional backbone for most critical business processes in enterprises and small . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Business Intelligence (BI) Polishes Its Crystal Ball

IBM's SPSS Deal Nudges Analytics Industry Toward Deeper Predictive Focus

by James G. Kobielus, Boris Evelson, Leslie Owens, August 18, 2009

Enterprise strategic, tactical, and operational decision-makers want to understand past and present activity but also anticipate the future to avoid being blindsided by seemingly hidden events. How do companies build a competitive "crystal ball"? They . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Refresh Your Information Management Strategy To Deliver Business Results

by Rob Karel, James G. Kobielus, August 11, 2009

Many enterprises lack a framework to ensure business alignment with their information management (IM) strategies. Yet sound strategy is critical for prioritizing IM investments. Business issues driving the urgency for a revitalized strategy include: 1) . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Latest BI Adoption Trends -- Still Ripe In Opportunities Across Regions, Company Sizes, And Industries

by Boris Evelson, August 6, 2009

This set of data charts examines BI adoption trends from Forrester's recent Enterprise And SMB Software Survey, North America And Europe, Q4 2008.

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Big Blue Gets Smarter: IBM Announces The Acquisition Of SPSS

IBM Strikes Out To Become The Leading BI Vendor

by Holger Kisker, Ph.D., July 29, 2009

On July 28, 2009, IBM announced the plan to acquire SPSS, a leading provider of predictive analytics solutions. The acquisition, which is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, is expected to close later this year and will accelerate IBM in the . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Mighty Mashups: Do-It-Yourself Business Intelligence For The New Economy

by James G. Kobielus, July 23, 2009

Enterprise business intelligence (BI) professionals face severe resource constraints, and the soft economy keeps budgets tight. One consequence is a lengthening queue of user requests to develop and revise reports, dashboards, cubes, and other analytic . . .

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

How SaaS-Able Are Content, Collaboration, And Data Software Categories?

Only Some Categories Possess The Innate Characteristics Suited To SaaS Delivery

by Craig Le Clair, Ted Schadler, July 8, 2009

Many enterprises are considering information and knowledge management (I&KM) software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions as alternatives to on-premise software installations and perpetual-license models. In response, I&KM vendors — old and new . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Market Momentum: Business Application Software, H2 2008

Software Supermajors Set The Trend For Integrated Solutions

by Holger Kisker, Ph.D., July 7, 2009

Various prominent mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in early 2008 significantly changed the face of the business application software market, leading to the rise of the software supermajors. In the second half of 2008, vendor activities focused on product . . .