Michael Grant, Synthesis Software

McKinsey believes that big data and business intelligence (BI) are technologies essential to business growth and innovation, describing them as ‘meaningful tech trends’ that deliver a convincing case when it comes to tangible business value and longterm benefits. The firm says these technologies are shaping the edge of innovation and accelerating the core qualities of the digital era – granularity, speed and scale.

However, the waterfall of new technologies, solutions and approaches can be deafening. Companies are numbed by the constant barrage of, ‘Oh, use this tool!’, ‘Hey, big data is everything!’, and ‘Look at this shiny toy’. It’s hard to find a pathway through the hype, one that will actually deliver the insights that will allow for the business to make smart decisions.