Trend 7: The Hunger for Analysis and Intelligence Will Keep Growing

Business intelligence is now firmly entrenched as a strategic technology. As a result, more companies will adopt BI technology to stay competitive, and those that already have it will broaden its use. Already, mid-level managers and planning staff use BI tools at 61 percent of companies. Not only will they attempt more kinds of analysis, but more employees and managers will make use of these systems—particularly to measure performance, analyze data and track problems.

This widening use of ever more powerful analytical tools has enormous potential for the future. But the extent to which that potential is met will depend on how well the BI system connects to strategy and user needs, including the need to make these systems easier to use.