What Business Intelligence Will Look Like in 2019
The Future of Intelligence
David Kalinowski has pulled together insights from researchers, analysts and engagement managers, a team of PhDs from Proactive’s healthcare life sciences group, consumer industrial goods specialists, and technology and financial services pros to give us eight trends to look for in 2019.
Listen to Episode #6
Episode Summary
Key Trends
Seek External Perspectives
Use Artificial Intelligence to Support Human Analysis
Apply Subject Matter Expertise
Watch Regulatory Shifts
Utilize Technology Tools
Engage in Primary Research
Implement War Gaming
Track Indicators to Provide Early Warning
Seek External Perspectives
Perspective is often limited to inside an organization but forward-thinking organizations will seek an external perspective and a holistic view of what’s going on in their space. David provides good examples of why that’s important.
Use Artificial Intelligence to Support Human Analysis
“The human mind is still the most significant computer.”
Machine learning and artificial intelligence in CI is a growing consideration but David doesn’t see these tools replacing humans any time soon. He explains how these tools will augment research while the deep analytical thinking on behaviors, beliefs and feelings will still require the power of the human mind.
Insights, implications and recommendations are still well beyond computer-based systems and truly where the value is found in a top-of-the-line CI professional.
David also talks about his friend Matthew Kelly and his new book “The Culture Solution” and the need to humanize work again.
Apply Subject Matter Expertise
Collecting and analyzing information is a critical requirement of an intelligence firm but where the really unique insights are found are from those with experience in a particular field. David explains how critical it is to engage with intelligence experts who understand your industry and can explain the impact of the information gathered.
Watch Regulatory Shifts
All industries are or will face regulatory changes of some sort in 2019. David gives the example of pharmaceuticals and how drug forecasting is becoming more challenging to do and how important it is to understand the changing landscape of the FDA.
Larger than that, however is the impending shift with social media and how privacy laws will be shaping how we gather and use information this year.
Utilize Technology Tools
David shares insights in how technology tools – in particular, in the gathering of secondary information, will save researchers 40%-50% of their time. Aggregation tools will help automate the processes that many still manually use thereby allowing for more analytical time. Visualization tools will also help tell the story through pictures and improve the delivery of an analysis.
Engage in Primary Research
Primary research or original research differs from secondary research in that secondary research is published and accessible to most everyone. It doesn’t provide any unique advantage. It’s a good foundation but it’s the tools, techniques and hard work of getting the primary research – collecting original information, conducting interviews, visiting trade shows – that fosters the real intelligence work. David shares some ways in which primary research is different and the nuances with which an extremely skilled intelligence practitioner goes about getting primary research.
Implement War Gaming
“It’s such a critical weapon that companies still are not embracing.”
War gaming or the practice of role playing your competition is a trend David sees set to take off as a powerful competitive advantage where many have largely ignored.
David explains the ongoing concern of linking intelligence to strategic decision making and how war gaming bridges that gap so effectively. He explains how the really forward-thinking executives will come to realize that beta testing a strategy will be as critical as beta testing software before wide release.
Track Indicators to Provide Early Warning
“It’s great to learn about the past. It’s okay to learn about now, but it’s better to learn about the future!”
More companies will start tracking indicators and connecting them to future scenarios to understand what's more plausible to happen.
Identifying and monitoring observable events will help determine which scenarios are more likely to come true enabling better decision making – which hopefully this episode has done a little for you in thinking about how best to proceed this year in your intelligence efforts.