Business Intelligence (B.I.), as an industry, is a bit of an odd bird. Within the B.I. “family”, there are great conversations ongoing about using data to help organizations make better decisions, understanding data challenges within organizations, and observations on changes to general business practices and how they relate to the field. For example, I’ve found some great insights from B.I. professionals within a bunch of different groups on the social networking site Linkedin.
There tends to be a “birds of a feather” thing happening with these guys though. If you speak the language and have a passion for B.I., you become a member of the flock no problem. Outside the flock though, the language seems obscure and the industry as a whole takes on a bit of a menacing pall like a murder of crows migrating into your neighbourhood.
from Artmenow's Art Blog
The analogy of crows actually serves a dual purpose here. First, there’s the misunderstood nature of the crow. Second, there’s a certain crow behaviour that I think helps to illustrate a key concept of B.I.
I recently watched a great documentary on CBC Television’s The Nature of Things that focused on crows. Watching the show had me thinking, this has some parallels to the B.I. industry!
I think it’s fair to say that, to the uninitiated, the crow is a general nuisance; they have a way of sticking their beaks all up in your business. Well, as it turns out, the crow is actually one of the most intelligent, playful, and mischievous creatures on the planet! Crows have a proven ability to problem solve, reason, and they have long dependable memories.
They also engage in complex social interactions. Very much a family oriented bird, they mate for life and extended family plays an active and ongoing role in the development of the next generation. They even appear to have funeral rituals! With over 250 distinct calls, crows have 2 separate dialects; one, for use within the flock and the other for the general public. And lastly, crows love to play! A key component for any intelligent species! After watching the documentary, I found I have a great deal of respect for these guys.
The crow behaviour that I think is useful in illustrating a key concept in B.I. relates to their use of tools; more specifically, their use of meta-tools. Let me explain. If you watch the documentary, you’ll see that the crow researchers want to test our crow’s intelligence and problem-solving skills. What’s required is for the crow to use one tool to get another tool that they can then use to get food. That first tool is the meta-tool. It’s the crow’s ability to follow through on this sequence that denotes intelligence.
1. See the food
2. See the tool that would help get the food, but is out of reach
3. Search out and find a meta-tool that will help reach the food-getting tool
4. Use the meta-tool to get the tool
5. Use the tool to get the food
In B.I., we have a concept called meta-data. Similar thing. It’s data about other data. At Indicee, we use this meta-data to help us understand your company’s data. The meta-data is the first step toward getting the food.
When we get the meta-data, it gives us the ability to go out and interpret your company data. Once we’ve interpreted your company data, you’re able to nourish your business with the valuable insights that are now within reach.
What do you guys think?
