Your Guide to Forging a More Active Relationship with Data

Data is alive. For all you Star Trek fans out there, sadly I’m not referring to the sudden resurrection of Dr. Noonian Soong’s AI-powered synthetic life form. I’m talking about the data that we use every day. A living entity that is constantly growing, evolving and creating new connections.

I’m aware that this sounds a little like I’m living in a science fiction novel, but this is the reality that we need to start adapting to because doing so creates the advantage that will set businesses apart in an increasingly competitive environment.

>> Learn how to improve critical business outcomes – faster – with real-time analytics in the Gartner Report on the Executive Insights Center

Don’t worry, I’m not about to throw buzzwords and quotes at you about data being the new oil. I think we all get by now that data is the lifeblood (couldn’t help myself) of work and play. What I want to try and do is change the mindset around data as something passive.

The pace of the world that we live in requires businesses to make decisions and take action as an event happens. That’s just to stay in the game. To genuinely compete and drive transformation and value requires the ability to take an unexpected action. It’s impossible to do that using passive, historical data sets residing in systems that can’t trigger action. Businesses need to move from a passive to an active approach to business intelligence that captures business moments.

How do they do that?

This is not a simple topic so rather than just give one view (my view), I invited world-class business authors, academics and commentators to share their opinions and experience in our new periodical on Active Intelligence.

From global trend-watcher, executive advisor and author Dr. Vikram Mansharamani discussing why “informed action” is the antidote to the poison of information overload, the danger of being blinded by focus when making decisions in the face of radical uncertainty and how contextual intelligence is critical to good leadership. To learnings from Schneider Electric on how data can be used to deliver “truth-telling facts to help have uncomfortable conversations” and ”the moral hazard of people accepting data when it helps to highlight their point”.

Each piece provides insight into how companies have changed the way they manage their data and established a culture of informed action – vital to success in even in the most disruptive times.

So, if you’re interested in learning how to interact with data as a living entity, I encourage you to have a read. You can view the full magazine at Qlik’s Executive Insights Center qlik.com/executiveinsights.