How the hunt in Pokémon Go is similar to an executive's hunt for data

Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm. Players around the world are hunting night and day to collect virtual characters from across their city. So, how is the hunt for characters in Pokémon Go similar to an executive's hunt for data?

Pokémon Go is an augmented reality location-based game in which players hunt in the real world to capture, train, and battle virtual creatures called Pokémon through a mobile device. Once set up, the game displays the player’s current location and a map of their surroundings. The map includes PokeStops which are typically located at nearby places of interest, such as parks, historical markers, malls, hotels, and restaurants.

So how is the hunt for characters in Pokémon Go similar to an executive's hunt for data?

A sophisticated dashboard

Pokémon Go players rely on the game’s dashboard to know where to hunt. The algorithms of the game are sophisticated enough to place water-dwelling characters near the beach or make nocturnal characters available to players out at dusk. All of this information is clearly accessible through the Pokémon dashboard which enables players to make decisions.

Executives require a business intelligence dashboard that highlights key performance indicators and metrics in order to turn data into actionable insights for business success. The Phocas dashboard presents information in a way that is both visually compelling and easy to understand. The dashboard enables an executive to drill down to detailed specifics about a group of customers, a marketing campaign, or a product. With a clear and complete roadmap, businesses can quickly navigate their way to victory.

Going mobile

Because playing Pokémon Go requires players to get up off the couch and go out into the real world to find the characters, the video game is now becoming mobile. As a result, players are reaping the benefits of increased exercise and engagement. Players are discovering new experiences within their communities because the game has led them to areas they may not have explored on foot.

Today’s workforce has also become mobile. Many executives work outside the office and are regularly travelling. It is now critical that executives have access to mobile BI as it enables them to stay up to date with the latest metrics as well as explore new ways of doing business.

Community collaboration

Finally, people are collaborating more than ever in response to Pokémon Go. Many people are sharing news and updates on social media about locations where they’ve caught rare Pokémon. The game is providing new opportunities for social interaction and creating a sense of belonging within the community as players cross paths in search of characters or while at PokeStops.

Business intelligence software that offers a collaboration feature also creates a sense of teamwork as it produces opportunities for open discussions. When a team analyzes and discusses the same insights, they can assess issues and identify opportunities from different perspectives to make the best fact-based decisions.

Whether playing a game like Pokémon Go or in day-to-day business operations, fostering a sense of teamwork and collaboration creates a sense of investment in individual and group success.