Why Simple Business Intelligence is Simply Better

Simple [sim-puh l] adjective, simpler, simplest.

1. Easy to understand, deal with, use, a simple matter; simple tools

2. Not elaborate or artificial

3. Not complicated

Sometimes it’s tough to actually embrace simplicity. Sure, we all think “let’s go with something simple” but when it comes down to looking at all the super cool shiny’s that come along with some products it can be easy to forget that original sentiment. We do it with everything from kitchen appliances to automobiles to technology. We want simple, but what we actually purchase isn’t always so… simple.

Part of the problem with selecting a business intelligence (BI) tool is that the people responsible for buying the tool don’t typically represent the majority user. The people making the decision are “Software Users”. They LOVE features. They LOVE shiny. They understand the features. They understand the shiny. But those people aren’t your typical user. The typical user of a BI software package are…. Well…. A little more simple!

I’ve spent over ten years working with Business Intelligence users. All types. From the Super User, to the…. Simple User. What I have found is that if the Simple User cannot use your BI Tool, it doesn’t matter how many features it’s got, it will never be successful. If you are looking for a product that you want to pass along to a wide variety of employees, you really need to pay attention to the fundamentals of the product. How easy is it to use. Not for YOU – oh Super User – but for Larry in sales. You know Larry, the guy whose laptop never works, who cannot operate the copy machine and who can NEVER download an attachment. You want to give Larry this new BI Tool, it needs to be REALLY simple. If it’s not, the poor guy will simply continue to bug you for the data.

One of the most repeated complements about Phocas is how simple it is. How easy it is for all types of employees to start using it. How quick the “getting up to speed” process was. How SIMPLE it is.

Now, simple doesn’t have to mean low-tech. Simple doesn’t have to mean non-shiny. It simply means… simple. For ALL types of users. Simple can still be powerful. Simple can still be effective. Simple can still be really shiny – it is just also easy enough for Larry to use. It’s easy to forget who our real users are when selecting a BI tool, but it’s important to take a moment and really understand what type of software user you’re passing this along to. If the majority of your users are like Larry, simple is simply best!

To see how Phocas keeps business intelligence simple, check out our 3 minute demo video.