13. May 2008 by Rick Abbott.

I’ve launched another site, this one focused on vendor specific information.  The site will provide information in three areas:

1. Indices - includes BI25 market index, number of vendors in the space, and venture capital metrics (total Venture Capital investment, number of VCs actively invested, number of vendors with VC backing)
2. Reports - includes lists of vendors broken out by corporate type, offering categories, and venture backing, list of venture capital firms and their vendor recipients
3. Search - capability to search by vendor name, venture capital name, and offering name to get a specific subset of data (to be available in the next 30 days)

There is some overlap with 360DegreeIndex, particular with the first category.  But the focus of this site will be on the vendors and the information I’ve captured around each vendor (corporate type, offerings, venture backing).

Please e-mail me with any comments, questions, or additions to the information provided.

Posted in Vendors | 1 Comment »

13. May 2008 by Rick Abbott.

For the majority of data management initiatives I’ve seen that have failed to meet expectations, most of have resulted from a lack of strategic planning.  I’m not talking about big picture strategic planning akin to a McKinsey or Bain effort.  The strategy effort I’m talking about involves surveying the business to determine if, where, and how to deploy a data solution, then setting the parameters that will guide the technical implementation (assuming the decision is made to go forward).  My sense is that this step is skipped for one of two reasons:

1. Management isn’t aware of this step in the process
2. The perception of a “strategy process”, particularly within IT, is of a costly, long drawn out affair that produces zero value while killing numerous trees

Both of these issues can be overcome via education.  The most powerful message is that a data centric strategy does not need to take months nor cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.  For most small to midsized businesses, and even for business units of larger corporations, the strategic direction can be formulated with one working session between business and IT representatives, with follow ups via e-mail and conference call/web meeting.  The most important decision, go/no-go, should be obvious to all participants at the conclusion of the working session based on the opportunities identified and the readiness of both business and technical groups to take on an initiative of this magnitude.  Assuming the decision is to go forward, the project team should have the data required to formulate a business plan and roadmap, which can be refined and finalized without the need for another time consuming all-hands meeting.

For more details download my white paper (Data Integration Strategy).

Posted in Technical Focus, Business Focus | 1 Comment »