Today’s Analytics and Business Intelligence (ABI) platforms are thoroughly augmented, enabling users to compose low/no-code workflows and applications. These platforms allow less technical users to model, analyse, explore, manage and share data, using artificial intelligence (AI) to share findings efficiently.
Characterised by easy-to-use functionality, with an emphasis on self-service usage and augmented user assistance, ABI platforms are beginning to capture more information about user behaviour and interests in order to deliver a more impactful experience to the consumer.
As the ABI, data science and machine learning (DSML) and cloud data and analytics (D&A) markets continue to converge, vendors have been pushed to improve their analytics capabilities, whilst helping customers maintain a balance between control and agility.
Given the wide selection of vendors in the ABI market, the Gartner’s Magic Quadrant report for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms, assesses the various options based on a specific set of evaluation criteria.
Widely recognised as a leading research and advisory company, the report’s findings are often used by businesses to assess the different ABI platforms, so they can find a solution that meets the unique needs/requirements of the business.
Microsoft given ‘leader’ status
Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for ABI platforms is divided into four categories; challengers, niche players, visionaries and leaders.
Ranging from start-ups backed by venture capital funds to well-established technology firms, there is a wide selection of vendors for businesses to choose from, and the Gartner’s Magic Quadrant report offers an insight into the benefits of each.
As an official Microsoft partner, most of our clients rely on Power BI to harness their data and uncover business-enhancing insights. According to Gartner’s report, Microsoft is a leader within the Magic Quadrant, due to its extensive market reach, momentum through Office 365 and adoption of a comprehensive and visionary roadmap.
For those businesses that are yet to experience Power BI first-hand, Gartner has made the following observations based on its performance as a flexible and sophisticated ABI platform.
Key strengths
According to the report, there are three key strengths of Power BI that have helped Microsoft solidify its position as an industry leader. These include:
- Alignment with Office 365, Teams and Azure Synapse: The inclusion of Power BI in the Office 365 E5 SKU has provided an enormous channel for the platform’s spread. With an increasing number of businesses now using Teams to facilitate remote working, the ability to access Power BI and ‘goals’ within the same interface is a compelling integration for users.
- Price/value combination: Power BI does not sacrifice quality in order achieve its low pricing model. The Power BI cloud service is rich in capabilities, which include an enlarged set of augmented analytics and automated ML (autoML) capabilities.
- Power portfolio and product ambition: Microsoft has a clear vision for the cross-utilisation of Power BI, Power Apps and Power Automate to drive business value. Power Apps can be embedded in Power BI dashboards or access Power BI datasets, and Power Automate flows can be constructed to take various actions based on the data provided. AI-powered services can also be accessed within Power BI Premium.
These key factors make Power BI a very effective ABI platform, and Microsoft has already voiced its intention to make Power BI the ‘go to’ hub for data and analytics in 2022.
Gaining a competitive edge
According to the Gartner report, leaders demonstrate a solid understanding of the key product capabilities and the commitment to customer success that buyers in this market demand.
They couple this understanding and commitment with an easily comprehensible and attractive pricing model that supports proof of value, incremental purchases and enterprise scale.
Simply put, Microsoft’s Power BI service is a sophisticated platform that allows businesses to build engaging reports and uncover important insights, whilst ensuring sensitive data records are protected.
If your business is looking for an ABI platform that will offer a competitive edge, then contact our in-house team of experts and find a Power BI solution that meets your unique needs.
