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Why stacked line charts are useful
Stacked line charts Stacked line charts are a great and yet simple tool. Here is why. We often run into a situation where we need to analyze data with different units of measure. Think about a classic but yet simple situation: Vital company data such as revenue, margin % and expenses is used to obtain…
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Watch that chart aspect ratio!
The chart aspect ratio The other day I reviewed a dashboard. It looked great. But there was a chart on the bottom that just did not make any sense. It was way too long and stretched out. As a result, it was very difficult to use it appropriately. And that reminded me: We have to…
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The Cognos Blueprints are back – for Cognos Insight
IBM Cognos Blueprints Have you heard of the Cognos Blueprints? They are pre-configured planing and forecasting templates. You can download them from the IBM Cognos Innovation Center website. Each blueprint comes with a fully functional set of model definition files, model and business best practices documentation. There are over 50 different Cognos Blueprints available for…
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How to improve your forecasting templates through initiatives
Forecasting concerns Despite its tremendous importance, forecasting remains one of most disliked processes in many companies. Part of the problem are the forecasting templates themselves. They are extremely complex and cumbersome. Today, I want to look at a simple technique that can improve the usability of the forecasting templates while also increasing the ability to gain…
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Why you should add prototyping to your toolbox
The value of prototyping Last week, I came across an excellent post by the Truly Deeply blog. It was titled ‘Brands need to Innovate or they will fade‘. The author of the blog argues that brands are under pressure to innovate their products and services. But innovating becomes harder and harder as the “future is…
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Business Analytics news for the week
Business Analytics news This has been an extremely busy but exciting week. It seems like the whole world is full of energy. Here are a few things you might want to be aware of. CFO.com Webinar Forecasting If you are interested in forecasting, make sure to register for the upcoming CFO.com webinar ‘Forecasting in turbulent…
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Please welcome IBM Cognos TM1 10.1
IBM Cognos TM1 10.1 There is a lot of exciting stuff happening in the Business Analytics area. Last week, I wrote about the release of the personal analytics tool Cognos Insight. But there is more. Along with Cognos Insight, IBM also released the latest version of TM1. And let me tell you, IBM Cognos TM1…
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Cognos Insight is here! A first look.
Cognos Insight & Personal Analytics Exciting news! The latest member of the IBM Cognos family of business analytics solutions IBM Cognos Insight is here. This solution will provide business users with analytical freedom while allowing IT to maintain proper control. Some of you have might have already seen a demo. The purpose of this post is…
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Freedom to think?
Change that viewpoint Last summer I participated in a Bavarian wedding. As a photographer I was really excited to see three traditional alphorn players. The early results looked good on the camera monitor (left photo). At that point I was tempted to pack up and celebrate with my friends. But I resisted and began to…
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The power of what if analysis
What if analysis What do Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, Thomas Watson and Pep Guardiola (coach of FC Barcelona) have in common? – All of them have challenged the old and set ways of doing things. Challenging old ways provided them with new opportunities and their success speaks for itself. That raises a question: What can…
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