bpierce
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Registered: 06/18/07
Posts: 31
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jbliss
Registered: 10/30/09
Posts: 1
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Reply with quote | #2 |
I had an opportunity to play around with Tableau a while back (demo). It wasn't entirely intuitive. I think to become proficient with it would take me some time and effort. This is ok for me, since my role is as an information analyst. However, this would pose a significant problem for program managers in our human services organization. One of the things I would like to see is some relatively simple, short-time-frame tutorial or interface (I'm just thinking out loud)--something that would bring folks from the spreadsheet paradigm into visual analysis. Along these lines, it seems rather easy to develop analytical tools for people accustom to doing analysis (statisticians and others who are good with numbers). However, I think it is really challenging to develop these tools for individuals who need help with using the data they collect to make better quality decisions. |
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sfew
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Registered: 12/30/05
Posts: 271
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Reply with quote | #3 |
jbliss,
Nothing that is new and different is completely intuitive. Intuition is developed through experience. The fact that a tool requires instruction and practice to develop proficiency in its use is simply the way it is. If it is unfamiliar, it must be learned. What's important is that it is no harder to learn than the concepts and activities it supports, and that once learned, it works exceptionally well.
I think this is important to point out, because BI software vendors have been selling us a load of crap for years by claiming that their tools are completely intuitive--that they require no learning. Then they give us tools that are either exactly like every other tool we've ever seen, which of course is intuitive because its already familiar, or is completely incomprehensible, because it is in fact different, but designed incredibly poorly. Anything that is new and unfamiliar requires learning. Anyone who wishes to analyze data must develop the skills of data analysis. This requires time and commitment. Good tools put this goal within reach, but they don't make it happen instantly--there's no magic involved.
I wholeheartedly agree with you that software vendors ought to provide good training programs--not only for learning their software, but also for developing the basic skills that are required to use their software effectively, which in this case are data analysis skills. In Tableau's case, I believe you'll find that they provide several good training resources on their website, including free webcasts, a host of examples, good documentation, and a new book by Stephen McDaniel.
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Stephen Few |
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beeker85
Registered: 10/30/09
Posts: 1
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Reply with quote | #4 |
I've had some success in creating a dashboard acquisition "roadmap", which is both exploratory and custom, using Adobe Flex combined with the ILOG Elixir module that functions like Microsoft Project. If you haven't evaluated Adobe Flex as an effective visualization framework, I recommend you do. It requires custom development, but the environment is quick to master, and one gets exactly what one wants, which is very useful when following the guidance of your Information Dashboard book! |
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Andrei
Registered: 11/05/09
Posts: 2
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Reply with quote | #5 |
I actually very interested to know Stephen's opinion about how he compares from this angle 2 most advanced tools I know: Spotfire and Qlikview. I also expecting Microsoft PowerPivot (former Gemini) and another free Excel 2010 Add-in - Solver Foundation to interfere with competition between Qlikview and Spotfire.
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Andrei |
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sfew
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Registered: 12/30/05
Posts: 271
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Reply with quote | #6 |
Andrei,
I'll begin with Microsoft Power Pivot (formerly Project Gemini), an add-in for Excel 2010, developed by Microsoft. It's interesting, isn't it, that Microsoft is developing add-ins for one of its own products. Why not incorporate this into the base product? This wasn't developed by the team that's responsible for Excel. I suspect that the Power Pivot team is more in touch with analytics than the Excel team, but if so, not by much. Power Pivot is an attempt by Microsoft to add ways to interact with data that are more direct, seamless, and rapid than what's built into Excel--more along the lines of visual analysis products such as Spotfire and Tableau. Unfortunately, this is a late attempt by Microsoft to catch up by copying functionality in these more powerful products, but it is several years behind them in design and functionality. In other words, Power Pivot will not enable Microsoft to compete with these other products that were built for data analysis from the ground up.
Now, regarding QlikView and Spotfire. It wouldn't make sense for you to choose between these two products, because this is an apples and oranges comparison. Spotfire is a powerful visual analysis tool that can be used both for exploratory data analysis and for the development of custom analytical applications. In addition, its functionality extends into the realm of advanced visualization techniques, including advanced statistical functions (for example, clustering algorithms). QlikView is more of a developer's product (albeit one that doesn't require deep programming expertise) that can be used to build custom data visualization applications of various types, such as dashboards for monitoring information as well as custom applications for analyzing data. In my article, "Fundamental Differences in Analytical Tools", I mentioned QlikView as a product that fits into the category of tools that can be used to build custom applications, but not in the category of tools that can be easily used for exploratory data analysis, unless a developer has used it to build an application for exploring a particular set of data in particular rather than open-ended ways.
Both products are viable, but they aren't direct competitors. They would only face one another in competition in situations when the customer doesn't understand them and their significant differences. Unfortunately, this probably happens quite often. I write articles like "Fundamental Differences in Analytical Tools" to help organizations make more informed buying decisions.
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Stephen Few |
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Andrei
Registered: 11/05/09
Posts: 2
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Reply with quote | #7 |
Stephen:
thank you very much for reply, I am glad that you confirmed my thoughts: most buyers have no time and knowledge to make an informed decision and vendors sometimes misleading them intentionally.
Also I am aware of many situations when very different products like Spotfire and Qlikview are competing.
One small note in regard of Microsoft's PowerPivot and Solver Foundation - yes Microsoft is way behind, but history can give us a lesson. Microsoft was way behind Borland in IDE (Integrated Development Environment) market, but because Microsoft had (and has) huge cash reserves, they was able to hire 30+ best developers from Borland, invest 10% into Borland to make it silent and end-up with best IDE on market, called Visual Studio.
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Andrei |
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sfew
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Registered: 12/30/05
Posts: 271
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Reply with quote | #8 |
Andrei,
Microsoft might not be able to do today what it has done in the past. Since Bill Gates stepped down a few years ago, the landscape has changed. Microsoft no longer enjoys the firm position of dominance that it once had. And even if Microsoft could catch up by buying the talent that it lacks, should we be rooting for a company that maintains dominance in this way rather than by being innovative and effective in its work? Without a culture of excellence, buying talent or buying the good work of others won't keep a company afloat for long.
I'd love to see Microsoft rise again, but only if it does so by being a good software company, not simply by taking advantage of its deep pockets.
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Stephen Few |
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