Data analytics is no longer the exclusive domain of specialist data teams. Across both public and private sector organisations attending the Elevate.Tech Summit, analytics platforms are becoming central to operational decision-making, business planning and digital transformation initiatives…
From improving customer experience and workforce planning to supporting financial forecasting and operational efficiency, organisations are increasingly relying on data-driven insight to gain competitive advantage and improve performance.
However, the analytics market continues to evolve at lightning-fast pace, so selecting the right platform has become increasingly challenging. IT leaders must balance business requirements, governance obligations, integration needs and future scalability while ensuring users can access meaningful insights effectively.
More Than Reporting
One of the biggest trends shaping analytics is the shift from static reporting towards self-service and real-time analytics. Business users increasingly expect instant access to dashboards, visualisations and operational insights without relying on technical teams to generate reports. At the same time, organisations are investing in predictive analytics and AI-powered capabilities that help identify trends and opportunities before they emerge. As a result, IT leaders are prioritising platforms that can support:
- self-service reporting;
- real-time data analysis;
- predictive modelling;
- AI-assisted insights; and
- enterprise-wide accessibility.
The goal is increasingly to democratise data while maintaining appropriate governance and control.
Integration and Data Quality Remain Key Challenges
We know from our Elevate.Tech Summit delegates that technology capabilities alone do not guarantee successful analytics outcomes. Many organisations continue to struggle with fragmented data environments involving multiple ERP systems, CRM platforms, operational databases and cloud applications. Without effective integration, analytics tools may provide incomplete or inconsistent information.
Data quality also remains a major challenge. Poor data governance can undermine confidence in reporting and reduce adoption across the organisation.
For this reason, analytics solutions should be evaluated not only on visualisation capabilities but also on their ability to connect, cleanse and manage data effectively across the wider technology ecosystem.
Security, Governance and Compliance
As analytics platforms become more widely used, governance requirements are becoming important. Organisations need confidence that sensitive information is protected and that access controls align with regulatory and organisational policies. IT leaders should therefore assess:
- role-based access controls;
- audit trail functionality;
- data lineage capabilities;
- GDPR compliance support;
- cloud security standards; and
- governance and reporting frameworks.
For public sector organisations and regulated industries, these considerations can be just as important as analytics functionality itself.
Data Analytics Supplier Selection Checklist
When evaluating analytics platforms, IT leaders should consider:
- Ease of use for business users
- Self-service analytics capabilities
- AI and predictive analytics functionality
- Data integration and interoperability
- Scalability across departments and locations
- Cloud and hybrid deployment options
- Security and governance features
- Dashboard and visualisation capabilities
- Performance with large data volumes
- Vendor support and implementation expertise
- Product roadmap and innovation strategy
- Total cost of ownership
Product Guide: Leading Data Analytics Platforms
Commonly evaluated solutions include:
- Microsoft Power BI
- Tableau
- Qlik Sense
- Google Looker
- SAP Analytics Cloud
- IBM Cognos Analytics
- Oracle Analytics Cloud
- ThoughtSpot
- SAS Visual Analytics
- MicroStrategy
Each platform offers different strengths around visualisation, self-service analytics, AI capabilities and enterprise integration, making careful requirements assessment essential.
Building an Analytics Platform for the Future
As discussed, organisations continue to expand their use of data, analytics platforms are becoming critical components of wider digital transformation strategies. The focus is increasingly on selecting a scalable, secure and integrated analytics platform capable of supporting business intelligence, operational performance and future AI-driven innovation across the organisation.
Are you searching for Data Analytics solutions for your organisation? The Elevate.Tech Summit can help!
