IBM Cognos Analytics

Data Exploration and Visualization

Ability to visually manipulate, interact with, and explore data, and perform basic descriptive statistics and pattern detection.

Dashboard

Includes alerts and notifications, KPIs, visual analytics, and interactive features.

Collaboration

Includes ability to view, share and direct work between co-workers in real or near real-time.

Data Connectors and Data Mashup

Connect to, merge and clean data from multiple diverse data sources.

Operational Reporting Capabilities

Real-time detailed reporting to support operational business processes.

BI Platform Administration

Centralized console to manage BI portal administration. Management metrics and reports on usage, resource utilization, security, and other activities.

BI Security

Data access control management, including access permissions management, user authentication and enforcement of access permissions via technology.

Intelligent Alerts and Notifications

Ability to create, manage, send and receive notifications, enhancing efficiency and productivity.

Self Service and Ad Hoc Capabilities

Selected user groups are able to interact with BI data, slice and dice, and find answers on their own.

Mobile

Ability to support multiple devices, OSes and platforms using mobile optimized, HTML-based web access and/or native applications.

Ease of Customization

Don't get bogged down in a difficult customization; use this data to make sure you can easily achieve the functionality you need for your particular situation.

Availability and Quality of Training

Effective and readily available training enables users to get the most out of the software you've chosen. Use this section to make sure your vendor's training programs and materials measure up.

Business Value Created

Software needs to create value for employees, customers, partners, and, ultimately, shareholders. This data expresses user satisfaction - or lack thereof - with the product's business value.

Quality of Features

Feature quality is just as important as quantity. Use this data to determine if this product will do what you're purchasing it to do, easily, intuitively, reliably, and effectively.

Usability and Intuitiveness

End user learning curves cost the organization money. Pay attention to your end users' technical ability to determine how important UX is in your purchase.

Ease of Data Integration

Use this data to determine whether the product will cause headaches or make data integration easy.

Ease of Implementation

Successfully implementing new software is necessary to realize its full value and promote end user adoption. This data indicates whether or not the product is easy to implement.

Ease of IT Administration

This data indicates whether IT personnel will be able to resolve issues and perform configurations efficiently and effectively.

Breadth of Features

Users prefer feature rich software that enables them to perform diverse series of tasks. This data expresses user satisfaction with the product's breadth of features.

Vendor Support

The importance of vendor support will vary for each organization depending on internal capabilities, but there will always be issues that only the vendor can resolve.

Product Strategy and Rate of Improvement

Vendors who don't stay on top of emerging needs and trends won't enable you to meet your business goals. Use this data to separate innovators from imposters.