How Business Intelligence is affecting the development process to DevOps
Using technology is something most businesses do on a daily basis. Without the right tech tools in place, it will be hard for a small business to maintain their competitive edge. Luckily, there are a variety of software programs on the market designed to make businesses more efficient and productive.
A recent study found that nearly 60 percent of the businesses in America outsource their software development. If your company is tasked with building software programs for other businesses, making this process quick and painless is a must. Many software development firms have adopted the DevOps methodology in order to make this process easier.
Not only should you think about using the DevOps methodology during software development, you need to use business intelligence (BI) tools as well. These tools come in many shapes and sizes, which is why you need to do your homework before choosing the right fit for your company. Consulting with IT professionals is a must when attempting to get BI tools in place and functional.
The following some of the benefits that come with using both BI and DevOps.
Improve situational awareness
As any business owner knows, having the right data can make a big difference when it comes to taking a project in the right direction. Being able to use fresh and relevant data during the software development process will help you avoid crucial mistakes. The only way to ensure the data you are receiving is both uncorrupted and fresh is by implementing the use of BI tools.
While most business owners use BI programs to help manage big data, you can use it on a project. Having all of the details of a project entered into one of these programs can make a big difference when it comes to showing your team the big picture. Ideally, you want to use BI tools and DevOps methodologies to show your team a better way of developing programs from the ground up.
If software is built using these tools, it will be far more reliable and useful. The main idea behind the DevOps methodology is to continuously test the software programs being developed. When coupled with up to date data provide by a BI program, your team can change and alter a piece of software to fit the needs and desires of shareholders.
By using the continuous testing model, you can reduce the number of software errors you face in the future. Are you looking for more information about how to find and correct Python logging errors? If so, you can find some helpful details here.
Foster enhanced creativity and innovation
Staying competitive in the world of software development can be challenging. This market is ever-changing, which means you will need to stay in the know regarding these changes to stay competitive. Rather than relying on a “gut feeling”, you can figure out exactly what consumers are gravitating towards with the help of BI tools.
These tools are designed to collect data to help businesses make important decisions with ease. Once you have received data regarding what your audience is looking for, you can let your team start the software creation process. Having a roadmap of what the software needs to look like will allow your team to focus more on innovation and unique appeal.
By giving your team the tools to stay on the cutting edge of software development, you can avoid falling behind your competition. Failing to embrace the convenience and power of DevOps or BI may lead to your programs looking outdated or operating inefficiently. You need to look at these tools as investments. As time goes by, you will see how much BI and DevOps can help you and your employees.
Increased communication is beneficial
When working on largescale development projects, you will need to provide your team with the ability to communicate with ease. Using BI programs allows you to share important information with every member of your team. Often times, these programs have easy to use dashboard features.
These dashboards can be customized to fit just about any DevOps methodology and software development project. Some of the information that you receive from a BI program will be highly sensitive. This means that not every member of your team will need to see it.
Setting proper restrictions on this data can save you a lot of headaches in the future. Failing to put these restrictions in place is a recipe for disaster. The last thing you want is for this highly sensitive information to fall into the hands of a cyber-criminal. If you are unsure about how to customize the BI program you have chosen to use, seeking out guidance from an IT professional is your best course of action.
By increasing the amount of communication your team has with each other, you can avoid mistakes throughout the software development process. The last thing you want is for vitals tasks to go undone due to a lack of communication and information. Holding regular meetings with your staff is a great way to ensure all of them are on the right track. Often times, you will need to give your developers a crash course on how to utilize the power of BI programs. The time and effort you invest in this type of instruction will definitely pay off in the long run.
Things to consider when implementing new business intelligence tools
The key to finding the right BI tools for your business is lots of research. The last thing you want to do is rush through this selection process due to the problems this may cause. When looking at business intelligence tools, you need to consider things like how easy it is to use and whether or not it can be easily incorporated into your existing IT framework. Read below to find out how to implement new BI tools successfully.
Getting all of your team members on board
Once you have found the right BI tools for your company, taking the time to educate yourself on how they work is imperative. After you are familiar with what theses programs do, you will need to relay this information to your team.
The last thing you want to do is keep your developers in the dark about this new technology. By explaining in detail what the benefits of this program is, you can win over your team. As you may know, most employees are very apprehensive when it comes to learning new technologies. Instead of spring new BI tools on your team without warning, you need to ease them into this transition.
If you are having a hard time conveying the importance of these tools, then allowing IT professionals to help you out is a good idea. Often times, these professionals will have more knowledge about BI programs. This knowledge will help them relay important information to your team in an easy to understand way.
Work on keeping it simple
One of the biggest mistakes that most overzealous business owners make is investing in BI tools that are far too advanced. While it is good to have state-of-the art BI tools, you want to be able to use them easily. More advanced BI tools are designed for people who have been using this technology for a while.
You will need to go out and find a program that is built for your team’s skill level. Often times, the providers of this type of software will have demo versions they can show you. By getting a look at a software demo, you can surmise whether or not it is the right fit.
If at all possible, involve your team on this decision as much as possible. Not only will this help take the stress of choosing this program off of your shoulders, it can also make your team feel more important. With their input, finding the right BI tools will be a lot easier.
Setting goals is vital
You need to realize that it may take a while for the BI tools you invest in to become useful. There is a definite learning curve when it comes to these types of tech tools. Before implementing new BI tools, you need to make a list of goals for your team.
Generally, these goals will be performance related. For instance, setting a goal that involves your team using the information from a BI tool to optimize the functionality of a new piece of software is a good idea. If your team knows what you expect out of them and the new tools, they will be able to reach for these goals.
Instead of letting the thought of using new technology intimidate you, it is best to view them as a stepping stone to the future. Using the latest and greatest tools in the software development industry can help you achieve the level of success you are after. Instead of trying to handle the choosing and implementation of new BI tools on your own, you need to work with IT professionals.