Custom Application Development Archives - Management Information Analysis

Mobile BI…Are Your Custom Applications Ready?

September 23, 2016 by MIAWebAdmin

Gartner analyst Ted Friedman believes that mobile delivery of BI is all about practical, tactical information needed to make immediate decisions. Friedman states, “The biggest value is in operational BI—information in the context of applications—not in pushing lots of data to somebody’s phone.”

Accessing the Internet through a mobile device such as a smartphone is also known as the mobile Internet or mobile Web. IDC expects the US mobile workforce to increase nearly 73 percent by 2020. Morgan Stanley reports the mobile Internet is ramping up faster than its predecessor, the desktop Internet, enabling companies to deliver knowledge to their mobile workforce to help them make more profitable decisions.

Michael Cooney from Gartner has identified “bring-your-own-technology at work” as becoming the norm, not the exception. By the end of this year, media tablet shipments will reach around 50 percent of laptop shipments.

In one of its latest Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms, Gartner examines whether the platform enables users to “fully interact with BI content delivered to mobile devices.” The phrase “fully interact” is the key. The ability to send alerts embedded in emails, text messages, or links to static content in email messages hardly represents sophistication in mobile analytics.

For users to benefit from mobile BI, they must be able to navigate dashboard and guided analytics comfortably—or as comfortably as the mobile device will allow, which is where devices with high-resolution screens and touch interfaces have a clear edge.

It is equally important to take a step back to define your purpose and adoption patterns. Which business users can benefit the most from mobile analytics, and what exactly is their requirement? You don’t need mobile analytics to send a few alerts or summary reports to their handhelds; without interactivity, mobile BI is indistinguishable from merely informative email or text messages.

Mobile BI applications have evolved from being a client application for viewing data to a purpose-built application designed to provide information and workflows necessary to quickly make business decisions and take action.

Our data integration and custom application development expertise allows our analysts to load, transform, mix, and match data sets as needed. We can blend internal with external data sources to establish historical trends and project need and demand, which are the backbone of any feasibility study.

Now that we have some clarity on the mobile BI process and highly positive business outcomes, call us for a friendly conversation about your data and how we can elevate it to make savvy and connected business decisions and plans. We’re easy to talk to and we listen well. 512.478.384.

We also welcome you to share your thoughts and success stories by emailing us at Kcerny@mia-consulting.com. We’ll share too.

Data: Transform It. Own It. Apply It in Your Custom Applications.

September 16, 2016 by MIAWebAdmin

Your own solution:

Every company has unique business needs. As a result of co-working with a custom software developer, you become the owner of applications that meet all your requirements. Companies often adapt their practices to how the applications work. You need to do the opposite. Custom software development services help you remain and become more competitive. It also has a major impact on productivity since the package of software is tailored to your needs. You no longer have to “share” the same solutions with others.

Support and updates:

With custom applications, your work is not dependent on the provider’s development cycle. You are in charge of all the updates and improvements. Working with in-house developers is only more efficient when your analysts do not have competing priorities. You have more personalized support using your outsourced partner. The team is aware of your individual requirements. As well, you have fewer troubles with hardware environment for applications’ hosting. Custom solutions do not need specific hosting. Applications are adapted to your existing server environment. You no longer have to pay twice as much for having twice as less.

Remember, in-house developers’ reputation and future business is riding on how successfully they develop your custom applications.

Virtually no security issues:

Using packaged software is risky. If someone hacks the software, all the companies using it are in danger of losing proprietary information. Custom software development teams provide their clients with applications that may only be affected by targeted attacks. Your application needs to have extra security measures to ensure its safety.

A custom data management application partner may also enhance your solution’s integration with other software. It makes your team’s work much more intuitive and easy.

Step-by-step production:

Custom software can be produced in chunks. It means that you can run MVP versions several times to check if there is a tight fit to your business and its data management needs. You may add or alter certain parts. Professional developers will help you achieve high performance of your application.

Every project is unique and has its own requirements. If your choice is based on certain needs and budget, you will be able to come up with the right decision. Even so, we can assist you with best practices information and processes. You need to know the differences between development teams. Also, you should be aware of proper requirement analysis.

These guidelines will be almost enough. You need to define what kind of business problems your application will be solving. We need to be especially clear that this step is essential for young companies. You indeed know that you have to work with the right people to achieve success.

Our data integration and custom application development expertise allows our analysts to load, transform, mix, and match data sets as needed. We can blend internal with external data sources to establish historical trends and to project need and demand, which are the backbone of any feasibility study.

Now that we have some clarity on process and really positive business outcomes, call us for a friendly conversation about your data and how we can elevate it to make really savvy business decisions and plans. We’re easy to talk to and we listen well. 512.478.3848.

Or, you can share your thoughts and success stories by emailing us at kcerny@mia-consulting.com. We’ll share too.

A Little Data Transformation Recap with Big Implications for You.

September 7, 2016 by MIAWebAdmin

If CIOs can convince their business unit leaders to implement integrated data platforms successfully, this solution can do the following:

Make both structured and unstructured data available and fully integrated to provide a 360-degree view of the customer
Reduce the cost and streamline the process of storing cold data (archived) and warm data (not required for real-time or data that is accessed often) in economical yet responsive solutions, and still have it available for analytics
Turn poor decisions, made on the basis of haphazard guesswork, into well thought-out and successful results that improve operational efficiencies, drive revenue, and provide a competitive advantage in the marketplace
Drive significant bottom-line improvements through the automation of routine decisions
Give organizations the ability to hold exponentially increasing amounts of new, mostly ad hoc, unstructured data sources while providing the flexibility to adapt to a complex, ever-changing business and data environment

Data is a critical asset of any company, and the success of every company lies in turning this data into insights upon which future plans can be molded. With the help of a properly prepared business data vision, backed up with leadership and support from the C-suite, the CIO can create the framework for an effective data management road map and a technology infrastructure that guide projects in the implementation to achieve their business objectives.

By adopting a blended approach that integrates legacy data with emerging big data and enabling analytics across the entire organizational data platform, the CIO becomes a leader who helps organizations achieve true, value-added, integrated, end-to-end business intelligence.

Our data integration and custom application development expertise allows our analysts to load, transform, mix, and match data sets as needed. We can blend internal with external data sources to establish historical trends and to project need and demand, which are the backbone of any feasibility study.

Give your thoughts and success stories in an email at kcerny@mia-consulting.com. We’ll share too.

Let’s Define Data Transformation and How It Elevates Your Data’s Value.

August 18, 2016 by MIAWebAdmin

Data Transformation Services, or DTS, is a set of objects and utilities to allow the automation of extract, transform and load operations to or from a database. The objects are DTS packages and their components, and the utilities are called DTS tools. DTS was included with earlier versions of Microsoft SQL Server, and was almost always used with SQL Server databases, although it could be used independently with other databases.

DTS allows data to be transformed and loaded from heterogeneous sources using OLE DB, ODBC, or text-only files, into any supported database. DTS can also allow automation of data import or transformation on a scheduled basis, and it can perform additional functions such as FTPing files and executing external programs. In addition, DTS provides an alternative method of version control and backup for packages when used in conjunction with a version control system, such as Microsoft Visual SourceSafe.

DTS has been superseded by SQL Server Integration Services in later releases of Microsoft SQL Server, though there was some backwards compatibility and ability to run DTS packages in the new SSIS for a time.

The DTS Designer is a graphical tool used to build complex DTS Packages with workflows and event-driven logic. DTS Designer can also be used to edit and customize DTS Packages created with the DTS wizard.
Each connection and task in DTS Designer is shown with a specific icon. These icons are joined with precedence constraints, which specify the order and requirements for tasks to be run. One task may run, for instance, only if another task succeeds (or fails). Other tasks may run concurrently.
The DTS Designer has been criticized for having unusual quirks and limitations, such as the inability to visually copy and paste multiple tasks at one time. Many of these shortcomings have been overcome in SQL Server Integration Services, DTS’s successor.

Data integration is the process of combining data from many different sources into an application. You need to deliver the right data in the right format at the right timeframe to fuel great analytics and business processes.

Our data integration and custom application development expertise allows our analysts to load, transform, mix and match data sets as needed. We can blend internal with external data sources to establish historical trends and to project need and demand, which are the backbone of any feasibility study.

Now that we have some clarity on process and outcomes, call us at 512.478.3848 or email us at kcerny@mia-consulting.com for a friendly conversation about your data and how we can elevate it to help you make really savvy business decisions and plans.

Data Integration Trends Include Regulations and Compliance Factors

August 3, 2016 by MIAWebAdmin

The growth of complex regulations that surround the use of data.

In healthcare, we now have a “meaningful use” standard, which is the use of certified Electronic Health Record (EHR) technology to improve quality, safety, and efficiency, as well as reduce health disparities. This means data and data integration.

Other regulations continue to arise that deal with data, such as health regulations in Europe, Sarbanes Oxley reporting, financial reporting regulations, and the list gets longer each year.

Common patterns of data integration in support of regulation include the ability to secure data in flight, as well as make sure that logs are kept of data movement and data integration procedures are followed.

These trends are happening now; it’s not just a prediction. If data integration is a part of your job, you should study these trends and understand the value that they could bring to your organization.

Our data integration and custom application development expertise allows our analysts to load, transform, mix, and match data sets as needed. We can blend internal with external data sources to establish historical trends and to project need and demand, which are the backbone of any feasibility study.

Additionally, we can help you monitor trends, measure progress toward a specific quantitative goal, or flag shifts in your market or business operations.

Take a look at one of our healthcare success stories, for example. And then call us to start a conversation that can enhance your data management investment while you make savvy delivery-location decisions.

Engage a successful, seasoned team of data integration analysts. We cost less and deliver more. Our Austin, Texas location keeps us at the epicenter of planning analytics and data-driven healthcare innovation and keeps our global capabilities and services at the forefront of our industry.

Email us at kcerny@mia-consulting.com or call us at 512.478.3848 to start a friendly, productive conversation.

Data Tools Lead to Smart Healthcare Expansion

July 27, 2016 by MIAWebAdmin

Retailers for many years have used geo-analytics—visualization or mapping tools integrating sophisticated geographical and marketing data—to decide where to open stores and restaurants. Healthcare is starting to go that way, too.

But they may make very different choices based on that data when siting a clinic for low-income people versus picking a spot for a high-end clothing store, for instance. The data are much the same, but the perspective is going to be totally different.

Healthcare organizations need to do their own homework, analyzing their patients through data extracted from electronic health records (EHRs) and health insurance claims data to see what kinds of services potential healthcare patients use, where they live, and what types of coverage they have. These data can be combined with market data, traffic pattern information, and retail location maps.

Hospitals typically have relied on inpatient data for planning. But the shift to outpatient care has created a gap in the availability of useful data because outpatient facilities often don’t have to report data to state agencies.

Still, the availability of outpatient data is improving as some states and healthcare analytics firms are collecting and analyzing it. The emphasis on data analysis and population health management in the Affordable Care Act is leading to improved data access to plan services and facilities and to help healthcare organizations decide whether to buy existing medical practices or build new ones. The trick is to take information generated by the healthcare system itself and merge that with public data sets such as census statistics on population density and income levels.

Additional data on disease rates, crime statistics, or air quality can be added, along with locations of farms markets, gyms, and parks. The healthcare industry is a decade behind the utilization curve set by the retail, logistics, and energy industries.

Our custom application development expertise allows our analysts to load, transform, mix, and match data sets as needed. We can blend internal with external data sources to establish historical trends and to project need and demand, which are the backbone of any feasibility study.

Additionally, we can help you monitor trends, measure progress toward a specific quantitative goal, or flag shifts in your market or business operations.

Take a look at one of our healthcare success stories. And then call us to start a conversation that can enhance your data management investment while you make savvy delivery location decisions.

Engage a successful, seasoned thought partner to get a value-laden perspective. Our Austin, Texas location keeps us at the epicenter of planning analytics and data-driven healthcare innovation and keeps our global capabilities and services at the forefront of our industry.

Harp, harp, harp! And Now Shadow IT?

July 14, 2016 by MIAWebAdmin

Let’s start with the gorilla in the room . . . or in your server vault.

Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated than ever. Despite the risk of creating unsecured applications, most of them still contain serious vulnerabilities. According to a recent study, more than 75 percent of web applications had serious authentication issues.

Due to security breaches, companies are making security a top priority in their app development efforts. That extends from online payment and the infrared PIN swipes to hacks through application (mobile and cloud) vulnerabilities. So, let’s tighten it up, folks.

The next problem . . .

Businesses and their workforce users underestimate the complexity and scope of their requests, grow impatient and get tired of waiting for their application “wish list” to be fulfilled, all while adding new application requirements and requests, further overloading the development queue.

Increasingly, businesses with urgent and complex application projects have begun bypassing their overloaded internal IT team altogether and going directly to external cloud solutions and third-party IT teams and app developers. This quick but not necessarily ideal model is referred to as “Shadow IT.”

Some good news . . .

Front-end technologies deliver more powerful web applications: With the coming years, users demand more responsive web applications that can rival native mobile apps and thus more emphasis is given on front-end technologies, which can very easily put more of the application in a browser.

So clearly there’s a sweet spot for custom software development firms. Those that have the technical prowess, operate autonomously, and deliver a quality product on time will be the most sought after third-party providers—as they should be.

We have said this before but it bears repeating for one compelling reason: creating and deploying custom applications is a process, not a destination. And that will continue as we get smarter about our owned data usage and parsing through and applying big data to make better strategic and tactical decisions.

You DO NOT have to bet the farm and the horses to get where you want to go with your data and analytics assets.

Engage a successful, seasoned thought partner to get a value-laden perspective. Our Austin, Texas location keeps us at the epicenter of planning analytics and data-driven innovation and keeps our global capabilities and services at the forefront of our industry.

Email us at kcerny@mia-consulting.com or call us at 512-478-3848 to start a friendly, productive conversation.

Outsourcing Your Custom Apps Development

July 6, 2016 by MIAWebAdmin

Forrester Reveals Value and Challenges in Outsourcing Custom Software Development.

Titled “Drive Innovation Using the Right Skills: The Value of Custom Software Development,” the report is based on an online survey taken by 200 IT and business leaders from enterprises in various industries in the United States, the U.K., and Australia.

The financial services and insurance industry comprises 22% of the respondents, followed by manufacturing and materials (13%), retail (10%), business or consumer services (8%), healthcare (6%), and so on. Technology companies account for only 4% of the respondents.

Why Custom Software?

According to the report, the respondents said they use custom development for at least 30% of their systems and applications, and 50% of them outsource this work because they lack the resources and the skills necessary to create custom solutions. Not only that, but 82% of the respondents said that custom software beats off-the-shelf software when it comes to meeting their business needs.

Unfortunately, the picture isn’t entirely rosy. While many of the companies outsource custom software development to third-party providers, satisfaction rates are low. Over 50% of respondents were unsatisfied with vendors’ product release frequency, the speed of development, the developers’ ability to work autonomously, the development processes used (such as Agile), and the quality of the final product, to name a few categories.

When selecting a third-party vendor, 28% of respondents said the biggest challenge was finding a company with “the right combination of technical skills, industry knowledge, design capability, and development and delivery skills,” according to the report.

What are your better choices?

You DO NOT have to bet the farm and the horses to get where you want to go with your data and analytics assets.

Email us at kcerny@mia-consulting.com or call us at 512-478-3848 to start a friendly, productive conversation.

Mobile Apps Are All the Buzz, but Not for All

June 30, 2016 by MIAWebAdmin

Despite the much-publicized demand for mobile app development in the enterprise, spending for such initiatives remains low, according to a new report from research firm Gartner, Inc. that parallels the findings of many other studies.

Gartner’s earlier report (late 2015) contends that, “Organizations want to have full control over their mobile app development initiatives; however, maintaining a pure, in-house development environment is difficult to achieve given mobile is a relatively new competency to many developers.”

The report also states that mobile app development “entails many complexities and specific activities, such as UX design and psychology or cellular coverage testing, which may be more efficiently handled by an outsourced third party experienced in mobile app development.”

Despite the hype surrounding mobile and opportunities for custom apps to enable greater workforce productivity and enhanced customer engagement, the number of custom apps created is low.

Here’s a quick and easy way to visualize the difference between the “buzz” and the results:

On the other hand, virtually all knowledge workers are using more data science- and coding-type activities in the mainstream work cycle than before, and many more are increasingly engaged in digital transformation as stakeholders in agile teams or business product managers.

In the long run, more of the population will eventually engage in a level of app construction skills but for that to materially change, schools have to do a better job teaching app building.

Meanwhile, our teams can be a highly productive bridge resource to get your custom applications mapped out, prioritized, and running– on time and within budget.

Make sure that you are not hung up in the hiring loop looking for ETL and data transformation services when you can have a trusted, security-robust partner working to get you on top of your critical data.

You can bring your data flow to its highest and best uses or you can let it languish while you guess and your competitors pass you on the back stretch. And you DO NOT have to bet the farm and the horses to get where you want to go with your data assets.

Our Austin, Texas location keeps us at the epicenter of planning analytics and data-driven innovation and keeps our global capabilities and services at the forefront of our industry.

Email us at kcerny@mia-consulting.com or call us at 512.478.3848 to start a friendly, productive conversation.

Your Data on Call . . . Virtually

June 9, 2016 by MIAWebAdmin

It’s a growing trend: more and more, business and healthcare management applications live outside of the firewall. Sure, some applications still live in-house, but others have moved to the cloud. Still others were replaced with SaaS options.

In the past, business software focused on function over form. It wasn’t usually pretty, but it got the job done. But, a funny thing happened when mobile apps and cloud-based consumer software became popular. Users realized something: Software doesn’t have to be boring or confusing.

New software has been developed with integration in mind. Software that can be integrated with existing systems via an accessible API and web services can ensure that the value of both the new and existing systems is maximized. Get on board and you are empowered to drive success.

Take a look at these changes as choices that are available—and affordable.

In our dreary past, data integration requests were time-consuming since ETL tools process in batches. Today, the demand for more agility accompanied by a shrinking budget pushes savvy information management and planning teams to search for an alternative.

Now you have the option to point your efforts in a new direction: data virtualization. Rather than copy and move data, the technology allows you to keep the tools your team currently has, abstracts data from multiple sources, and creates a virtual view for the user through a Web portal.

This enables users to quickly query, share, and—most importantly—integrate data, whether it resides in flat files, an Oracle database, or on an SQL Server.

According to Forrester, data virtualization can also be relatively inexpensive compared with traditional data integration methods, such as database consolidation.

Press the pause button for a moment, sit with your data management and analytics thought partner, and decide on which easy-to-use product meets your important criteria. A truly competitive enterprise needs a contemporary, on-call set of analytics that supports big data and everything else and is based on a streaming architecture. This is the era of visual analytics at the speed of thought.

You can bring your data to its highest and best uses, or you can let it languish while you guess and your competitors pass you on the back stretch. And you DO NOT have to bet the farm and the horses to get where you want to go with your data assets. We are a good match to be your analytics thought partner and trusted virtual team that delivers your data to your dashboards.

Reminder: in today’s mobile ecosystem, always secure your portals and data!

Our Austin, Texas location keeps us at the epicenter of planning analytics and data-driven innovation and keeps our global capabilities and services at the forefront of our industry.

Email us at kcerny@mia-consulting.com or call us at 512-478-3848 to start a friendly, productive conversation.