Chapter 8

Computational Architectures

Making the most out of one’s technology requires aligning use to context. Not everyone needs the most powerful tools in the world. Everyone, however, needs purpose-built tools if they’re to succeed. Using a motorbike when one needs a truck is a recipe doomed to failure.

Technology can be baffling even to those comfortable with advanced analytics. Most organizations struggle with:

  • Using inappropriate tools simply because they’re available.
  • Getting access to the processing horsepower they need to solve increasingly hard problems.
  • Working in environments in which they need to be mobile but share their work with others.
  • Driving down platform maintenance costs.

The solutions described in the next section focus on techniques and approaches to overcome these challenges.

MOVING BEYOND THE SPREADSHEET

CASE STUDY: WHY READ THIS?
When will this help?
Read this if your analytics capabilities are tied to spreadsheets.
How will it help you?
Using this approach will help you start the journey toward being an analytical competitor.
What are the guiding principles?
  • Drive outcomes, not insight
  • Automate everything non-value-added
  • Minimize custom development
  • Keep things simple
What else should you read?
  • Scaling past the PC
  • Staying mobile and connected
  • Moving to operational analytics
  • Understanding the data value chain
  • Creating data-management processes

The Background: What’s Easy Isn’t Necessarily Right

Analysis has never been easier—tools such as spreadsheets ...

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