Vendor-Written BI White Papers As A Research Tool

Cognos.com Tip: Researching a technology-related procurement problem as complex as business intelligence can be challenging to the most seasoned manager. Thankfully, the advent of the Internet has opened avenues of information that were formerly available only to academics and, rarely, certain subject matter experts. Generalized research can be performed on various help sites. More specialized leads can frequently be found on university, professional association and not-for-profit informational sites. An important source of research materials is frequently overlooked or bypassed as being somewhat biased or prejudiced – BI white papers. These documents can be invaluable for the context they provide as they relate various product offerings to successful case studies of current installations. Cognos, for one, has no fewer than forty papers listed on their website. Use these sources wisely and remember they represent an important view of this complex subject.