Devoted to Managers and those that seek to improve their management skills

There is a push by software companies to sell the concept that all companies need real-time tools in place for immediate data analysis.

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Now this may sound right when you first hear it, but think it through carefully. Is there a need for the information and statistics you gather to be used in real time i.e. that moment in time. If not, you may need to think before spending a minimum of $150,000 to put these systems in place and not need them for the purpose you thought they would be used for.

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While I know it sounds obvious, real-time technology is only needed for what needs to be done right at the moment. If it does not connect to that need, then it is pretty much not useful to your company. 

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How do you determine the difference?

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Ask yourself this question: Is the information going to be used for analysis or is it real-time data needed at the moment? The answer to that question is what should determine whether you need it or not. 

For example take UPS. If a customer is calling for the purpose of tracking a package they sent, they are looking for real-time data, not something that needs to be analyzed. That is a case where technology needs to be in place for up-to-the-moment needs.

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Another way to look at what it will take to make the decision is to determine whether the problem you are facing in your company needs an immediate or real-time solution. If you need information that is determined what happened the week before, then you don’t need real-time solutions either.

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Keep these things in mind before spending a lot of money for something that is not related to the solution you’re looking for.