Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
curve. Traditional sources of information include vendors, consultants, and data-
processing industry consultants, each of whom usually has a vested interest in selling
something. The vendors want to sell products; the consultants want to sell skills they
have “on the bench,” and IT industry analysts may be reselling their favorable reviews
of vendors and consultants to those same vendors and consultants. Any single source
can lead to wrong conclusions, but by talking to multiple sources, some consensus
should emerge and provide answers to your questions.
The best place to gain insight is discussing business intelligence projects with other
similar companies—at least at the working-prototype stage—at conferences. Finding
workable solutions and establishing a set of contacts to network with in the future can
make attendance at these conferences well worth the price—and can be more valuable
than the topics presented in the standard sessions.
