What’s in the data?
BI focuses on analyzing sets of data to find patterns and anomalies that can provide information to help in making better decisions. Take, for example, a health insurance payer who utilizes BI to analyze claims and identify those which are abnormal and may indicate fraud or abuse. An automotive supply company can access DMV data to know what types of cars are driven by potential customers in their service area, and so decide which parts to carry. A retail company can access historical customer data to create more effective advertising and to decide whom to target. How should we use limited resources? Business Optimization enables companies to make better use of resources like cash, people and time. It helps build plans and schedules that are better than those based just on previous experience and intuition. For example, a retailer wants to place the best possible set of items on the shelves. An appliance repair company wants to employ staff with the right skills, and deploy them optima
