Business intelligence (BI) is the use of software and services that help to turn data—often “big data”—into valuable insights. Those insights can then be used to form smarter decisions, plans and strategies. For example, companies can use BI to identify problems, increase efficiency, spot market trends early on and develop revenue-boosting strategies. It's the responsibility of business intelligence analysts to analyze the insights being generated and use them to help an organization’s key players make better decisions, plans and strategies.
Entry-level business intelligence analysts, which may hold job titles such as Business Intelligence Analyst I, Junior Business Intelligence Analyst or Assistant Business Intelligence Analyst, usually have skills in Microsoft Excel, SQL, databases, data warehouses and data visualization.Required skills vary considerably by organization and level; some roles may require additional skills such as Python programming or experience with specific analytical tools, and are suitable for higher-level professionals who have a few years of experience under their belt.
One way business intelligence analysts help organizations is by assessing four V’s of big data:
