Do you usually work in a team in your company? How does the composition of a BI team look like?
It highly depends on the task I work on. Data visualization is normally done by one person, but other tasks require a whole team. The big advantage here at "Informatec” is that we have specialized and highly skilled professionals for any BI topic. Everybody is willing to help and to learn more from each other. The number of Consultants working on a specific project depends on the size and duration of the project.
Which programming languages and tools are you using in your job?
Mostly I use the Qlik technologies - QlikView, Qlik Sense, Qlik GeoAnalytics and Qlik NPrinting. For planning, forecasting and budgeting we integrate the Jedox functionalities in the Qlik platform. Often it is necessary to know SQL for data preparation and sometimes you need JavaScript, for example to connect the visualization tools to a cloud database of a customer if there is no API. We also benefit from our background as software developers when, for instance, implementing our know-how in the creation of the individual standard Business Intelligence framework iVIEW.
Which skills would you regard as vital for your job role?
Curiosity and the willingness to keep on learning because technologies, Ad-Ons and other tools are always changing and evolving as the BI world is highly dynamic. If you don’t keep up the pace you'll find yourself soon outdated and out of the game. Another important skill is teamwork. The ability to work well with different kinds of customers is central and requires an adaptive approach to become a trusted advisor.
What was your career path to becoming a BI Consultant?
I studied at the University of Economics and Business in Vienna. During this time, I worked for an insurance company in the marketing and sales department where I got in touch with BI tools for the first time. I thought these BI tools – it was QlikView and Qlik NPrinting - were very powerful and can generate highly valuable insights. For these reasons I focused solely on BI and soon devoted my complete attention to this field.
How do you see the development of Business Intelligence over the next 3 years?
“Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant.”- and the same goes for companies, as the amount of data generated by a company gets bigger and bigger. But data is one of the most valuable resources. To cope with an always increasing amount of data companies are well advised to choose the support of a BI consultant. Every company should be able to gain insights and make decisions based on their retrieved data. Otherwise they lose important information about their customers, suppliers, processes and many more.
Which three pieces of advice would you give to aspiring BI consultants?
These advices are not only for future BI Consultants, but for everybody:
- Discover what you like doing and then try to be among the best
- Stay curious and never stop learning
- Take advices no matter if you are the CEO or an Intern
Thank you for your time!
