Performance Perspectives by Cognos, an IBM company

Solving the complexity challenge, sort of (Part 3 of 3)

Mon, 5 May 2008 09:36:32 -0400

Managing BI complexity in your own shop? You're not alone: the last of our InformationWeek exclusives delves headfirst into ETL, integration, and the impact BI can have on existing IT infrastructures.

The Fast Close and performance management: More than distant cousins (Part 4 of 5)

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:54:06 -0400

The sooner you have acccurate actuals, the sooner you can measure your progress, writes Gary Simon. Here, he explains how the Fast Close can act as the "engine" of your performance management goals.

Lean manufacturing goes beyond the shop floor

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:19:09 -0400

The practice took Toyota to the top of the automotive world. Now retailers, banks, and even airlines are discovering that less is truly more. A look at why that is and why you'll need analysis, plans, and dashboards along the way.

How solid is your performance management platform?

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 09:21:45 -0400

Integration. Integration. Integration. Not to put too fine a point on it, but deployments only succeed if data, applications, and capabilities mesh. The key? Make sure to start with a platform like the one we describe here.

Strategic flexibility: Your defense against the downturn

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 09:00:54 -0400

Whether we're in for a "long slog" or just a "shallow downturn," finance leaders' outlook is decidedly downbeat. McKinsey says you can avoid disaster, and with performance management you can even come out ahead.

Manufacturing: In praise of 30/70 and the loose-tight relationship

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:46:41 -0400

What does it say about successful companies that they never touch their own products? That they understand our flattened world, where collaboration is key, customers are partners, and performance management tools connect every single dot.

Why private equity needs performance management

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:45:02 -0400

"Perform or perish." So writes BusinessWeek of the demands private equity firms make of companies they acquire. How do CFOs survive in this tough new climate? By replacing spreadsheets with flexible systems and best guesses with precise results.

Professional report author? Here's what you've been waiting for

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:04:41 -0400

Call it "BI "a la carte." With the mix of users, data, and delivery, there's no single report that's to everyone's tastes. But there is a single product you can use to feed your users, who no doubt are always hungry for answers.

Five steps to better system management (and key metrics, too)

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:03:59 -0400

From usage patterns to performance thresholds, the better you know your system, the easier it is to keep it in peak form. Luckily, with new admin capabilities in IBM Cognos 8 BI, now you can find the answers all in one place.

"Green Wave": An interview with Andrew Winston

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:00:00 -0500

Green issues are business issues, says the author of Green to Gold. They all boil down to reducing costs and risk. Here, he highlights the companies that take both to heart, the metrics you need to ride the Green Wave, and the ways to create value when you do.

Is performance management in your DNA?

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:14:23 -0500

From usage patterns to performance thresholds, the better you know your system, the easier it is to keep it in peak form. Luckily, with new admin capabilities in Cognos 8 BI, now you can find the answers all in one place.

Cognos Forum 2008 - Annual Customer Conference

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 15:24:46 -0500

This year, Cognos Forum will be held May 12-15 in Las Vegas. With 130 breakout sessions spanning all products and solutions, Cognos Forum provides in-depth education, one-of-a-kind networking opportunities, and an extensive onsite resource center - Performance World - where you can test drive the newest Cognos solutions, understand the Cognos product vision and roadmap, and get one-on-one answers to your most pressing problems.

A beginner's guide to financial performance management (FPM)

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:08:00 -0500

Faster planning. Actionable advice. Preventive action. Automation, accountability, and a shorter close. It's a lot to ask of a three-letter acronym. But it's precisely the promise of Cognos FPM.

Need BI? This is probably why (Part 1 of 3)

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 09:01:57 -0500

You're not alone if you're thinking big but starting small. In the first of our InformationWeek exclusives, we see why companies tackle the day-to-day issues first before moving on to the strategic goals.

Pragmatic steps to higher-quality data (Part 2 of 5)

Mon, 7 Jan 2008 09:35:57 -0500

Capital markets reward the fast close, writes Gary Simon, but companies that focus on speed above all risk errors that are hard to find and harder to correct. The cure? Take control early, manage your metadata, and get rid of the spreadsheets.

Bye, bye box stores? How shoppers are rewriting the rules in retail

Wed, 2 Jan 2008 09:44:23 -0500

Forget selling more things to more people, says Accenture. Consumers want better service and more choice, and have no qualms about switching stores to find what they want. A look at the stores that are getting it right and how BI can help you respond.

Big decisions, big dreams

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:45:25 -0500

"One of the most important decisions we make is on the size of our dreams. The bigger and more noble the dream, the more employees want to help create it. Small dreams breed small thinking; large ones inspire the heart and mind." - By Dr. John Izzo

See the next evolution of Cognos Performance Management in action

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:53:30 -0500

On January 15, Cognos will host an exclusive live event in New York City, complemented by a virtual, half-day event - both featuring keynotes by Rob Ashe - to celebrate the official launch of Cognos 8 v3, and new Cognos solutions for the mid-market.

The invisible manager

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 09:20:00 -0500

Is new management no management? As the 'net generation drives mass collaboration and flat organizations, what happens to our cherished notions of command and control? Here's what the changes mean for IT, and how performance management can guide you through this brave new world.

An interview with Martha Rogers

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 09:26:11 -0500

Of your brand, employees, products, and customers, only customers bring in revenue, says the author of The One-to-One Future. Here, she outlines how to maximize your "return on customer" and the lessons marketers can learn if they find themselves on a farm.

Moneyball and beyond: Key metrics for your favorite sports

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 09:19:02 -0500

Whether it's outs, turnovers, or defence against the run, there's no shortage of data in professional sports. We talk to three rabid fans about the teams that they love, and the metrics they'd use were they to call the plays.

Six rules for effective forecasting

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 09:29:25 -0500

Look for the "S" curve and embrace things that don't fit. Be weak in strong opinions and know when to hold back. A look into Paul Saffo's latest thinking and the tools you'll need to build your "cone of uncertainty."

Data quality: Why "good enough" isn't good enough anymore

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 09:20:30 -0500

It's an obvious parallel: the better your data, the better your decisions. But when you're dealing with terabytes, complete accuracy can be hard to come by. Luckily, there's software to help you and a process you can follow.

Fast Close and the reporting supply chain

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:17:11 -0400

Chasing the Fast Close? A laudable goal, writes Gary Simon, provided it's not to the exclusion of everything else. Here, the Group Publisher of FSN surveys the changes in group reporting and argues for a more holistic approach in tackling the issues.

Cognos Performance Perspectives Reader Survey

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:28:09 -0400

What's your perspective on Performance Perspectives? Help us build a better newsletter by filling out our reader survey!

How bad decisions get made

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:33:21 -0400

Too much data or not quite enough? Excessive delegation or rampant mob rule? There's no shortage of ways things can go wrong. The fix? View decision-making as a process and not an event, says Harvard professor David Garvin. Here are three ways a performance management culture can improve it for everyone involved.

Managing the business risks of climate change

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:44:34 -0400

In a world where bottled water needs carbon offsets, the old risk formulas simply don't measure up. How climate change is rewriting the rules, and the new approaches Finance can take to weather the coming storms.

Why green is good for your market cap and more

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:55:10 -0400

What's the link between CO2 and EPS? Reduce one and you'll boost the other, say Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. We look at the meeting of environmental issues and investor concerns, and the capabilities Finance needs to manage both with success.

When reporting becomes performance management (The last in a series)

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 08:59:41 -0400

Step 1 told you "How." Steps 2 and 3 told you "Why." In step 4, we look at the "What?" As in, what your business should be doing, and what processes and resources you need to transform it into a high-performer.

From financials to carbon statements: A new agenda for reporting

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 08:55:44 -0400

Customer demands. Government regulations. Investor scrutiny. Whether these are already in play or waiting in the wings, companies are stepping up their efforts to tell the world about their respective carbon footprints.

BI and the environment: Is there a green future for CIOs?

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:18:33 -0400

Forget server uptime. It's material waste and CO2 emissions that matter now. Especially when only four percent of the energy in your data center actually goes to process data. We look at the growing demand for "green IT" and how BI helps you respond.

Cognos Performance 2007 - Your Map to Higher Performance

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:56:26 -0400

The countdown is on for Performance 2007 - Cognos' annual global event designed to help you understand the latest products, services and proven practices in business intelligence and performance management.

Performance management goes green

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:57:24 -0400

"From the 'nutrition label' on your new shoes to investor interest in your carbon footprint, green and business issues are now one and the same."

Performance management and the upside of green

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:49:11 -0400

"The 2.5 billion tons of waste countries collect each year are worth $120 billion, for the companies that can recyle and re-use it."

Green decisions, smart decisions

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:54:18 -0400

"There are investment opportunities in clean technology and phenomenal innovations at every level."

BI and the environment: Is there a green future for CIOs?

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:55:18 -0400

"We look at the growing demand for 'green IT' and how BI helps you respond."

Why green is good for your market cap and more

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:56:18 -0400

"We look at the meeting of environmental issues and investor concerns, and the capabilities Finance needs to manage both with success."

Performance Perspectives by Cognos, an IBM company

Solving the complexity challenge, sort of (Part 3 of 3)

The Fast Close and performance management: More than distant cousins (Part 4 of 5)

Lean manufacturing goes beyond the shop floor

How solid is your performance management platform?

Strategic flexibility: Your defense against the downturn

Manufacturing: In praise of 30/70 and the loose-tight relationship

Recommended reading for performance management pros

Why private equity needs performance management

Professional report author? Here's what you've been waiting for

Five steps to better system management (and key metrics, too)

"Green Wave": An interview with Andrew Winston

Is performance management in your DNA?

Cognos Forum 2008 - Annual Customer Conference

A beginner's guide to financial performance management (FPM)

Need BI? This is probably why (Part 1 of 3)

Pragmatic steps to higher-quality data (Part 2 of 5)

Bye, bye box stores? How shoppers are rewriting the rules in retail

Big decisions, big dreams

See the next evolution of Cognos Performance Management in action

The invisible manager

An interview with Martha Rogers

Moneyball and beyond: Key metrics for your favorite sports

Six rules for effective forecasting

Data quality: Why "good enough" isn't good enough anymore

Fast Close and the reporting supply chain

Cognos Performance Perspectives Reader Survey

How bad decisions get made

Managing the business risks of climate change

Why green is good for your market cap and more

When reporting becomes performance management (The last in a series)

From financials to carbon statements: A new agenda for reporting

BI and the environment: Is there a green future for CIOs?

Cognos Performance 2007 - Your Map to Higher Performance

Performance management goes green

Performance management and the upside of green

Green decisions, smart decisions

BI and the environment: Is there a green future for CIOs?

Why green is good for your market cap and more