Running head: ANALYTICS, INTERFACES, AND CLOUD TECHNOLOGY ANALYTICS, INTERFACES, AND CLOUD TECHNOLOGY 8 Project Deliverable 4: Analytics, Interfaces, and Cloud Technology Section 1: Design Document Patrick B. Magee Information Systems Capstone (CIS-499) Mark O’Connell, Professor February 21, 2015 Introduction Business analytics involves the practice of iterative and methodological examination of business’s data with a special emphasis on statistical making. Business analytics help businesses to automate and optimize their businesses processes. Organizations in which data plays pivotal role treat their data as corporate assets and leverage it so as to gain competitive advantage. Successful business analytics typically depend on the data quality, highly experienced and skillful professionals who understand the organizations processes in depth. A business organization should also have a capable infrastructure so as to support the operations of the business analytics (Evans, 2014). As the CIO of my organization business analysis should be utilized for the following purposes: · To explore data for the goal of finding patterns and trends · To identify relationships in key data variables for forecasting, for instance, the next probable purchase by the customer. · To drill down to the results so as to find out why a particular incident took place, this approach is performed through statistical analysis as well as qualitative analysis with the business analytical tools. · To predict future results by employing predictive modeling as well as predictive analytics · To test previous decisions by utilizing A/B and Multivariate testing · To assist a business in decision making such as figuring out the amount of discount that is to be given to a new customer. In analyzing business data, an analysis methodology needs to be selected and data acquired to support the analysis. The data acquisition normally involves extracting data from systems that may be spread throughout different facilities and locations. The data that is extracted is then cleansed and integrated into a single repository such as a data warehouse or a data mart. Since the data that is collected is extremely vast and large, the analysis cannot be performed on all data. This calls for a sampling method to be employed and analysis performed. The analytical tools ranges from commonly used spreadsheets coupled with other statistical functions or even more complex data mining as well as predictive modeling tools. After the trends, patterns, and relationships begin to uncover, new insights come into light, and the analytical process continues until all the business goals are met (Dill, 2012). The IT world is ever changing and companies always have challenges that stress out the current generation of IT infrastructure to its limit. Even if spending big sums of money is a good way to overcome the challenges, it is n ...

1. Running head: ANALYTICS, INTERFACES, AND CLOUD
TECHNOLOGY
ANALYTICS, INTERFACES, AND CLOUD TECHNOLOGY
8
Project Deliverable 4: Analytics, Interfaces, and Cloud
Technology
Section 1: Design Document
Patrick B. Magee
Information Systems Capstone (CIS-499)
Mark O’Connell, Professor
February 21, 2015
Introduction

2. Business analytics involves the practice of iterative and
methodological examination of business’s data with a special
emphasis on statistical making. Business analytics help
businesses to automate and optimize their businesses processes.
Organizations in which data plays pivotal role treat their data as
corporate assets and leverage it so as to gain competitive
advantage. Successful business analytics typically depend on
the data quality, highly experienced and skillful professionals
who understand the organizations processes in depth. A
business organization should also have a capable infrastructure
so as to support the operations of the business analytics (Evans,
2014). As the CIO of my organization business analysis should
be utilized for the following purposes:
· To explore data for the goal of finding patterns and trends
· To identify relationships in key data variables for forecasting,
for instance, the next probable purchase by the customer.
· To drill down to the results so as to find out why a particular
incident took place, this approach is performed through
statistical analysis as well as qualitative analysis with the
business analytical tools.
· To predict future results by employing predictive modeling as
well as predictive analytics
· To test previous decisions by utilizing A/B and Multivariate
testing
· To assist a business in decision making such as figuring out
the amount of discount that is to be given to a new customer.
In analyzing business data, an analysis methodology needs to be
selected and data acquired to support the analysis. The data
acquisition normally involves extracting data from systems that
may be spread throughout different facilities and locations. The
data that is extracted is then cleansed and integrated into a
single repository such as a data warehouse or a data mart. Since
the data that is collected is extremely vast and large, the
analysis cannot be performed on all data. This calls for a
sampling method to be employed and analysis performed. The
analytical tools ranges from commonly used spreadsheets

3. coupled with other statistical functions or even more complex
data mining as well as predictive modeling tools. After the
trends, patterns, and relationships begin to uncover, new
insights come into light, and the analytical process continues
until all the business goals are met (Dill, 2012).
The IT world is ever changing and companies always have
challenges that stress out the current generation of IT
infrastructure to its limit. Even if spending big sums of money
is a good way to overcome the challenges, it is not always a
feasible solution. This is where cloud computing comes in since
cloud computing technologies revolutionize the IT world by
making computing ubiquitously available to leverage factors
such as flexibility, storage capacity, agility, as well as
redundancy in managing information assets. The use of the
internet in the business world has enabled cloud computing to
utilize the current infrastructure in a way that prove to be
beneficial by saving costs as well as increasing efficiency.
Organizations are now realizing that there are limitless potential
that comes with cloud computing and are leveraging it to
benefit both the customers and the businesses (Evans, 2014). As
the CIO of this company, I will bring in business analytics tools
for the following benefits:
· To achieve better awareness and knowledge in every business
process.
· To understand the key stakeholders better
· For cost effective operations
· For timely response of customer’s needs for data availability
· For critical enterprise-wide-real-time information
· For improved competitiveness
Business analytics will be very beneficial to a company such as
mine where business data plays a pivotal role by enabling the
organization to have the right information at the right time. This
will enable my organization to make sound decision quickly
thereby gaining competitive advantage in the industry.
However, the company should be able to choose an appropriate
vendor which has the right solution for the company that will

4. offer a variety of techniques and solutions for collection,
analysis, clarification, interpretation of data in uncovering
patterns, anomalies, variables leading to better insights and
much informed decisions, as well a key relationships. The
vendor chosen should also be able to bring strategic advice
along with their services which is required so as to address the
cultural, performance, and process issues of the business
analytics (Dill, 2012).
Reasons for Cloud Computing Technologies
Cost Effective- Cloud computing will enable my organization to
leverage the power of many powerful servers as well as robust
industry proven platforms without serious financial
commitments. However, there will be almost no maintenance
and no upfront capital expenditure, these services are usually
available on Pay-as-you-go basis and are highly customizable
which will enable my company to pay for only those services
that we may need.
Implementation-Cloud computing technologies are easier to
implement and have very little or no implementation time where
the services can be configured or deployed on a single day as
most of its services utilize standard web browser.
Availability- Cloud computing services providers have the
required infrastructure as well as available bandwidth so as to
accommodate business requirements in providing high speed
access and applications.
Resilience- Cloud service providers utilize a robust storage
infrastructure as well as mirrored solutions which are very much
applicable in disaster scenarios as well as for load balancing
traffic. Disasters may be in any shape or form such as intrusion
attempts, virus attacks, or even external disasters such as
natural calamities. Cloud computing solutions have the
resilience and capabilities to ensure sustainability through any
unfortunate events that may occur in an organization.
Scalability- Cloud computing solutions are virtually limitless
scalable and can shrink as well as expand based on the business
requirements. Implementation and provisions are normally done

5. on-demand that could handle unconditional traffic spikes as
well as other urgent business needs.
Efficiency- Moving organizational business management to
cloud based solutions will enable the business to realize tension
on various operational activities enabling it to have more time
and resources to focus on other aspects of business including
innovations. This will enable my organization to grow as well
as innovate, making cloud offerings to go beyond financial
advantage.
Due to the above and many other reasons, I conclude that the
Company should consider cloud computing solutions as an
attractive potential solution that offers the enhancing of IT
resources while at the same time controlling the investments in
these fronts. However, the Company should not jump the ship
without researching cloud offerings from various providers first
since there are certain risks as well as security concerns brought
upon by cloud computing solutions on top of its benefits. There
will also be an increased dependency on the third-party service
providers for many critical operations of the Company such that
the Company should be able to make sure that the vendor is
capable of providing fast, robust, flexible, as well as resilient
services. This makes it easy to see why cloud computing
solutions are attractive potential services.
Cloud computing solutions enhance IT resources while at the
same time controlling costs. However, it is wise to notice that
along with the benefits come the risks as well as security
concerns that must be considered. Since the IT services are
contracted outside the organization, there is also an added risk
with the increased dependency on a third-party to supply
flexible, resilient, available, as well as efficient IT services.
Many business enterprises are accustomed to managing these
kinds of risks in-house though changes are required in
expanding governance approaches as well as structures to
appropriately handle the new IT solutions and enhance business
process analysis (Chandrasekaran, 2015).
I recommend IBM Smarter Analytics as the best analytical tool

6. with cloud computing technology for my organization; the
software is a renowned analytical tool that available in the
market today. The software is developed and maintained by
IBM and has a proven track record in the industry. It is also
suitable for various types of industries and can integrate in
nearly all business operations.
Appendix
Diagram to illustrate how Analytics and Cloud technology could
align with the company’s business processes
References
Evans, J. R. (2014). Business analytics.
Ohri, A. (2014). R for cloud computing: An approach for data
scientists.
Dill, J. (2012). Expanding the frontiers of visual analytics and
visualization. London: Springer
Chandrasekaran, K. (2015). Essentials of cloud computing.

7. London: Chapman & Hall.
Customer
Staff
Online forms
IT equipment
CustomerSEOVendors
Third IT parties
Payments
In-House IT
team
Private/
Public cloud
(Analytical
reports)
(Private cloud)
Data collection and web analytical records
(Public cloud)
Third party AaaS
applications
(Private cloud)
Computer resource (IT
infrastructure)
Cloud community