IBM IOD 2010: IBM launches 'three-clicks' analytics tool

IBM says its Decision Management software will help customers become more agile

ROME: IBM has unveiled its latest software tool at the Information on Demand 2010 conference, designed to allow firms to quickly and accurately forecast any potential new business processes or business changes caused by market conditions.

IBM SPSS Decision Management makes use of SPSS' technology after IBM acquired the firm for $1.2bn (£840m) last July, and allows organisations to simulate business scenarios based on a simple 'three-clicks' input system to see the possible operational results of such changes.

This allows companies to create analytical models based on the data they have inputted to generate potential real-time responses to developing situations.

The results can then be tweaked by altering the values to allow a business to consider other similar, but slightly different, outcomes.

Rob Ashe, IBM's general manager for business analytics, explained that the new tool is part of the firm's 'Decade of Smart' vision, in which Big Blue is committed to giving organisations the ability to make instant and accurate use of the vast amount of data now being created and received.

"Most loss we see in businesses is due to inefficiencies while, conversely, firms using information and analytics generate much higher growth, revenue and profits. As such, being able to generate possible future models and behaviours is a tool we believe will provide yet more benefits," he said.

"With ever increasing amounts of data coming into IT departments, instruments like this allow firms to generate a much clearer understanding of how they should react to any changes, and gives them an insight into the likely outcomes of any changes they were to make."

IBM added that the new Decision Management software will also help to provide a more seamless collaboration hub for different users by creating one framework in which data can be viewed and worked on. This will allow multiple users to run different scenarios through the system.

The software is available now worldwide, while dedicated versions for the insurance and retail industries are available pre-packaged as IBM SPSS Decision Management for Claims or for Customer Interactions.