Business intelligence and analytics

CW Benelux: Is there a Dutch digital delusion?

On government and business levels, the Netherlands aspires to be a digital leader in Europe, but it may be losing ground because of a lack of research and development investment. Also in this issue, IT decision makers based in the Benelux region are less confident than their European neighbours that IT budgets will increase in 2017, and Dutch bank ING, which used digital technology to reinvent itself after the financial crash, is about to reinvent itself again. Continue Reading

How a Dublin court case could derail EU-US data privacy agreements

The Irish Commercial Court will consider whether privacy protection offered by standard contractual clauses for data transfers to the US from Europe is legally valid Continue Reading

How AI is disrupting the role of call centres and call centre staff

Artificial intelligence could eliminate many white-collar jobs in coming decades. Its effects are already being felt in the call centre industry, but there is still no substitute for the human touch Continue Reading

SAP aims to clarify S/4 Hana, cloud apps roadmaps for customers

The SAP board has launched an initiative to publish and clarify roadmaps, especially in respect of S/4 Hana and its cloud applications, and one product of this is a new technology choice tool Continue Reading

Visionary technology transforming healthcare

In this week’s Computer Weekly, find out how a visionary approach to technology is transforming healthcare at London’s world-leading Moorfields Eye Hospital. The UK tech sector has set out its priorities for the forthcoming Brexit negotiations – we take a look at the key issues. And our new buyer’s guide examines the latest trends in datacentre management. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

World leaders discuss risks of social unrest from advances in technology

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the fears raised at the World Economic Forum in Davos over the potential for social unrest as new technology such as AI transforms working practices and eliminates jobs. We hear from the CIO at the World Health Organization about how IT helped tackle the Ebola crisis. And we look at progress in companies adopting big data analytics. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

CW ASEAN: Singapore hosts world’s first robo-taxis

In this month’s CW ASEAN we take a look at a project to introduce self-driving taxis in Singapore. The autonomous vehicle pilot comes as no surprise as the city state is not shy to try out the latest and greatest digital technology to make life for its people and businesses easier and more productive. Also read how Singapore central bank is testing blockchain for bank-to-bank payments in partnership with a banking consortium, how Google’s cloud platform is heating up the cloud market in Asia, and how one IT director has transformed the way Pizza Hut interacts with customers in Hong Kong. Continue Reading

CW ANZ: The role of cognitive computing in data analytics

In this month’s CW ANZ, read why enterprises need to worry just as much – if not more – about the business implications, rather than the technical challenges, when implementing cognitive software. Read about the experiences of Dutch banking and financial services company Rabobank which has been using predictive analytics for years to predict which customers might default on their mortgage or abandon an account application midway through the process. We also take a look at why the future of Apple Pay Australia is still unresolved, how the Red Cross data breach has highlighted security shortcomings, and what Virgin Atlantic has gained from its use of Salesforce CRM software. Continue Reading

CW Middle East: UAE takes lead in autonomous car trials

Self-driving cars are one of the most exciting developments in technology. Companies like Google and Tesla are pioneering the technology. But it might be countries in the Middle East, with the poorest road safety records in the world that could benefit most. Despite significant regional spending on safety campaigns, the UAE still clocks up 12.7 road deaths per 100,000 people, with 30.4 in Oman, 24.8 in Saudi Arabia, 16.5 in Kuwait, 14 in Egypt and 13.2 in Qatar. In September Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) trialled a public driverless vehicle in the city’s Downtown area, running along a 700-metre trial route. Continue Reading

Robots replace staff at Japanese insurance firm

Japanese insurance company Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance replaces 34 members of its claims assessment team with IBM Watson Continue Reading

Pernod Ricard toasts better demand forecasting with Infor

Drinks company Pernod Ricard, known for its Absolut, Malibu and Jameson tipples, has improved demand forecast accuracy with Infor software Continue Reading

How Shazam handles its data reserves

Chris Kammermann, senior infrastructure engineer at Shazam, explains how adopting the Splunk platform has helped the firm deal with legacy systems and data analysis Continue Reading

Amadeus turns to NoSQL to answer complex travel questions

Travel software and services company Amadeus has employed a NoSQL database technology to help travellers find answers to complex travel queries Continue Reading

The United Arab Emirates enterprise IT trends for 2017

The UAE is already a leader in areas such as smart city developments, and 2017 looks set to see organisations in the country increase its adoption of other transformational IT Continue Reading

Machine learning keeps customers happy at Ocado

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how data scientists at online grocer Ocado are using machine learning technology to deliver better customer service and improve warehouse efficiency. Manufacturing giant GE is making a play to become a top 10 software supplier – we look at the plans. And we examine the future of server operating systems as workloads move increasingly to the cloud. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Boots SAP centre of expertise helps take back control

Walgreens Boots Alliance has built an SAP centre of expertise to take back control of the strategic direction of its IT organisation from its previously outsourced structure Continue Reading

How InterContinental Hotels connects with real-time marketing

InterContinental Hotel Group’s European marketing manager, Charlie Aspey, tells Computer Weekly how the firm has deployed dynamic email marketing across all its hotel brands Continue Reading

Case study: How the RAC is digitising roadside assistance

The RAC, an organisation steeped in tradition, is on a modernisation drive. We look at how Microsoft Azure is helping it digitise older cars Continue Reading

Foot Locker to roll out ‘best fit’ recruitment software after productivity hike

Sports retailer to adopt online software to identify best job candidates after its use led to double-digit rise in team performance in US stores Continue Reading

Ordnance Survey to lay groundwork for UK 5G networks

The government has asked Ordnance Survey to develop a planning and mapping tool to help determine the future locations of 5G mobile network infrastructure Continue Reading

GE pushes ahead into the software market

GE’s stated policy is to become a top 10 software company by 2020. The company set out its action plan at the start of its Minds + Machines conference in San Francisco Continue Reading

Amber Rudd orders Lauri Love extradition to US to face hacking charges

Engineering student Lauri Love faces trials in three US states and a possible 99-year jail sentence for allegedly hacking into US government computer systems as part of a political protest, despite concerns over his health Continue Reading

CW Nordics: Finns turn IT layoffs to their advantage

In this quarter’s CW Nordics, we look at the impact of Nokia layoffs on Finland, and in particular the city of Espoo which is home to both Nokia and Microsoft’s Finnish headquarters. We also look at how Denmark’s Bang & Olufsen is taking control of sales data with cloud-based software. We also hear from Google cloud chief Diane Greene, as well as the CIOs of Norwegian bank DNB, Scandinavian Airlines and Swedish municipality Vara. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Insurers face same legacy system battle as retail banks

The biggest barrier to insurance companies adopting digital technology is their heavy reliance on legacy IT systems Continue Reading

Virgin Atlantic finds community benefit with Salesforce

Airline’s business-to-business and cargo divisions have found Salesforce CRM to offer a “family feel” beyond the software Continue Reading

Diageo opts for additional services centre in Bangalore

Drinks maker Diageo is increasing its footprint in India with a new business services centre in the city of Bangalore. Continue Reading

Snowden: the IT analyst turned whistleblower who exposed mass surveillance

Oliver Stone's biopic on Edward Snowden reaches the heart of the ethical crisis posed by mass surveillance for the state and ordinary citizens Continue Reading

How to beat Oracle licence audits

An eight-step guide to tame the Oracle auditors. Don't take the bait... Continue Reading

Leadership bonus – analysing our UK salary survey

In this week’s Computer Weekly, our exclusive UK salary survey shows that IT leaders are benefiting from generous bonuses as technology becomes part of mainstream business. We find out how the internet of things is transforming the railway industry. And the CIO of the Williams Formula One team explains how data analytics is boosting race performance. Continue Reading

Dunkin’ data – how one firm is going donuts for data analytics

The director of consumer technology and mobile for Dunkin’ Donuts explains how the retailer uses Splunk to manage customer satisfaction through data Continue Reading

Benioff follows Will.i.am on stage to promote Stem education as way out

Salesforce founder and CEO Marc Benioff endorses Will.i.am’s education drive for black youth and Bono’s anti-AIDS charity, (Red) Continue Reading

NGOs challenge UK and US mass surveillance in human rights court

Privacy International, Liberty and the American Civil Liberties Union are among 10 human rights groups backing a landmark challenge to mass surveillance in the European Court of Human Rights Continue Reading

Is it NAS? Is it object storage? It’s both. It’s Avere’s C2N

Avere launches C2N hybrid NAS/object storage box that uses touted efficiencies of erasure coding to take aim at claimed drawbacks of clustered NAS rivals like Isilon Continue Reading

Digital knowledge at the British Library

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out about the technology plans at the British Library as it aims to store the UK’s printed and digital history. Graph database technology is being used to help improve food safety throughout the supply chain – we examine how it works. And tech leaders tell us how to architect IT infrastructure for moving to the cloud. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Manchester City builds digital fan wall on Hana Cloud Platform

Football club has unveiled an interactive fan wall, built on SAP’s Hana Cloud Platform, to engage fans better Continue Reading

Royal Shakespeare Company targets more groundlings with Progress

The Royal Shakespeare Company revamps its web site and gets its customer engagement act together with content management and digital marketing tools from Progress Continue Reading

Silverstone Circuit pilots smart transport service at 2016 British MotoGP

Silverstone Circuit tests InterDigital’s oneTransport traffic flow management service at the 2016 British Grand Prix MotoGP Continue Reading

CW ANZ: Life-saving data

In this month’s CW ANZ, read how data saves lives in Australia’s hospitals. Few organisations invest heavily in IT to make sure their clients use less of their product, but that’s the battle Australia’s National Blood Authority is fighting – and winning – as it leans heavily on data and mobile technology innovations to optimise a real-time supply chain that involves most of Australia’s more than 1,300 hospitals. Continue Reading

How will Microsoft Dynamics 365 benefit the enterprise marketplace?

Is Microsoft Dynamics 365's role in the enterprise marketplace actually beneficial for users? Expert Brent Leary discusses Microsoft's upcoming product. Continue Reading

Welcome Break uses SAP Jam to spread collaboration

Motorway services company is using SAP SuccessFactors HR technology to manage its people across franchises that include Starbucks and KFC Continue Reading

Bangkok Hospital recognised for its use of electronic records

Private hospital in Thailand is recognised for its effective use of IT by a global accreditation body Continue Reading

CW Benelux: Painting by numbers

In this issue of CW Benelux, we describe how data scientists in the Netherlands have applied technology to art. The Dutch are renowned for being creative with technology and the country has a deep history in art, boasting some of the most celebrated painters. It is therefore apt that the combined tech brains of ING, Microsoft, the Technical University of Delft and other contributors have created The Next Rembrandt, which serves as a visual showcase for big data. The new portrait in the style of Rembrandt van Rijn was put together by a combination of big data technology and 3D printing. All of Rembrandt’s 346 paintings were analysed using data analytics, making it possible to create a seemingly genuine Rembrandt image, while a 3D printer made accurate emulation of his paint patterns and textures a reality. Also in the Netherlands, we feature a case study about how The Hague is solving a bike parking headache with a mobile app. Continue Reading

UK data scientist roles grow by 32% in first half of 2016

There has been a big rise in the number of data scientist positions in the UK and Europe in the first half of 2016 Continue Reading

Case study: Improving food safety and traceability

We look at how Transparency-One is using a Neo4j graph database to deliver traceability across the global food supply chain Continue Reading

Gain insights into customer behaviour

Predictive analytics can give marketing campaigns a head start, but business stakeholders may need convincing Continue Reading

CW Nordics: Dealing with digital disruption

The Nordic countries are renowned for being home to thriving tech startup scenes, so it is hardly surprising that IT is a disruptive force in the region. In this quarter’s CW Nordics ezine we look more closely at how the Nordic region is being affected by technology disruption across industry sectors and how organisations are reacting to it. Continue Reading

MI5 staff repeatedly overrode data surveillance rules

Security service MI5 is responsible for 210 “clear contraventions” over five years for the way it accessed private internet and telephone data Continue Reading

The Analytics Battle: agility vs. governance

This is a guest blogpost by Ajeet Singh, CEO, ThoughtSpot Despite the recent rise in data analytics as a “topic du jour” the concept has been around for over a century. “BI” as we think of it ... Continue Reading

German digital bank Fidor acquired by French banking giant

Fidor CEO says merger with BPCE will allow challenger to continue its international expansion Continue Reading

Three ways to import Power BI data into SharePoint

Whether you want to import raw data, use a URL or analyze data with Excel, here's the how-to on bringing Microsoft Power BI data into SharePoint. Continue Reading

Tel Aviv Stock Exchange centralises functions with ERP

The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange has installed first ever ERP system. CIO Eldad Hershtig explains his strategic choices and implementation path Continue Reading

Nordic CIO interview: Roland Grunéus, Intrum Justitia

Roland Grunéus, the CIO of Swedish-founded Intrum Justitia, reveals the credit management services group’s efforts to make better use of data Continue Reading

CIO Interview: Graeme Hackland, Williams Martini Racing

Williams Martini Racing CIO Graeme Hackland discusses network infrastructure, data analytics and the future for wearable tech and augmented reality in Formula 1 motor racing Continue Reading

IBM’s Watson gets to work

In this issue we explore the many ways IBM’s Watson has evolved from the machine that bettered humans in US game show Jeopardy! to providing deep analytical insights to solve real-world crises. We also look at how Barclays bank is using DevOps to remain competitive and reveal new research that illustrates why cloud computing is at the heart of business innovation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Make fictional expense claims a thing of the past

Some executives think that travel and entertainment (T&E) expense claims are a licence to practise their creative fiction skills Continue Reading

New Jersey turns to technology to keep offenders out of jail

New Jersey is developing criminal justice applications that will save offenders from spending years in jail before their cases are heard Continue Reading

Pure Storage drips out more of its all-flash analytics FlashBlade

Pure lets more customers use its flash-based analytics platform FlashBlade, before the product aimed at high-throughput unstructured data is made generally available later in 2016 Continue Reading

How to connect Power BI with SharePoint

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to connect Power BI with SharePoint team sites without uploading files, allowing you to export and analyze data much more seamlessly. Continue Reading

NoSQL database technology finds use cases, but still minority sport

From managing water meter data, through Bitcoin and video data, to web publishing, NoSQL database technology is finding real use cases. But it's likely to be stuck at 10% of the market for some time Continue Reading

The password’s the problem – lessons from the LinkedIn breach

In this week’s Computer Weekly, after millions of LinkedIn users had their data compromised, we look at the lessons to be learned from this latest data breach incident. Our buyer’s guide looks at NoSQL technologies and compares the offerings from database leaders Microsoft and Oracle. And we examine the benefits of cloud-based data analytics and how to make it work for your organisation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Nordic CIO interview: Johnny Bröms, Swedish fast-food chain Max Burger

The CIO of Swedish fast-food chain tells Computer Weekly how digital technology is increasing sales and supporting expansion Continue Reading

NoSQL offerings from Microsoft and Oracle

Cloud and big data applications have led to a new wave of NoSQL data stores. We look at what Microsoft and Oracle have to offer Continue Reading

Big data and open-source cloud technology help Gulf Air pin down customer sentiment

Big data engine that performs sentiment analysis on both Arabic and English textual data helps airline to understand and react rapidly to customer preferences Continue Reading

MPs’ private emails are routinely accessed by GCHQ

Computer Weekly investigation reveals the extent of interception of MPs’ and peers’ email communications and data Continue Reading

My first IoT project: A guide for businesses

We’ve all had a good giggle about having our fridges hacked – but now it’s time to get real. What are the first steps enterprises should take when implementing their first internet of things project? Continue Reading

The rise of machine intelligence

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at how machine intelligence is becoming increasingly commoditised and available to all – and what it means for enterprise IT. After Three’s takeover of rival mobile network O2 was blocked, we look at the future for the UK’s mobile operators. And we find out about attempts to address some of the fundamental design flaws of the internet. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Middle East CIO interview: V. Chandrasekar, Standard Chartered

The CIO of Standard Chartered bank in the Middle East tells Computer Weekly about the challenge of keeping customers happy through IT Continue Reading

Nordic CIO interview: Petteri Naulapää, Stockmann

CIO of Finnish-listed international retailer tells Computer Weekly about the department store’s journey towards omnichannel Continue Reading

Data drives Leicester City FC to victory

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how data analytics and wearable technology made the difference in helping Leicester City FC become the surprise winners of the Premier League. Our latest buyer’s guide looks at 3D printing and asks if it is ready for widespread enterprise use. And IT leaders tell us their strategies for successful technology sourcing. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Here's the obligatory 'What IT leaders can learn from Leicester City FC' story

As a football fan, it’s not often I get to indulge in a bit of technology-football crossover, but the Leicester City fairytale is too good an opportunity to miss. It seems it’s also a story that ... Continue Reading

ING Turkey uses digital technology to improve services and grow customer base

Turkish bank uses business process management technology to offer financial services through 1,500 grocery stores, technology outlets and post offices Continue Reading

Graph database technology starts to come of age beyond social media

Graph databases, based on mathematics known for three centuries, are starting to yield value for businesses beyond Facebook and Twitter Continue Reading

Foxy Leicester City FC won Premiership with data analytics

Leicester City Football Club was the surprise winner of this season’s English Premier League, thanks, in part, to data analytics Continue Reading

Graph databases are making connections

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the recent global scandal revealed by the Panama Papers relied on graph databases to uncover secrets from huge volumes of data – we look at the business benefits of the technology. Most organisations are failing to take basic IT security measures – we examine why. And we analyse the latest flash storage innovations. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

CW ANZ: May 2016

The Australian payments system is being transformed with mobile banking and programmable tap-to-pay terminals now ubiquitous and a major shake-up of the national payments system underway. It’s clear the country’s biggest banks aren’t afraid of innovation, with investments being made in the financial services digital development trend, known as fintech. But why are Australian banks afraid of Apple Pay, which has been mostly ignored by banks? Continue Reading

CW ASEAN: May 2016

The Asean region is home to 700 million people with a combined GDP of US$2.6trn, with expected growth in average annual healthcare spending between 2014-18 around 11% of GDP. Healthcare organizations in the region are undergoing a great transformation in terms of adopting new technologies. By using business intelligence and data analysis technologies they are able to make better and more informed decisions for their patients. Download this issue to find out how a Singapore hospital used technology to become paperless, filmless, chartless and scriptless. Also read about the innovative use of data technologies in Asean's healthcare space. Continue Reading

Gulf Air creates private cloud to support open-source big data engine

Airline is using a private cloud and open-source software to enable it to analyse social media and understand what consumers think about it Continue Reading

How high-speed rail is accelerating innovation

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how HS2, the UK’s planned high-speed railway, is developing its IT from scratch and as a long-term project is also having to predict the future. We hear from DevOps experts who try to bust some of the myths around continuous software delivery. And our latest buyer’s guide analyses graph databases – the technology that links relations between datasets. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

GE launches Predix-power application for the industrial internet

GE’s digital division is now a fully fledged software business with the introduction of an asset performance management system Continue Reading

[email protected]: Data management – Five decades of prospecting for business value

Data management and business intelligence have been at the heart of business value creation for decades. Read about how Computer Weekly has tracked their promise and tribulations Continue Reading

France takes the lead in the global open data race

The appointment of a chief data officer (CDO) has already seen the nation create five different types of economic and social value Continue Reading

UK economy faces digital divide, CBI warns

A report from the Confederation of British Industry and tech giant IBM paints a bleak picture of UK businesses' adoption (or not) of digital technologies Continue Reading

GCHQ told analysts to assume surveillance 'bulk data' is legal

Documents obtained by charity Privacy International reveal insights into GCHQ’s collection of sensitive bulk data, as lawyers question the impact of surveillance on legal privilege, fair trials and protection of whistleblowers Continue Reading

The hunters who prey on cyber criminals

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the hunters – a new breed of security expert that proactively hunts down cyber attackers before they can strike. We visit Silicon Valley to meet some of the up-and-coming startups in data analytics and business intelligence. And we hear from IT leaders about the people, process and cultural aspects of managing digital transformation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

How IT in a portacabin supports £1bn London Bridge station overhaul

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how a temporary IT set-up based in a portacabin is supporting the UK’s largest critical infrastructure project – the £1bn redevelopment of London Bridge train station. Our latest buyer’s guide looks at converged infrastructure products. And we analyse research showing data protection topping the list of UK security priorities. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Centrica deploys large scale Hortonworks cluster to boost business

Utility company Centrica is looking at how to grow the business by harvesting data lakes Continue Reading

The Israeli companies disrupting mobile technology

Israel's high-tech startups are developing innovative technology that will bring new capabilities to consumers and mobile phone operators Continue Reading

Britain to pay billions for monster internet surveillance network

New questions raised about Britain’s snoopers’ charter after Denmark abandons its own UK-style surveillance programme for a second time Continue Reading

Rolls-Royce cloud HR project will pay for itself in two years

HR IT director Mark Judd explains how engineering and aerospace firm swapped ageing ERP and spreadsheets for a company-wide core HR system Continue Reading

Robots at your service

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how financial services firms are investing in artificial intelligence to create robo-advisors to help customers with financial advice online. We ask if virtual reality is ready for mainstream business adoption or is still just an over-hyped technology. And we examine the key steps needed to successfully build smart cities using internet of things and networking technologies. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Predictive maintenance brings efficiency to Trenitalia

New management system will help railway company reduce costs by applying predictive maintenance and data analytics to essential parts Continue Reading

The Christie speeds up SPC charts to improve clinical processes

Cancer specialist NHS trust implements statistical process control chart creation tool in data visualisation software Tableau to improve processes and save money Continue Reading

Combine data mining and simulation to maximise process improvement

Data mining and computer simulation can be used together to better model and improve industrial processes, city development and other complex systems Continue Reading

Outsourcer MSXI puts Microsoft cloud in driving seat

Business process outsourcer MSXI has replaced Salesforce with a Microsoft business applications stack to support its car dealership business Continue Reading

Dutch water wants to move beyond dipping its toes into big data pool

Dutch water company Brabant Water wants to use data to improve the service it provides to customers, as well as identify problems on its distribution network Continue Reading

Mobile apps could put an end to ‘hated’ staff appraisals

Josh Bersin, founder of Bersin by Deloitte, reveals the top HR technology trends for 2016 Continue Reading

CDOs lack organisational design experience, says Gartner

Research firm identifies immaturity in the organisational design of the set-ups led by the new breed of chief data officer and offers a menu of four design options Continue Reading

How software protects people

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how software is helping to maintain safety in high-risk sectors like oil & gas, aerospace and healthcare – and what lessons they hold for other organisations. We offer six tips from CIOs for innovation with data. And after the HSBC cyber attack, we examine the continuing threat to businesses from distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Crunch time for Australian CIOs as analytics platforms drive strategy in 2016

CIOs in Australia and elsewhere will be expected to deploy technologies that promise to help them get more from the information they own Continue Reading

CIO interview: Janne Aalto, Finnish telco DNA

When Finnish telco DNA wanted to transform its business, it made startup consultant Janne Aalto its CIO to lead the move to lean and agile Continue Reading