Just starting a mobile business intelligence (BI) initiative doesn’t guarantee its success. Success requires a disciplined approach that considers all facets of the mobile user experience.

Numerous businesses succeed in implementing a strong mobile BI strategy that enables them to drive growth and profitability, while others struggle or stumble with mobile BI. I keep running into several myths that make the planning and execution of mobile BI projects more confusing and complex than they need to be.

Watch out for these five mobile BI myths that can derail your mobile BI initiatives right from the start.

Myth: Not everyone needs a mobile BI strategy

Reality? In order to deliver the true business value of mobile BI, organizations need to formulate a carefully thought-out mobile BI strategy that not only leverages the technology’s strengths but also minimizes its weaknesses within a supported infrastructure.

Developing a mobile BI strategy is the critical first step in validating mobile BI readiness (just like a pre-flight checklist). Think about this for a moment. Would a flight crew skip the pre-flight planning because, for example, it expects only a small number of passengers on the flight? We want to evaluate and identify any issues before the takeoff.

Myth: Simply enabling mobile access will provide a suitable answer

Reality? Just as we know that mobile isn’t just about one or two sexy apps, the step to gain the ability to deliver reports on a mobile device alone isn’t synonymous with mobile BI. Furthermore, organizations must deliver the power of mobile BI through innovation and without disruption.

This requires, as with any other technology initiative, an integrated approach. The mobile BI framework can’t exist separately from, or independent of, the organization’s business or technology strategy.

Myth: We don’t need to design differently for mobile BI

Reality? Designing for mobile BI requires a mobile mindset. When we talk about design in mobile BI, we must go beyond what a report or dashboard looks like. We need to consider all facets of user interactions and experience. It should include not only soft elements (like an engaging user interface), but also hard elements (like optimal mobile format).

Moreover, we must strive for integrated mobile solutions where each part completes the mobile user experience as a whole. We don’t want to build fragmented pieces that make up a mobile stack or reflect PC-era design practices.

Myth: Technology alone can overcome our challenges

Reality? Technology alone doesn’t guarantee better decisions with mobile BI, only the raw material for better-informed decisions. Technical know-how alone will guarantee neither successful outcome nor adoption of the mobile BI solution. It is the mobile BI team’s talent, ingenuity, and dedication that will make a difference.
Their passion about mobility and commitment to the success of mobile BI, regardless of the challenges they face or the resources available to them, will be the determining factor. And the right mobile BI solutions will make it possible.

Myth: Strong executive sponsorship is optional

Reality? It starts and ends with leadership. Of all the things, this matters the most because the success of a mobile BI journey depends on it more than any other. Having just an executive sponsor or owner on paper isn’t enough. His/her commitment and engagement will have a direct impact on the outcome.

Thus, the ideal executive sponsor of a mobile BI initiative is a champion of the cause, an ardent mobile user, and the most active consumer of its assets. By using the technology firsthand and recognizing the information available on these mobile BI assets as the single version of the truth, the executive provides a clear and consistent message for everyone to follow.