Evaluating Business Intelligence/Business Analytics Software for Use in the Information Systems Curriculum

Business Intelligence (BI) and Business Analytics (BA) Software has been included in many Information Systems (IS) curricula. This study surveyed current and past undergraduate and graduate students to evaluate various BI/BA tools. Specifically, this study compared several software tools from two of the major software providers in the BI/BA field. The participants in the study evaluated each software tool according to three key criteria: 1) functionality, 2) ease of use, and 3) learning effectiveness. The "learning effectiveness" criterion was used to determine which BI/BA tools provided the most effective learning of BI/BA concepts in the IS classroom. The three criteria were used to develop recommendations for including specific BI/BA software tools in the IS curriculum. Based on the findings of the study, the authors recommend that colleges and universities consider the use of the IBM-Cognos suite of tools as a viable means for teaching BI/BA concepts in their Information Systems curricula. The results of the study are relevant to any college or university that currently includes (or is considering the inclusion of) Business Intelligence / Business Analytics concepts in its Information Systems curriculum.