A well-designed information system can only be called a powerful information system if the information it tracks is made available in a useful format to decision-makers. The system must provide powerful, flexible, easy-to-use data analysis capabilities through the creation of sophisticated graphing and reporting. Taken together, these features comprise Executive Information Systems or Management Dashboards.
The tools exposed by an Executive Information System (EIS) give users from the production level to the boardroom the ability to analyze trends in data. This allows them to make better decisions. By finding patterns in sales or costs, the users with the most business knowledge have access to the data needed to improve processes and maximize profits.
Progressive Design Software has the experience needed to create these powerful tools and avoid the pitfalls that can turn an EIS into little more than an expensive executive desk toy. Reports and graphs must give users the ability to start at a level of abstraction sufficient to see patterns. From there, users must be able to drill down through various levels all the way to the transaction level. As a result, the user has the power to identify potential trends and reach the supporting data to prove the trend.
It is an unavoidable reality of any project that users will not be able to imagine the most innovative and powerful reporting and graphing tools until very late in the development process. Often acceptance testing of a system will yield the best ideas for information analysis. Unfortunately, many vendors have a rigid process that makes adding or expanding an EIS late in the process prohibitively expensive. The Progressive Design Method allows PDS to continue to tailor a system and expand EIS features throughout the development process without going over budget.