BI is Everywhere

I spent a few hours in the library today to catch up on my reading (it is air conditioned there whereas my office is not).  After looking through my most copies of KM World, Computerworld, Campus Technology, and PM Network I found articles dedicated various Business Intelligence topics.  These articles discussed the use of BI/Big Data/Business Analytics in identifying potential alumni donors; IBM's upcoming acquisition of the search and discovery vendor Vivisimo; investors interest in big data vendors; the up-and-coming job of the data scientist; successes in BI practices; using BI to solve problems with at-risk students, crime, and healthcare; and the use of big data to search for black holes.

With all of the attention on BI it seems as though this may be a trendy topic.  While I believe the terms we use to describe these technologies and practices will change over time, there is too much value in this data and corresponding knowledge building to consider this to be simply a trend.  Big Data/BI/Business Analytics and whatever term will be used next is for real.

Of course I have an interest in this subject since I will be teaching a Business Intelligence course this fall.  It will be a new course in our undergraduate curriculum and it certainly seems to be very timely and valuable course.  I imagine this course will evolve over the next few years but it is one that should produce students with very marketable skills.  Judging from the coverage in the most recent publications, it is a very timely subject.