Managing the data: Agile Business Intelligence

The growth in the number and complexity of IT applications has led to an explosion in the amount of electronic data being created. Storing, managing and analyzing this data in an efficient manner is becoming an increasing challenge for IT.

This issue of Perspectives is focused on data, and looks at how Agile techniques can be brought to the world of Business Intelligence, how traditional data warehousing can potentially be wasteful, and suggests alternatives for storing and visualizing large amounts of data.

The data has to survive, In this interview, ThoughtWorks CTO - Global Innovation, Nick Hines, talks to Principal Consultant Pramod Sadalage about how Agile is applicable in the world of databases.

Manvir Grewal Waste - Why you shouldn't bring all your data into your Data Warehouse
In this article, Manvir explains why accumulating data in a warehouse may not realize the expected business benefits, and in fact, could actually end up being wasteful.

Steve Moyer Breaking down unruly databases: The problem
In order to test any application that relies on a database, you need a copy of that database populated with realistic data. This post introduces a tool for SQL Server which facilitates this and explains the motivation behind its creation.

Sumeet Moghe Your brain on graphics with @elearningcoach
Human beings are visual creatures. Good graphics allow us to comprehend large and complex data sets. Sumeet Moghe introduces the work of Connie Malamed whose research on graphics is increasingly important in our data rich world.

Pramod Sadalage Schema design in a document database
In this post, Pramod contrasts schema designs for document and relational databases.

Andy Kemp Webinar - Where exploration and automation meet
In this ThoughtWorks-hosted webinar, Andy Kemp, Product Manager for Agile testing tool Twist®, discusses the best way to utilize automated functional testing within your organization. He also talks about how to structure tests in a way that allows software to be released quickly and often.

ThoughtWorks Studios releases new version of Twist
SAN FRANCISCO, Apr 7, 2011 - ThoughtWorks Studios, a global leader in enterprise Agile development products and services, today announced the latest version of Twist, the company's automated test solution. New features help development teams release quality software faster through improved support for larger and more complex test suites, and new feedback capabilities that allow teams to build test suites in conjunction with Twist's refactoring support.