Software-as-a-service startup MyDials is offering a package of Web-based performance improvement tools.An upstart in the competitive business intelligence arena is betting
the farm on a prepackaged, hosted approach to performance improvement.
The software as a service system, myDIALS,
gives companies a way to quickly link, present and analyze operations
and business metrics using an intuitive, interactive user interface.
The system works by combining business and operational KPI (Key
Performance Indicators) from systems across the company.
An intelligent metrics processor provides continuous data analysis,
combining time series- based operations metrics with
transactional-based metrics. Users can work with these tools to drill
down and perform "time-shifting" to show visualization of metric
relationships in context. What's more, the system is built on industry
modules with predefined metrics, KPIs, alerts, guided diagnosis and
help.
The ability to pull both business and production metrics together,
for example, gives companies a lot of useful information quickly, said
CEO Wayne Morris.
"If an executive sees that monthly revenue isn't on target, he might
think that the company isn't selling enough, based on financial
information. But with this system, you can move across to the sales
system, which might tell him that he has plenty of orders, but is
building backlog," he said. "At that point, he can look at shipping
information, which may tell him that his on-time shipments are poor.
Then he can look at quality metrics, availability and throughput
metrics on the production line, and finally find the root cause of the
problem."
The approach is unique in the industry, which includes behemoths
like Business Objects and Cognos, said Julie Fraser, a principal at
Industry Directions. "It's not as much of a toolkit as some of the
others, where you can build whatever you want," she said. "This has a
template behind it with best practices from particular industries, and
KPIs already linked to performance drivers. And they are bringing it to
market with consulting partners, so customers can fine-tune it in
conjunction with a partner."
With a system like this, it's easier to achieve true performance improvement, Fraser said.
"To get an improvement in your financial results, you need something
to happen differently at the operational level. But for operational
improvements to happen, people doing various jobs have to change their
behavior," she said. "This system is helping link that performance back
to performance drivers so people at each level have a view of what's
driving performance that they can influence."
Next up, Morris said, is rolling out more industry modules, such as
safety and worker's compensation, and multi-tiered distribution.
Pricing for the Web-based software service is around $50 per user per month.
