MicroStrategy vs Gartner Critical Capabilities for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms (17 March 2020)

Dear Network,

Last 17 March, Gartner published their analysis about "Critical Capabilities for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms".This analysis take in consideration :

• 20 vendors (MicroStrategy, Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, Spotfire, Yellowfin, etc...)
• 15 criterias (Security, Cloud, Data Preparation, Automated Insights, Data Visualization, etc...)
• 7 use cases cased on a selection between above 15 criterias

The main discussion i had with MicroStrategy commercials about this analysis is that for 7 criterias there is 5 differents tools at the first position (MicroStrategy is the only tool to be at first position twice)

It's quite complex for them to use this analysis with customers, justify this disparity and explain how to position MicroStrategy as in each critera there is a different competitor at the first position.

Based on this evidence, i decided to do my own analysis to understand how Gartner is making their notation and how to position MicroStrategy in each use case

Gartner analysis about MicroStrategy positives points :

• HyperIntelligence (Innovative)
• Platform Analytics (Monitor Platform and Users)
• Model Strength (+150 sources of data, Optimized queries, Semantic layer)

Gartner analysis about MicroStrategy negatives points :

• Microstrategy is not enough oriented "Automated insight" :

1. Possibility to auto-generate grid/graph based on the most importants attributs/metrics in a dataset
2. To many actions before having expected results
3. Obligation to install plug-in such as Jupyter or Rstudio)

MicroStrategy negative points vs others solutions :

• Data prep tool is really basic and not enough graphical. Impossible to share generated model
• Complex to add "third-party BI content" such as Tableau or Qlik in MicroStrategy Dashboard
• No model (Algorithm) out of the box provide by MicroStragy
• Community aspect is not enough develop with possibility to rate, comment or share dashboards easily
• Natural Language Generation is not enough develop
• Usage of thick client

MicroStrategy postive points forget by Gartner vs others solutions :

• Freeform layout in Dossier (Revolution for MicroStrategy)
• MicroStrategy cloud flexibility (Azure, Amazon) with possibility to migrate from one to an other or on-premise easily
• Natural Language Processing/Query with chatbot, Alexa or Google assistant
• MicroStrategy API with Federated Analytics (Tableau, Qlik, Power BI, Excel)
• Personalized Schedule Bursting
• MicroStrategy Alerts
• MicroStrategy Search Objects

Use Cases :

Product Scores for the Visual Self-Service Analytics Use Case

1/ Tableau : 4,78

2/ TIBCO Software : 4,78

3/ Qlik : 4,60

4/ MicroStrategy : 4,55

Conclusion : Data Prep an Data Visualization are the 2 criterias that put MicroStrategy in 4th position

Product Scores for the Enterprise Analytics Use Case

1/ MicroStrategy : 4,86

2/ Yellowfin : 4,62

3/ Salesforce : 4,46

Conclusion : MicroStrategy on Top

Product Scores for the General Analytics Use Case

1/ Microsoft : 4,27

2/ MicroStrategy : 4,24

3/ Salesforce : 4,22

Conclusion : Automated insight, NLQ et NLG are the 3 criterias that put MicroStrategy in 2nd position (An NLG Visualization available out of the box can put MicroStrategy in 1st position easily)

Product Scores for the Embedded Analytics Use Case

1/ MicroStrategy : 4,96

2/ Salesforce : 4,82

3/ Qlik : 4,81

Conclusion : MicroStrategy on Top

Product Scores for the Augmented Analytics Use Case

1/ ThoughtSpot : 4,31

2/ Yellowfin : 4,25

3/ Salesforce : 4,24

14/ MicroStrategy : 3,07

Conclusion : Automated insight, NLQ et NLG are the 3 criterias that put MicroStrategy in 14th position

Product Scores for the Cloud Analytics Use Case

1/ Qlik : 4,59

2/ TIBCO Software : 4,48

3/ SAS : 4,45

5/ MicroStrategy : 4,24

Conclusion : Thick client, missing hybrid/multi cloud and missing connexion for unstructured data are the main points that put MicroStrategy in 5th position

Product Scores for the Advanced Analytics Use Case

1/ TIBCO Software : 4,78

2/ Microsoft : 4,77

3/ MicroStrategy : 4,46

Conclusion : Missing models out of the box such as Regression, Decision tree or Cluster and the complexity to add them with plug-in are the 2 main points that put MicroStrategy in 3rd position

Main Conclusion :

If MicroStrategy want to be in 1st position in two others criterias they must focus on these 3 areas :

• Automated Insight : By creating an algorithm that will select the best visualization based on loaded dataset or dataset used in a grid and an option such as "Switch to Graph"
• Natural Language Generation : By creating an out of the box visualization and some options to personalized it such as Compound Grid that arrived with 2020
• Natural Language Query : By putting an out of the box chat bot or with an external tool

For Visual Self-Service Analytics, it will be complex to be in 1st position with Tableau that is graphically on top.

For Advanced Analytics, it will be difficult to be in 1st position as TIBCO Software is managing their own models in their suite

To conclude, MicroStrategy is still a BI Leader that is able to answer almost all customers requirements and his data model is a real strenght to avoid generating technical debt and managing an huge amount of data.

However, MicroStrategy should continue to evolve and not focus only on HyperIntelligence to answer new customers needs and continue to be a direct competitor/alternative to Power BI, Salesforce Einstein Analytics, Yellowfin or TIBCO Software.