\nMicroStrategy is primarily considered BI vendor, and was not on the CPM Magic Quadrant. It was, however, on Gartner\'s 2008 Business Intelligence Magic Quadrant.', moreInfo : 'New names top Gartner\'s Magic Quadrant for corporate performance management' }, { text : 'According to SearchDataManagement.com expert contributor Rick Sherman, the most critical first step in a CPM initiative is:', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A. Selecting a CPM vendor', 'B. Selecting and defining key performance indicators (KPIs)', 'C. Building a business case', 'D. Negotiating a budget' ], answer : 1, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
\nWhile building a business case, negotiating a budget and selecting a CPM vendor are all part of the CPM initiative process, Rick Sherman says the first step should be selecting and defining KPIs.', moreInfo : 'Business intelligence and corporate performance management software: What\'s the difference?' }, { text : 'According to Sherman, when evaluating whether to "build versus buy" a CPM package, companies should assess:', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A. Business requirements', 'B. Technical requirements', 'C. Business and technical requirements', 'D. Neither business nor technical requirements' ], answer : 2, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
\nCompanies should assess both business and technical requirements, according to Sherman, because although many IT systems purchases are based solely on technical and cost requirements, it should not work that way for CPM. "In order to really understand what the CPM package provides you need to dive beyond the sales PowerPoint slides and into the details of what processes, metrics, data definitions and data sources are implemented in the package," said Sherman.', moreInfo : 'Business intelligence and corporate performance management software: Build vs. buy' }, { text : 'Which of the following is the primary difference between BI and CPM, according to Rick Sherman?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A. BI is a term that generally describes the technology used to access, analyze and report on relevant data, while CPM usually involves processes, methodologies, metrics and technology used to monitor, measure and manage a business', 'B. CPM is a term that describes the technology used to access, analyze and report on relevant data, while BI involves processes, methodologies, metrics and technology used to monitor, measure and manage a business', 'C. BI is a term that describes the technology used to access, analyze and report on relevant data, and CPM refers to the technology that cleans the data', 'D. BI and CPM are the same thing' ], answer : 0, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
Answer option B is wrong because the definitions are reversed, answer option C is wrong because CPM software doesn\'t usually handle data cleansing and answer option D is wrong because although BI and CPM are related, they are not the same.', moreInfo : 'Business intelligence and corporate performance management software: What\'s the difference?' }, { text : 'According to expert consultant and SearchDataManagement.com expert William McKnight, best practices for beginning CPM projects include:\n\n
I. Carefully considering the data infrastructure\n
II. Composing a list of 10-20 potential CPM vendors for consideration\n
III. Focusing on business goals and involving management\n
IV. Creating analysis objectives',
img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif',
responses : [
'A. II only',
'B. I, II and IV',
'C. II and IV',
'D. I, III and IV'
],
answer : 3,
score : 1,
expandedAnswer : '
Answer B (composing a list of 10-20 potential vendors) is not a best practice for beginning CPM programs. According to experts, vendor evaluation usually comes in later -- after the other steps have been completed.', moreInfo : 'Corporate performance management best practices, from end-users and experts' }, { text : 'By what year does Gartner predict "the BI-CPM continuum will drive business transformation from the strategic to the operational levels"?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A. 2009', 'B. 2012', 'C. 2020', 'D. 2025' ], answer : 1, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
That prediction was made at the 2006 Gartner BI summit by Betsy Burton, vice president and distinguished analyst. Think it will come true?', moreInfo : ' \nGartner: Business intelligence (BI), corporate performance management (CPM) together for the long haul' }, { text : 'Which of the following is NOT one of the five CPM principals outlined by Bob Paladino, author of Five Key Principals of Corporate Performance Management?', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A. Establish a CPM office and CPM officer', 'B. Improve performance', 'C. Manage and leverage knowledge', 'D. Buy CPM software ' ], answer : 3, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
After studying more than 50 organizations, Paladino determined that the ones with greatest CPM success had established a CPM office and officer, managed/leveraged knowledge, created a cascading management strategy and improved performance. CPM software may (or may not) be involved to support these activities.', moreInfo : 'Performance management expert shares CPM trends and software implementation advice' }, { text : 'True or False? You can have enterprise-wide CPM without BI, according to industry expert Howard Dresner.', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'True', 'False' ], answer : 1, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
Effective corporate performance management is built on a foundation of BI, Dresner said. "Business intelligence is about letting end users access and analyze structured content typically stored in data warehouses, which are derived from corporate databases," he said. "Performance management takes it to the next level and gives a context for business intelligence."', moreInfo : 'Performance management trends, with Howard Dresner' }, { text : 'Dresner names which of the following as the primary reason organizations resist CPM projects:', img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif', responses : [ 'A. Corporate culture -- people don\'t want to change', 'B. The technology costs too much', 'C. Implementation is time consuming', 'D. There is really no benefit to CPM' ], answer : 0, score : 1, expandedAnswer : '
Dresner believes the biggest roadblock preventing organizations from pursuing CPM has to do with people, and a natural resistance to change. He says the technology itself is not the issue -- it is in fact very advanced -- but that often people are not willing to try something new.', moreInfo : 'Performance management trends, with Howard Dresner' }, { text : 'According to the WhatIs.com definition of CPM, which of the following management methodologies is often used with CPM systems?\n\n
\nI. Balanced scorecards\n
II. Data warehouses\n
III. Six Sigma\n
IV. FUD',
img : 'http://media.techtarget.com/WhatIs/images/spacer.gif',
responses : [
'A. I only',
'B. II only',
'C. I and III',
'D. I, II and III'
],
answer : 2,
score : 1,
expandedAnswer : '
Balanced scorecards and Six Sigma are some of the most popular methodologies in use at companies today, while a "data warehouse" is not a methodology -- and generating "FUD" (fear, uncertainty and doubt) is also not generally considered conducive to effective management.', moreInfo : 'Definition of corporate performance management' } ] };