There are so many positions that have opened since the beginning of the Information Age that it is appropriate for a student to ask, “What is a business intelligence developer?” The position is the most recent development produced by the complexities created through the expansion of technology. Modern businesses store immense amounts of data, mine it for business advantages, and use the information to develop new products unwittingly demanded by customers. Through it all, the business intelligence developer has a crucial role.
The Development
During the 1990s, businesses slowly adapted to the new information gathering process. Computers were a new and strange tool by which customer’s data were stored. Names, addresses, phone numbers, and purchases were gathered and stored in seemingly limitless data banks. The convenience of bringing up a client’s latest purchase date and thanking them for returning became an accepted compliment. Customers were happy to realize a company valued their business enough to acknowledge their existence. The practice quickly grew, and computers became the rage of the day. Knowledge, it seemed, had power. Nobody knew what that power might become, but it was power, nonetheless.
In the 2000s, companies turned to their data banks with wonder. They had at their disposal information on every customer who ever purchased from them, their monthly patterns of purchase, and their purchasing inclinations. Data mining was born to explore the possibilities that existed within the data banks. The next step involved the creation of a position—business intelligence developer—that would direct and manipulate data to find the best approach toward sales in any business climate. By 2010, the position of business intelligence developer became an essential guiding hand for any business.
The Position
The position of business intelligence developer straddles the world of computer science and business. As a database administrator, a business intelligence developer relates to customers by using computer science to harness the power of data banks. To ensure product viability, a business intelligence developer creates algorithms and templates to make applications user-friendly for customers. In the gaming industry, they find and eliminate developing glitches. But, their principal purpose is to design queries and searches of existing data banks to discover the advisability of producing a new product for any given area, which makes the business intelligence developer an essential ingredient. Indeed, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies the business intelligence developer role as a fast-growing position finding employment throughout the United States.
Becoming a Business Intelligence Developer
Since the business intelligence developer straddles both eh esoteric worlds of computer science and business, the position demands a computer science degree and a demonstrable business acumen. While a computer science degree where the candidate learns to query databases through SQL, map various databases, and take part in developing and maintaining computer architecture for data storage is an essential element in any business intelligence developer’s career, the business side is just as important. To be eligible for the business intelligence developer position, the candidate must also complete at least one year of business internship. Understanding that these are minimum requirements, many candidates utilize an approach that includes a Master’s in Business Administration as a demonstration of their business prowess.
Double-Duty
Understanding the dual nature of the business intelligence developer allows for consideration of the question, “What is a business intelligence developer?” The position incorporates two worlds of expertise into a single entity that is an essential element of modern business. Considering the intense competition for this position, any candidate should gain every advantage possible through education and work experience before applying for employment.
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