WE haven’t gotten the flying cars (yet) that the past predicted (or promised) but we are living with an overaged legacy of data decision-making tools that don’t measure up to today's data-rich environment. Instead we rely on conventional meeting formats and email overload that only obscures situational awareness.

Data tools should offer real-time, visual, interactive models creatively tailored for business operations. Emphasizing intuitive displays and seamless manipulation of source data, the goal is to enable swift contextual assessment and direct connection to data sources. The envisioned tools would provide comprehensive insights that we currently expect from any app. You expect Maps to show you where you are in the middle of morning traffic, and not a word document or dashboard describing how many cars are there now, compared to yesterdays. Ultimately, the aim is for data decision making to be as effortless as . . . growing a virtual houseplant.