What does business intelligence (BI) encompass?

Business intelligence (BI) encompasses technologies and tools designed for data analysis and presentation. This includes systems that help organizations collect, process, and analyze large volumes of data to extract meaningful insights, generate reports, and visualize trends. BI tools enable decision-makers to access data quickly and effectively, allowing them to make informed choices based on real-time information. These technologies might include data warehousing, analytical tools, reporting software, and data visualization platforms.

In contrast, while hardware solutions for data storage, networking tools for connectivity, and software for content management are important aspects of IT infrastructure, they do not directly pertain to the analysis and presentation of data, which is the core purpose of business intelligence. Therefore, the focus of BI lies specifically in transforming data into actionable knowledge through the use of appropriate technologies and analytical techniques.