Information Breakthrough: How to Turn Mountains of Confusing Data into Gems of Useful Information: A Guide for Every Type of Organization (Psi Successful Business Library)

Author: Charles J. Bodenstab
List Price: $22.95
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ISBN: 1555714137
Publisher: PSI Research - Oasis Press (01 November, 1997)
Sales Rank: 316,923
Average Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Customer Reviews

Rating: 5 out of 5
Not too much, not too little, but JUST RIGHT
Everything you ever wanted to know about management reporting but had no way to ask. The author presents clear, motivated examples of ways to do exactly what the title says: convert mountains of raw data into a few gems of useful information. He presents ways to process data to reveals trends, identify "unusual events", and to remove the effects of seasonalization from data. But more importantly, he presents approaches for formatting and organizing information so that it is clear and action-oriented. That is, so that instead of looking at a bunch of numbers and going, "Hmm", your reports are effectively "to-do" lists of things you can act on as a manager.

The book is brief, but in this case, more is less. Everything is explained with crystal clarity for both managers and IT folks. If you are designing any kind of management reporting system, either as its user or its software developer, you MUST READ THIS BOOK. Plus, it's short enough that you'll have enough time left over to read the (also short) book "One Page Management" to reinforce this book's points about exception reporting.

Rating: 2 out of 5
Back to basics
Generally speaking a great book if you are not familiar with management accounting and turning heaps of information into valuable reports for your top management group. No doubt about it: This book will provide the basic tools for keeping your boss happy, especially if you need a brush-up on moving averages, etc. Having vast experience with both advanced financial and non-financial analysis on various aspects of business (shipping and construction), this book was somewhat a let down in terms of ability to inspire and provide ways to improve personal skills to structure and present complex topics in an ordered and clear fashion. A nice bedtable-reader for the pre-MBA. MBAs should look elsewhere.



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