Accenture Releases Accenture Insights Platform

Accenture has released the Accenture Insights Platform, a cloud-based analytics-as-a-service (AaaS) solution that aims to give organizations a competitive edge by supplying them with data-driven solutions to industry-specific problems.

Accenture has three primary objectives with the release, says John Matchette, managing director of Accenture Analytics. "We want to give our clients insights and outcomes much faster than has been possible in the past," he says. "We want to give them access to commercial models, and we want to put it together in an easy and flexible way, with all of our knowledge of our client's industries."

Last month, the company released analytics applications to aide financial services companies; with this latest release, Accenture hopes to apply its expertise in a range of industries and technologies to develop applications that address complex issues, Matchette says.  

The platform is composed of a suite of technologies, which Matchette refers to it as a four-layered architecture. The base of the platform takes in, stores, and analyzes data. "A problem historically has been getting data in a usable format," Matchette notes, pointing out that the second layer serves as a space "where you can store the data and do something with it." On top of that sits the analytics layer, which processes data and makes decisions. The topmost layer consists of a set of tools that allow users to visualize the data and apply business intelligence. Clients can select the elements they would like to use from the various layers, and the company can deploy it within 24 hours.

Matchette notes that speedy deployment times are vital, as they allow organizations to focus their time and resources on business outcomes instead of on the mechanics of getting the technology to work. "Companies have no interest in procuring and exploring IT in the old way," Matchette says. Traditionally, if a company wanted to use a similar solution, they'd have to spend time setting it up with the vendor, testing the system, and training people to use it. "If you're spending time on that, you're not spending time getting business outcomes."

Thames Water, a water management and services provider, is one client that benefited from the Insights Platform. "There's a lot of problems in that industry," Matchette says. "Water leaks out of pipes at 20 to 25 percent, but it was hard to detect when and where." The company placed sensors in the water pipes to detect pressure changes and used the data to come up with an action plan to make its network run more efficiently.

Since pricing is based on a commercial model, companies have the option of choosing only the offerings they need and to scale up and down at will.

Customers will also have access to round-the-clock support, accessible via the Web and by phone.

Accenture will continue to future proof and enhance the solution. "We have an entire road map and will continue to make investments every month," Matchette says. 

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