How is technology influencing business intelligence (BI)?
The price point is so low anyone can afford [most BI software]. The key tools in the toolkit are much better and less expensive than even five years ago—significantly.

How will the IT staff landscape change with the growing importance of BI?
We used to have database administrators. That role is going to become less important than the data analysts who are able to manipulate the [information] in such a way that, using data visualization tools, they can present data discoveries for staff.

In hiring IT staff, what should associations keep in mind?
The success of associations in the future will hinge on their ability to make sense of data and use it to change the future. But it isn’t the technology that is going to help people make sense of the data—the technology is an enabler—it’s the people who understand the business objectives and the business rules and can communicate this to the people who do the hardcore technical work. They have to be able to understand and communicate clearly with all levels of the ­organization.