Cognos Analytics

Cognos Analytics with Watson 11.2.3 release has arrived with new features and enhancements that reinforce IBM's commitment to delivering an AI-Powered personal analytics experience that provides sophisticated data exploration, analysis and demonstration capabilities to enable business users to make better decisions

Cognos brings good news in almost all of its components in this 11.2.3 release, such as dashboards, reports, data modules and an exciting possibility to embed Cognos dashboards in Microsoft Teams to increase collaboration efficiency.

In this blog you will see what is new in AI features in Cognos Analytics 11.2.3 release

Multivariate Forecast

Making decisions knowing already what will happen in the future is everyone's wish. And we currently have only two ways to try to predict the future: by consulting crystal balls and other supernatural powers, or by using statistics and artificial intelligence to make data-driven decisions. And one of the most exciting features of Cognos Analytics is the one that allows the user to predict future results by analyzing past trends

Until the 11.2.2 release, Cognos Analytics had what we call univariate forecast, which means that the user can use the forecast feature considering just one factor (in addition to time) as a parameter to predict future results.

In 11.2.3, IBM has incorporated into Cognos Analytics an exclusive capability called Multivariate Time-series Forecasting. It means, that now the user can forecast using multiple parameters.

A simple and didactic use case:

The company wants to predict its profit in the coming months. This company can use the simple time series forecast to, based on past profit trends, predict what will happen in the future. In this case, we are talking about the univariate forecast. However, it would also be nice if the forecast considers other parameters, like sales, total expenses, marketing costs, or even different seasons. In this case, we would use this industry-leading new feature, the multivariate forecast.

To see which forecast model was chosen for forecasting and the algorithm used, click Statistical details and check the Notes column under Forecasting statistical details.  

 

AI Assistant

 

Cognos Analytics with Watson also has a permanent commitment to improve the usability and understanding of its AI assistant.

If you're new to Cognos Assistant or don't know how to use it, read this blog and learn how the CA assistant can be your real co-pilot.  

And in this 11.2.3 release, Cognos is also bringing significant enhancements in its Assistant.

In addition to the traditional improvements in Usability and comprehensiveness of text understanding, the assistant now supports new temporal expressions. Some of these enhancements allow the user to interact to the assistant including even more time references and filter based on date phrases like YTD (year to date), QTD (quarter to date), MTD (month to date), and WTD (week to date).

The Assistant now also understands additional U.S. holidays or special days, such as Memorial Day and Mother’s Day.

Additionally, the Assistant recognizes certain typos and abbreviations for days of the week, months, and several holidays and special days. For example, the Assistant recognizes:

 

• Jan for January
• Sep or Sept for September
• Thu, Thur, or Thurs for Thursday
• Xmas for Christmas
• Valentines for Valentine’s Day 

Some holidays examples supported by AI assistant:

• Christmas
• Christmas eve
• New Year's Eve
• New Year's Day
• Valentine's day
• MLK Day
• Memorial Day
• Memorial Day Weekend
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Labor Day Weekend
• Father's Day
• Mother's Day
• Halloween Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Black Friday