10 Must-Consult Resources for Data Management Software Selection

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When it comes to the selection of an analytics tool for a new Data Management initiative, where should you start? A typical internet search may yield some worthwhile answers, though you’ll likely be bombarded with sponsored links to so-called ‘expert’ analysts pushing their own agendas. Consulting trustworthy sources of information is the name of the game. At Solutions Review, we put ourselves in the middle of it all, constantly coming across resources that can assist buyers of enterprise technology to achieve their goals in selecting the tools that best fit their needs.

With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best resources solutions-seekers should consult while in the research phase of a new Big Data project. Since each organization needs a tool to match up with their own specific use cases, these resources allow researchers to sift through solutions that satisfy a wide range of data requirements.

1.  Gartner Magic Quadrant & Critical Capabilities

Gartner is the world’s largest information technology research and advisory firm, delivering reports and market research studies that assist businesses in making enterprise technology product selections. Gartner is best-known for its patented Magic Quadrant reports, which feature expansive market analysis  and rankings of the top providers based on a variety of metrics. Each individual Magic Quadrant report focuses on a specific sector of the space, giving researches a wide-angle view into the many tools that are available to them. Gartner also offers a Critical Capabilities resource, which acts as a companion to the Magic Quadrant. Critical Capabilities allows the reader to compare vendors based on specific use cases which relate to their own environments.

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2. Forrester Wave Report

Forrester offers a wide variety of resources to assist business leaders in selecting the right enterprise technology solutions. As one of the most well established technology research outlets, Forrester is a trusted source of information, offering expansive market studies that encompass a multitude of charts, graphics and figures. Forrester’s flagship methodology lies in the company’s ever-evolving quarterly Wave reports. Forrester’s wide range of market coverage is sure to satisfy the needs of any organization seeking the resources to make an informed purchasing decision.

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3. Solutions Review Buyer’s Guide

The Solutions Review Buyers Guide eliminates the process of enterprise technology seekers of having to sift through endless vendor web pages and sales pitches to bring readers an agnostic view of the market, allowing for easier and more informed purchasing decisions. The process used to create a Solutions Review Buyers Guide is grueling one. We are constantly monitoring all things data, including the solution providers themselves, market trends, best practices, and news and new product announcements to constantly and tirelessly ensure that our resources are able to fulfill their one requirement: help buyers of enterprise technology solutions make the best possible buying decisions.

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4. TrustRadius Software Reviews

TrustRadius is a review site for business software, helping buyers make better product decisions based on unbiased reviews, many of which that come from the actual end-users themselves. The resource collects reviews that are in-depth and substantive, with every reviewer on the site vetted by the TrustRadius research team before publication. This is important to note so you know the reviews aren’t being submitted by paid actors or vendor marketing teams. In addition, TrustRadius employs a handy algorithm that ensures product scores represent only true customer sentiment by correcting for selection bias.

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5. G2 Crowd Grid for Data Management Platforms

G2 Crowd is one of the largest business software peer review sites in the world, leveraging more than 70,000 user reviews to help solution-seekers make the best purchasing decisions. The G2 Crowd Grid is similar to Gartner’s Magic Quadrant in look and feel, though this one is a little more interactive and visually pleasing. The G2 Grid rates products based on the Data Management products customer satisfaction and market presence. Selecting each product allows for a more detailed comparison, and only tools with 10 more reviews are shown. G2 Crowd also offers a free intuitive ‘Buying Assistant’ which helps narrow down your search even further, based on various organizational criteria. Like Gartner, G2 Crowd also offers up some tricks of the trade, providing detailed buying considerations to further assist buyers.

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6. Capterra Reviews & Ratings

Capterra is a great resource for those who are unfamiliar with the current state of the enterprise Data Management market because it provides a simple way for readers to peruse vendors, read reviews and ratings, and gain a better understanding as to who the key players are. Capterra’s Add to Compare feature is handy for measuring solutions up against one another if there is a specific functionality on your wish list. What Capterra lacks in terms of sophisticated graphics and visuals it makes up for in ease-of-use.

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7. The Definitive Data Management Glossary

Solutions Review has compiled the most complete Data Management glossary of terms available on the web. With over 50 terms defined, this resource is sure to help keep you hip to all the latest and greatest lingo in enterprise Big Data. The enterprise market is undergoing a major evolution, making terminology and vocabulary an integral part of keeping up to date with all the changeover.

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8. SlideShare

SlideShare is a great tool for uncovering insights related to just about any software category. The resource offers a vast library of slideshows, presentations, videos, infographics and more, allowing researchers to uncover best practices, tips of the trade, and important information on some of the top software solutions for enterprise technology professionals. Build your knowledge quickly from concise, well-presented content from top experts. Instead of scrolling through pages of text, you can flip through a SlideShare deck and absorb the same information in a fraction of the time. The resource touts more than 18 million uploads in 40 content categories and is one of the top 100-most visited websites in the world.

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9. Lanyrd Conference Directory

While traditional buyer’s resources are great, sometimes you need a little extra push, the kind you can only get in person. With a host of events around the world, Lanyrd allows you to add events, discover new and exciting conferences and track your friends to see what events they are attending. The directory allows readers to sort events via a wide variety of criteria, including specific technology segments. The service also allows you to track what’s going on during the conference, even if you’re not there. In addition, readers can easily discover slides, video and podcasts from conferences you attended or tracked.

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10. GetApp Software Discovery

GetApp is a business software discovery site that focuses on profiling established business applications – mostly Software as a Service that target an audience of small and medium-sized businesses and business buyers from enterprise departments. GetApp provides a complete listing of the notable tools in specific business sectors, as well as a buyer’s guide, reviews from actual buyers, and related articles. What’s unique about this resource though, is that it allows the reader to sift through solutions based on the size of their organization, allowing for the perfect fit.

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There you have it! The 10 best resources to assists in your search for a new Data Management solution. Also, be sure to check out our vendor directory and Big Data all-time best-seller books list. See also the top resources for Business Intelligence and Data Integration software selection.