12 August 2023

Written By Damian Hickey

In the world of technology and business, where information rules supreme, mid-sized companies often find themselves in a unique predicament. They exist in a space overshadowed by giant enterprises and innovative startups, a realm that doesn't often garner the attention of the big analyst firms like Gartner and Forrester. As a result, mid-sized companies face challenges in making informed decisions about data management software solutions and frameworks. I'm working for a mid-sized company now and wanted to share some of my thoughts on this subject.

The Oversight Challenge

Large analyst firms like Gartner and Forrester hold significant influence in the tech industry. They provide valuable insights, evaluations, and recommendations for a wide range of technology solutions. However, their focus is often skewed towards larger enterprises and emerging technologies. This leaves mid-sized companies, which constitute a substantial chunk of the business landscape, somewhat overlooked. They are kind of in an analysis desert. 

The Dilemma of Data Management

Nimble  use of data insights should be an advantage for mid-sized business but effective data management as a baseline for making informed decisions and gaining a competitive edge often remains elusive. Large enterprises have the resources to invest heavily in data management solutions and often have dedicated teams to navigate the complex landscape.

Mid-sized companies face two major challenges. The lack of attention from major analyst firms means that they may not receive tailored recommendations or evaluations of data management solutions that suit their scale and needs. Secondly, the plethora of options available in the market can be overwhelming, making it difficult to select the most suitable solution without reliable guidance.

The Need for Customised Solutions

The strategic needs of large enterprises and mid-sized companies differ sufficiently that entire classes of solutions, vendors and consultancies are required. While some aspects of data management might overlap, mid-sized companies often need solutions that are more agile, cost-effective, and scalable to their specific growth trajectory.

The Difficulty in Decision-Making

The absence of specialised guidance tailored to mid-sized companies means that they have to wade through a sea of confounding options, often without the grounding context needed to make well-informed decisions. This often leads to a mis-allocation of resources as they inadvertently choose pathways designed for larger enterprises or invest in solutions not aligned with their strategy.

Empowering Mid-Sized Companies

Addressing the challenge of being overlooked requires a multi-pronged approach:

Advocacy for Inclusivity: Industry stakeholders, including mid-sized companies themselves, can advocate for more inclusive analysis and evaluation from major analyst firms forever but it will not change things. But by working with peers in non-competing companies or adjacent industry sectors, it is possible to create highly valuable informal networks.

Consulting Specialised Experts: Mid-sized companies can seek guidance from industry consultants who specialise in their scale of business. These experts can offer personalised recommendations based on a deep understanding of mid-sized challenges and opportunities. I remember when I was a HPUX sysadmin, there were a few fabulous experts in our community who freely gave of their time and expertise and created a highly cooperative support network. Unfortunately, for people at the C-Suite level,  these communities are often corrupted by the commercial interests of vendors and large consultancies using a dependency model rather than an enablement model.

Community Collaboration: Nevertheless, creating communities of interest specifically for mid-sized companies does foster knowledge sharing and vital peer-to-peer insight sharing to help navigate the fast moving data management landscape more effectively.

Engaging with Niche Analysts: While large analyst firms may dominate the scene, there are smaller, niche analysts who might provide more customised insights for mid-sized companies. Exploring these alternatives could yield valuable guidance. Don’t be fooled by the sales patter. You are right to demand that the person advising you has the experience to relaxedly discuss how to bring your complex strategies to life. Trust that when you don’t feel understood, its because they don’t understand you.

Collaborative Solutions: Consider collaborating with another company to pool resources for research and evaluation. This collective effort could lead to a better understanding of which data management solutions and frameworks work best for their scale.

In an era where data drives success, mid-sized companies simply can’t afford to be laggards. It's crucial to actively seek out resources and become empowered to make good data management choices. By uniting their voices, engaging with specialised expertise, and fostering collaboration, mid-sized companies can actually overcome the challenges of being overlooked and ensure they're equipped with the tools they need to thrive in the data-driven landscape.