Qlik is a data integration, analytics, and artificial intelligence platform that provides tools for business intelligence and data visualization. Founded in 1993 in Sweden, Qlik is now based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Major Use Cases of Qlik
Qlik’s platform supports various use cases across different sectors:
- Self-service data visualization
- Guided analytics for business operations management
- Embedded analytics in web and enterprise applications
- Custom analytics applications
- Reporting and collaboration[2]
Qlik is used in multiple industries, including:
- Communications (customer service analysis, retail sales performance)
- Consumer Products (sales and operations planning, market share analytics)
- Financial Services (insurance claims analysis, risk-adjusted performance management)
- Public Sector (police work analysis, crime analysis)[5]
How Qlik Works
Qlik’s core technology is its Associative Engine, which:
- Compresses data and holds it in memory for immediate exploration
- Connects directly to data sources for large datasets
- Allows users to explore data freely without predefined queries or drill paths
- Generates new views of data on the fly
Key Features of Qlik
- Associative Model: Enables free data exploration and discovery of hidden connection
- Smart Visualizations and Analytics: Provides interactive and intuitive data representations
- Self-Service Creation: Allows users to create their own visualizations and reports
- Augmented Intelligence: Incorporates AI/ML for natural language search and automatic insights
- Data Preparation: Offers self-service data integration and transformation capabilities
- Embedded Analytics: Enables integration of analytics into operational apps and processes
- Mobile Analytics: Provides intuitive mobile apps for data analysis on-the-go
- Centralized Sharing and Collaboration: Facilitates teamwork on data projects
Best Alternatives to Qlik
While there isn’t a definitive “best” alternative as it depends on specific needs, some popular competitors in the business intelligence and data visualization space include:
- Tableau
- Microsoft Power BI
- Looker
- Sisense
- Domo
These alternatives offer similar features for data analysis and visualization, but may differ in specific capabilities, pricing, and integration options. The best choice would depend on an organization’s specific requirements and existing technology stack.