What did I say would happen in 2014?  Was I right?

In looking back at my predictions for 2014, I am reflecting today at how accurate I was, and what really happened.

P1: Data visualization tools did grow as a business. However, the growth this year was across different industry verticals which was fueling the demand for new tools that are more industry specific.

P2: Business model shifts involved a great deal of risk, and those shifts in 2014 included mobile payments, banking and news publications. For example, these publication shifts included less frequency in publication, different distribution models, and more sophisticated paywalls.

P3: I was wrong on this one, specifically WiFi networks. Bandwidth capacity is still a limiting factor, and who pays for the privilege is still up in the air for business models. One of the nicer hotels I stayed at recently in Berlin had a pay-only WiFi network in the hotel, no free model. Because it was paid, it functioned very well with good availability throughout the facility. You get what you pay for, it seems.

P4: Yes, the rate of data consumption is critical for reflection and analysis, but the tools are still not at the level to do this analysis with ease. Tool providers, listen up!

 My predictions for 2015?

P1:   More conversion of the CMO role to a Chief Digital Officer (CDO). Omni-channel experience marketing, combined with big data, makes for an experience effect that needs to be better controlled.

P2: Not mobile first, but desktop last. More combined interactions with multiple devices will make customer tracking solutions come of age. With opt-out privacy options, of course!

P3: Location based marketing and mobile interaction will increase. It will not be enough to personalize the experience anymore, retailers will be proactively luring you based on where you are standing.

And more to come….. !