The interpretation of multiple worlds (MWI) of reality… In layman’s terms, the idea initially proposed by Hugh Everett* in 1957 states that every possible outcome of any event exists in its own “history” or “world.” In other words, each time an event occurs, the universe splits.

Certainly, it’s a controversial theory that divides physicists—some consider it an abhorrent idea, little more than an illusory wish. But the idea of infinitely branching universes is comforting, since it means that in some of these probable universes, you could be a rock star or an Olympic medalist!

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But what does this have to do with Business Intelligence?

Gartner conducts annual surveys on the reasons organizations invested in Business Intelligence (I believe the last one was in 2010). Each year, the primary reason cited was “to accelerate and improve decision-making.” A decision is an event. In a reality of parallel universes, any possible consequence of a decision continues in parallel, creating universes branching at the point each decision is made. If the MWI is real, what people do with Business Intelligence is very different from how it’s usually considered.

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Here’s the logic:

1. People use Business Intelligence as a guide for decisions.
2. Decision events create universes.
3. Therefore, Business Intelligence is a tool to move between parallel universes.

Taking the logic further, if the most probable consequence of a decision is known, BI becomes a tool to consciously navigate parallel universes. However, there’s the problem: for most business decisions, beyond following the golden rule of experience and other heuristics, the most likely outcome is not known in advance.

This emerged in a recent Qlik survey, in which 36% of respondents cited “lack of clear outcomes for options” as a barrier to decision-making. Thus, any decision—and therefore any universe branching—is uncertain, and may even be random in some cases. This is why probability methods, particularly Monte Carlo, are highly useful. By calculating the statistical probability of alternatives (and remember, Qlik’s QIX engine supports Monte Carlo), you can make a decision and navigate different universes with less uncertainty—though some uncertainty always remains, since we cannot forget the chaotic nature of complex systems.

So next time someone asks you what Business Intelligence software is for, tell them it’s to navigate a parallel universe. They may think you’ve gone mad, but at least you’ll pique their curiosity—and with a bit of luck, make them think about the decisions they really make and why they matter. Or not… remember, if you fail in this universe, you can succeed in another.