Visualization

Generation

Tools

Assessment

Generation 1

Basic Ad Hoc Analysis

•Excel

•Word

•Powerpoint

•Anything?

Simplified analysis capabilities and unreliable analysis. Based on gut feeling and personal opinions. Highly dependent on who does analysis. Often done by outside real estate agent with own agenda or internal person without previous experience.

Generation 2

Reporting

•Excel

•Powerpoint

•Word

•Databases

Large reports with hard to read data columns of how many customers and competitors are located in an area. Lots of data points but no analytical way how to combine those data columns into a rating of a location and whether a spot is better then another location. Reports often come in many pages which look impressive but they are useless to choose locations since no reliable rating is provided.

Generation 3

Visualization

•MapInfo

•ESRI

•GIS

Same as reporting, except data layers are visualized on a map. The problems remain the same. For example, how does a location with great demographics many competitors and average road infrastructure compare to a location with average demographics with little competition and great infrastructure? Which location is better and by how much? Generations 1-3 does not directly answer location issue.

Generation 4

Modeling

•Data mining

•Gravity Model

•Statistics

Most Level 4 systems statistically analyze existing locations to find GLOBAL rules that impact performance. Of the Level 1 to 4 systems, this is the only approach that can show some smaller validated results  They are limited because location quality mostly depends on LOCAL factors which these systems can not recognize. Because GIS systems fail to perform, GIS vendors started using modeling solutions. However because of a lack of experience with these algorithms, they often choose unefficient algorithms or data setups.

Generation 5

Simulation

•Full Scale Dynamic Simulation
(Point-X)

SIMULATES the entire market place recreating GLOBAL and LOCAL characteristics. Proven short term and long term results that show a significant impact on ROI, dramatically outperforming all previous generation systems. Patented technology developed by Point-X and used internationally in many industries.