An example from the insurance industry shows how the app generator can be used profitably in sales: data scientists from an insurance company program a complex algorithm that uses the extensive existing customer data to calculate the probabilities of need for new insurance. This algorithm is converted into an app with the app generator, which is made available to the sales staff via web access. Each sales employee can now define his own search parameters via input windows – for example, narrow down the customer group he wants to work with or the type of new insurance he wants to offer and receives the relevant data for his planned sales campaign. The business benefits of AI can thus be directly measured in a practical manner.

“In a great many companies, promising applications for advanced analytics and AI methods are currently being identified. A prototype implementation is also quickly possible with the open source tools that are abundant today,” explains Dr. Tobias Abthoff, Managing Director at NorCom. “The problem: Although capable data scientists can easily program relevant queries for the company in an interactive development environment, these results cannot be used by a sales representative without programming knowledge. He cannot find his way around a programming environment and therefore cannot actively work with the data – which would be a prerequisite for generating business from the knowledge. NorCom is now closing this gap with an app generator which enables queries "for everyone" by creating apps."

Complex algorithms are packed into easy-to-use apps

 The algorithms are often programmed in an interactive development environment (so-called notebooks). The results of the data analysis are then also received in this environment. The app generator converts programmed codes, for example from Jupyter notebooks, into apps that can be used by all employees. These apps give authorized employees access to the knowledge gained from the analysis of large amounts of data, can flexibly enter their own parameters for a search query and thus initiate individual evaluations. Employees can access the apps via web access – they do not have to install their own software for data analysis.

The app takes four important points into account: It covers the codes with a uniform user interface and ensures easy operation even for non-programmers. Users can change the query parameters in the app, but not the code. This remains protected.Different apps can be linked to one another, creating a comprehensive workflow. In addition, the apps synchronize themselves automatically: Newly arriving data is available in the apps for further processing without delay.

“The success of artificial intelligence depends to a large extent on whether the investment pays off quickly for companies. By providing the relevant specialist departments with the advantages and findings from the analyzes as a working basis, artificial intelligence becomes a central driver for business,” said Dr. Tobias Abthoff, Managing Director at NorCom.

NorCom Information Technology GmbH & Co. KGaA develops and implements big data solutions for international companies. NorCom supports customers in processing and analyzing their data in data centers distributed around the world with the help of modern big data, machine learning and deep learning tools in a productive environment.