Statistical-based quality management has endured a pro-longed if not erratic growth curve over the past 40-years. Chief among the benefactors of this slow moving evolution, business intelligence has long held its place in the corporate psyche as a critical enabler and decision tool for all layers of management. The ability to interpret performance data, whether through bringing meaning to volumes of transactional information or processed response data from marketing programs, provided the necessary outputs and work products to undertake everything from budgetary analysis to portfolio and strategic planning.In mid-2011, using the Pulse® methodology, Longhaus conducted a public vendor evaluation focused on key providers in the business intelligence and analytics technology market. For this Longhaus Pulse®, Longhaus identified an initial list of over 100 local and international firms that positioned their companies as providers of business intelligence solutions. From an identified short-list of approximately 50 companies, Longhaus conducted a detailed evaluation of 20 key providers for Australian enterprise buyers, using over 62 questions and 280 criteria.The criteria included measures of company performance, business models, technical features of the solution, and geographic commitment of the provider including the ability to transact in Australia. The localisation of system functionality and direct or channel presence were also assessed. The resulting short-list of vendors includes four (4) leading vendors; SAS (1), SAP (2), IBM (3), and Microsoft (4) supported by a strong group of emerging providers specialising in a single BI discipline.