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What is IBCS: International Business Communication Standards explained?

Introduction to the International Business Communication Standards (IBCS)

The International Business Communication Standards, IBCS for short, are a universal set of rules for reporting, visualization and presentation of business data. The aim of the IBCS is to improve the comprehensibility of reports, dashboards and presentations by promoting a uniform structure and design.

IBCS is used by companies worldwide to make their business communication more efficient and effective. It not only enables clearer communication of business data, but also promotes faster decision-making and improves overall understanding within organizations.

The basic principle: The SUCCESS rules

At the heart of the IBCS are the SUCCESS rules. They are an integral part of the set of rules and serve as guidelines for the design of reports, dashboards and presentations. These rules are designed to present complex information in a clear, understandable and consistent way.

The SUCCESS formula includes concepts such as Simplify, Unify, Condense, Check, Enable, Structure and Show. These seven principles help to communicate business data in an efficient and easy-to-understand way, avoiding redundant or superfluous information.

The origin

The IBCS were developed by Hichert+Partner, a leading consulting company for business intelligence and reporting.

The co-founders, Rolf Hichert and Jürgen Faisst, created these standards with the clear vision of improving communication in the business world. Its aim was to create a set of rules that improves the comprehensibility and comparability of annual reports by providing a universal framework for the presentation and interpretation of business data.

The use of IBCS in corporate management

IBCSs are widely used in the most diverse areas of corporate management. From financial and sales reports to operational dashboards and strategic management reports, the IBCS provides a coherent framework for the presentation of business data.

Software tools such as Microsoft's Power BI and other business intelligence solutions integrate the IBCS principles to facilitate and standardize the creation of reports and dashboards.

The role of the IBCS Association and the IBCS Institute

The IBCS Association and the IBCS Institute play a decisive role in the dissemination and further development of the IBCS. They are responsible for standardizing and communicating the IBCS principles.

Working closely with advisors and consultants worldwide, they ensure that the IBCS are implemented and followed in organizations, helping to improve the quality of business communications.

The benefits of IBCS for companies

The use of IBCS offers companies a number of advantages. The standardized presentation of data and key figures facilitates comparability and interpretation. This leads to faster and more informed decisions.

In addition, the uniformity of reporting promotes clear and consistent communication within the company and with external stakeholders.

The future of IBCS

The IBCS have already established themselves as an internationally recognized standard in business communication. Given the increasing complexity and volume of business data that companies need to process today, IBCS is expected to become even more important in the future.

With the ongoing digital transformation and the increasing availability of technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, there are new opportunities for the further development and dissemination of International Business Communication Standards.

Frequently asked questions about the International Business Communication Standards

1 What is the significance of the International Business Communication Standards (IBCS) for reports in companies?

The IBCS offer a universal set of rules for the design of reports in companies. Their use promotes a uniform structure and design of reports. This increases comprehensibility and enables faster and more effective decision-making, as data and information are easier to interpret. They also improve the comparability of reports, as they provide a standardized framework for the presentation of business data.

2. how does software support the implementation of IBCS?

There are numerous software solutions that have been specially developed to support the implementation of IBCS. For example, business intelligence tools such as Microsoft's Power BI integrate the IBCS principles to facilitate and standardize the creation of reports and dashboards. This software helps to visualize and present data according to the IBCS, enabling coherent and effective communication of business information.

3. what is the IBCS notation and how is it used in practice?

The IBCS notation is an essential component of the IBCS. It contains a standardized presentation of data and information in the form of diagrams, tables and other visual elements. The IBCS notation helps to present data in a clear and consistent way to make it easier to interpret and understand. In practice, IBCS notation is used in reports, presentations and dashboards to effectively communicate complex business data.

4 What are the advantages of using the International Business Communication Standards?

The use of IBCS offers companies a wide range of benefits. Firstly, the use of IBCS improves the quality of business communication as it enables a clearer and more consistent presentation of data. Secondly, it promotes faster and more informed decision-making, as the data and information are easier to understand and interpret. Thirdly, the standardized design of reports and presentations promotes better comparability of data and key figures. This facilitates benchmarking and contributes to the efficient management of the company.

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