Approach to Building and Excerpts from Implementing Business Intelligence Systems

From Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management Volume 2, 2007

Olzcak & Ziemba, University of Economics, Katowice, Poland

Building and implementing BI systems require organisations to have some culture of working with information and information technologies, which is related to:

• thorough and ongoing research into organisations’ informational needs (present and future);
• authentic co-operation of the users involved (i.e. decision makers and operational personnel) with organisations’ IT departments and knowledge management centres;
• information sharing;
• and abilities to interpret analyses and use such analyses in management properly.

Suggesting the methodology of building and implementing BI systems, the authors have benefited from sound business practices set by enterprises that succeed in building BI systems. Any general model to be suggested may be a set of guidelines and some kind of a pattern for organisations that want to use any BI system. The model in question pays particular attention to the role of
end users in the whole life cycle of the BI systems including the phase of the BI usage in particular.
Parameterisation of the BI system carried out by its user is required for its correct performance.Such parameterisation involves providing repositories with knowledge (employees, customers, suppliers or co-operators). Using BI systems will succeed in business only when their users keep:

• identifying and modelling knowledge;
• monitoring and modifying data repositories;
• creating their own analyses and reports;
• learning how to interpret results and ask sophisticated questions; and
• improving business and decision making on the ongoing basis.

All the above has to be manifested in the system performance. Taking into account significant influence users have on the BI system performance allows for suggesting two major iterative stages in the approach to building and creating the systems in question, i.e.

(compare: Dresner,Buytendijk, Linden, Friedman, Strange, Knox, & Camn, 2002):

• creation of BI; and
• use (“consumption”) of BI.

BI creation is the most time consuming and this stage requires the greatest part of financial and manpower resources in the whole BI life cycle. BI creation consists of numerous stages including in particular:

• definition of the BI undertaking, i.e. determination of the BI system development strategies;
• identification and preparation of source data;
• selection of BI tools;
• designing and implementing of BI; and
• discovering and exploring new informational needs and other business applications and practices.

The BI “consumption” stage is predominantly associated with end user application. The stage shows its major role in popularising and promoting practices that are related to data analyses and BI systems. This stage may be divided into several different steps to be taken at the discretion of
users and according to their needs or tasks to be faced. The steps mainly include the following:

• logistic analyses that enable to identify partners of supply chain quickly;
• access, monitoring and analyses of facts;
• development of alternative decisions;
• division and co-operation; and
• change in the effect of company performance.

May 19, 2009    Posted by tsanalytec in Uncategorized. 
add a comment , edit postThe Enterprise Intelligence Realization™ Methodology Ecosystem Framework is a terrific visualization of how BI systems can drive performance and add value to an Enterprise.  Click on the picture to read about the model.



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January 1, 2009 Posted by tsanalytec in Uncategorized. 
1 comment so far , edit postBusiness Performance Management is a process that must be perpetually and continuously applied in order to impact the business in a positive way.  For business enterprises, that impact is on the bottom line and improved customer satisfaction and retention.  For government, it is improved citizen access to services at lower costs.  With the economic and fiscal conditions that prevail today, it is imperative that business intelligence tools are made available to everyone that needs it.  Productivity improvements achieved in the last 20 years has not only helped cut costs, but also pave the way for individuals to take more responsibility to help manage performance.  Old tools pave way for new ones and improved ways replace older ones.  Even with Business intelligence, the data  needed to be collected, analyzed and reported must change.

How does one make sure that those changes are done effectively.  The answer must be in insitutionalizing the practices that are required to measure business performance.  That begins with senior stakeholders establishing clear policies for the promoting collaboration between offices on activities that help build an ongoing knowledgebase for performance.  Selecting the right individuals and teams and building the skills is second and imperative.   Measuring, recording and reviewing progress is third.  Finally, progress achieved along all lines of the business should be visibe to senior managers and senior managers must be confident that the decision they are making are based on accurate evaluation of the conditions that exist.

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