If you’re serious about Business Intelligence, you need a ...aair.org.au/app/webroot/media/Michael-Gibson_BI_Competency_Cent… · If you’re serious about Business Intelligence,

If you’re serious about Business Intelligence, you need a BI Competency Centre

Michael GibsonData Warehouse Manager – Deakin University

> Role of the BICC> Further Context> Benefits of a BICC> How to> Structure> Critical Success Factors> Outcomes> Questions

> The traditional Project Implementation model

Traditionally, IT systems are developed by a temporary IT Project team which is then disbanded, and the application is handed over to a Support team for ongoing maintenance

Future development undertaken by a new project team

An approach that may work fine for a Finance systemBut BI initiatives are different!

ContextRole of the BICCFurther ContextBenefits of a BICCHow toStructureCritical Success FactorsOutcomesQuestions

Project Team

temporary team established to develop an IT project

Production support team

Operational team providing ongoing support

Why?

> Project vs an Ongoing Initiative (i.e. a programme)A BI initiative has different, ongoing requirements that are not well managed by the traditional approach

> How so? Essentially it’s because it has an ongoing requirement for

development tasks – both minor and major

> The aforementioned functions (development and support) are still performed, but by the same team – a BICC.

ProjectProject

ProgrammeProgramme

Start Finish


> Applying the traditional Project management approach to BI has been tried and has proved not to work.

> Many BI failures have been attributed directly to that approach being taken

> No BI professional would advocate its use today

> If you are just starting out in BI – do not take your usual approach to Projects. It will fail!


A BICC is a key component to ensure BI success – it is the best method of implementing key components of your BI strategy

BI is about much more than just the technology! BI is more a ‘Business’ process than an ‘IT’ process! It is highly

evolutionary and transient.

A BICC is the best way to manage the Technology, People, Process and Governance issues around BI


> BICC’s are advocated by all BI professionals, including

TDWI (Professional BI associations)

Recognised industry commentators Kimball Inmon Sid Adelman Larissa Moss Cindi Howson

Independent research organisations Gartner Forrester

Major Vendors IBM & IBM Cognos SAP Business Objects Microsoft Oracle


> Gartner’s definition…

The BICC develops the overall strategic plan and priorities for how organizations can, and should, support BI and PM. As such, they are the owners and developers of the BI and PM Framework. The BICC also manages the programs that deliver the implementation, which, in turn, support business requirements, including data quality and

governance. The BICC also helps users interpret and apply insight to business decisions and processes. It also needs to define and

measure the business impact that insight, analysis and resultingdecisions have on improving the performance of the associated

processes and the business overall.


> Gartner BI Framework…ContextRole of the BICCFurther ContextBenefits of a BICCHow toStructureCritical Success FactorsOutcomesQuestions

> The main role of the BICC includes; Implement BI programme (including the DW) Support & train users Inform and implement the BI strategy Reduces the ‘gap’ between ‘Business’ and ‘IT’ Manage the BI infrastructure & access Develop BI standards & guidelines Facilitate data stewardship and improve data quality Interact with vendors Educate and consult with the business on BI matters

> A BICC is sometimes called a PMCC – depending on how you term your strategy. A PMCC may also include planning functions.


> A BICC brings together knowledge on… The business Business Intelligence IT


> An enterprise-wide strategy requires a team with an enterprise-wide focus

> A central BICC can provide this by working across departmental boundaries, much the same as an IT department, which is why they are often located there, but they can exist in in other departments with a similar enterprise-wide focus (eg. Planning Unit).


> Become a strategic asset – better leverage corporate information

> Retain skills and experience learned during development> Gain efficiencies through economies of scale and expertise> Increased agility> Greater return on investment> Increased user satisfaction> Better understanding of the value of BI> Enforced standards> Reduced risk of BI project implementation> Deliver consistent results


Like with all BI initiativesStart SmallThink strategically

> Start with a robust BI strategy Current state Future state Implementation plan

> Building the team Recruiting Educating the team Establish the necessary policies, guidelines & processes Obtain required technology

> Start building the BI capability

> Market your services


> How should you structure a BICC?

> Well, that depends on a few things… Role of the team (eg. will it include PM?) Stage of development Pervasiveness of BI Size of the initiative Available funding Etc.


Broader Governance perspectiveContextRole of the BICCFurther ContextBenefits of a BICCHow toStructureCritical Success FactorsOutcomesQuestions

My suggested ‘best practice’ BICC StructureContextRole of the BICCFurther ContextBenefits of a BICCHow toStructureCritical Success FactorsOutcomesQuestions

Ability to have flexibility in capacity by multiplication of teams

There are many tasks performed by a BICC, but these can usually be folded into the stated roles>Project Management>Architecture

Ensuring the design fits into the broader approach

>Business Analyst Documenting the requirements Conceptual design / dimensional model Report development (perhaps)

>Developer Physical design Database development ETL development Report development (perhaps)

>Subject Matter Expert>Support

In many instances these functions might be shared depending on resource availability, skills, etc.


The provision of support is an important consideration fro a BICC, and many options exist.

Many advocate a partially decentralised approach, with;

>First-tier support provided by business owners May exist in several areas of the business

• Finance• Student management• Research• Etc.

‘Closer’ to the business – better service Mainly due to subject matter expertise Avoid bottlenecks

>Second level support provided by the BICC Mainly handling matters that cannot be undertaken by the

business owner• Overly technical issues• Using tools not available to first-tier


To ensure success, you will need to;> Be directed by a robust enterprise-wide BI strategy> Be provided with appropriate governance> Obtain correct resources> Start small> Appropriate people, processes and technologies

There is no substitute for> Experience> Planning> Sufficient resources


Research by Gartner says that BICCs…> Make better use of scarce skills> Exploit the experience gained during project development> Increase likelihood of success

Other Research shows an effective BICC is instrumental in achieving the aims of BI, eg. Competitive advantage Productivity Pervasive usage

- Business Application Research Center



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If you’re serious about Business Intelligence, you need a ...aair.org.au/app/webroot/media/Michael-Gibson_BI_Competency_Cent… · If you’re serious about Business Intelligence,