Same Tool, Different Game Nine months ago, I wrote a tool comparison comparing Sigma, Tableau and Power BI head-to-head, with the blog framed around the evolution of BI and where each tool wins. After attending Sigma Workflow conference this week in San Francisco, the clearest thing...
Man, the shortest month of the year always has a habit of feeling like the longest, huh? But we've done it, dear readers: the second month of the year is behind us. Only ten more to go! Welcome back to our monthly roundup, where we share...
I’ve had the benefit over the last few years of listening to hundreds of our clients talk about business intelligence (BI) tools and how they are being used across their organizations. Although there’s never a one-size-fits-all approach to success across all companies, there are some...
Environments that encourage learning, sharing and discovery will prosper. Environments that don't will not achieve high performance. I snickered at this title when I first thought about it. How does one "create" a "data culture" exactly? Previously I discussed training, tracking and reporting successes, all...
Predictive analytics should not be part of your initial BI system deployment. When you have finished building the BI system workflows and data warehouse, you have established the foundations for predictive analytics. Predictive analytics uses machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML/AI) applied to historical data...
How do you measure the hard and soft benefits? Some improvements are easy to measure because you can point to a singular discovery that led to improvement. People love showing others how their discovery improved efficiency or illuminated a previously unknown issue. Record these success stories,...
Most people call these support groups centers of excellence. "Center of Enablement" has a more helping vibe. The idea behind a CoE is to help your entire team obtain more knowledge and skill in: Data tools you’ve selected Extraction Loading Transformation Storage (database) Design (architecture,...
Establishing a business intelligence system creates the conditions for reliable data and high-quality information: disciplined maintenance, a framework of tools and ongoing training, all of which foster confidence and motivation. The Center of Enablement (CoE) provides ongoing expertise and support to encourage a healthy data...
BI System maintenance is like a teenager's bedroom—you should anticipate some challenges to maintain organization and reliability. Without discipline, the health and efficacy of your system won't last. Establishing best practices for monitoring and maintaining the system's health, security and performance is an integral part...
Security is a bad word in some companies because the IT guys don't get rewarded for making data accessible. They do, however, get punished for data breaches. Those who have worked for a company that has experienced a data breach have an appreciation for how...
A system-wide data workflow for an analytical business information system is a high-level map of a BI System. Summarizing data movement from data sources through the ELT processes and, finally, the presentation layer. Figure 3.3.1 The Unified Data Workflow The figure highlights broad categories of sources, activities,...
It's impossible to graft a fixed number of data workflows onto every business, non-profit or government entity that is definitive. However, standard data workflows provide generalization and repeatable starting points. Typical Milestone Durations Guidelines for work durations, assuming you have a team dedicated to the project: Many SaaS...
Licensing SaaS (software-as-a-service) products can be complicated. Every vendor wants to encourage commitment. Commitment comes in long-term contracts of one or more years, with better prices associated with longer commitments. Clients ask InterWorks to help them make contract capacity and term commitment decisions. Once we have...
In the last post, I provided guidelines on security and preventing unauthorized access to your data. I warned you that an overly restrictive security model could encourage bad behavior. BI system security is like my wife's purse. I might want to look inside, but I wouldn't...
Security and data governance are often treated as the same thing. They aren't. Security is about preventing unauthorized access. Governance is making it easier for people to find the information they need. One is about prevention, and the other is about inclusion. IT staff are rarely...
If you skimp on training, you may burn every penny you save later in the project when it's inconvenient and more costly. Even your expert team members need training and time to become confident in their skills and knowledge of new tools and methods. Your core...
Most people in your company are not database experts. They are interested in something other than databases and ELT programs. They want information that supports their work needs. Human beings are visual creatures, and interactive dashboards are visual data expressions. Dashboards enable everyone to see, understand...
The plans, quotes and project deliverables your selected consulting partner helped you develop should include a proof-of-concept project recommendation based on your combined due diligence. The proof-of-concept (POC) sprint is a crucial subproject that tests your platform and software selections. The first dashboards your end users...
Data workflows are like hiking boots — good-fitting ones can take you anywhere. Ill-fitting ones spawn misery. As you document the existing workflows in discovery meetings, these details will influence your software selections — the tools for the data workflows. The amount and type of work...
An essential part of any business intelligence system plan is to collect information on the vital data workflows within your company. An ounce of discovery is worth a pound of remediation. -Adapted from Benjamin Franklin During discovery, identify the business processes that comprise operations and provide data outputs....
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