User guide introscan v0 3 us

BI-IntroScan User Guide

FourPoints Business Intelligence

MediArena 10

1114 BC Amsterdam-Duivendrecht

+31 20 452 7505

www.FourPoints.nl

WE ARE DYNAMIC CREATIVE BI-EXPERTS COMMITED TO HELP YOU MOVE FORWARD Based in Amsterdam

The BI-IntroScan Business Intelligence. Every company has its specific set of requirements rergarding their management information.

Therefore the necessary BI-environment will vary accross organizations. How do you know what BI-tools and architecture you need to setup a BI-environment that will actually get you where you need to be considering your requirements.

The BI-IntroScan is there to help you understand what BI-Environment you need to provide all required management information. It will also show you where you need improvements.

We have developed the BI-IntroScan to help you as a manager to quickly determine what your BI-status is. It is available online, it is completely free and it generates results in realtime.

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GERRIT VERSTEEG

principal architect

We believe in long-term relationships, based on trust.

That’s why we developed the BI-IntroScan. To give you an instrument to evaluate your own situation.

It is designed to work in a self-service fashion, to enable you to reap the benefits of our knowledge at your own leisure. Let us know if you have any remaining questions.

OUR BI-INTROSCAN HELPS YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT BI-ENVIRONMENT YOU REALLY NEED See for yourself

It is all about making sure that your BI-Environment matches your requirements.

Are your managers complaining? Do they have the information they need to make the right calls? Decisions based on timely, accurate information will reduce the uncertainty that always underly the management process.

A faulty decision can have a large impact on your organization. What BI-environment is needed to give your managers the information they require? Do you need a data warehouse or can you suffice with a smart self-service BI-tool? Do you really need realtime data in your boardroom?

Let our BI-IntroScan figure this out for you. It is there to help you.

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What’s in it for me?

Our BI-IntroScan will help you understand what BI-environment is required to provide the management information that your managers need. It will also tell you whether your current BIsetup is up to par or in what area you need improvements.

Based on the ‘needs’ questionnaire the BI-IntroScan determines which BI-model (archetype) is required that will sufficiently cater for all your needs. It will show an overview of all scores per archetype and specifies which archetype you need as a minimum solution.

The required archetype implies a number of construction aspects that it needs to function properly. Based on the ‘current construction’ questionnaire, the BI-IntroScan also determines which of those construction aspects is already in place. The difference between existing and required construction aspects is shown in a spider diagram.

The BI-IntroScan therefore shows you not only what type of BI-environment you need, but also what areas you need to enhance.

In one quick view, you know the state of your BI solution!

Determine MRA (Minimum Required Archetype)

Determine Required Construction

Determine Current Construction

1. Data Integration Tooling

2. Data warehouse Setup

8. BIProfessionals 67%

50% 50% 25% 13%

7. BIMaintenance

72%

10%

57%

90% 20% 33%

24%

33%

69%

40% 50%

4. Analytical Applications

6. BIChange

5. BISupport

3. BITooling

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BI-Archetypes The BI-IntroScan bases its automatic evaluation on your answers to two questionnaires. The first one determines your requirements regarding the management information your managers need. Based on those requirements our IntroScan will determine the best fitting BI-Archetype. BI-Archetypes are models of typical ways to set up a BI-environment.

We have determined nine different BI-Archetypes ranging from very simple BI-solutions to the most complex. These archetypes are derived from analysis of commonly researched BI models combined with our own knowledge and experience of working in BI for the past twenty years.

BI-Archetypes 0. Application Reporting 1. Spreadmarts 2. Desktop-BI 3. Server-based BI 4. Ad-hoc departmental dwh 5. Organized departmental dwh 6a. Consolidated data warehouse 6b. Central data warehouse 7. Enterprise data warehouse 8. Service-oriented BI

All Organizations, Great and Small It doesn’t matter what size company you are. Or if you have a small or large budget. Our BI-IntroScan gives you an architectural model that you can populate with low-end or high-end assets.

Based on your requirements one of those archetypes is selected. The least complex one that meets your needs, called ‘minimal required archetype’. This archetype will give you the model on which you can construct your solution.

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Coverage

86 %

# Oké

31

# Fails

1

COVERAGE: The average coverage accross all relevant needs for this archetype. The average coverage does not have to be 100%. But the bigger the percentage, the better. #OKÉ The number of needs (relevant to your situation) that are sufficiently covered by the archetype. #FAILS The number of relevant needs that are NOT sufficiently covered by the archetype.

Understanding the Archetype scores The BI-IntroScan contains a large number of possible management information needs and combination of needs. For each individual need we have determined to what level that need is serviced by each of the archetypes. So each Need/Archetypecombination has a fulfillment score. Your answers on the ‘Needs questionnaire’ determine which of those needs apply to your situation. All BI-IntroScan scores are based on these coverage rates. The cut-off percentage determines whether a specific need is sufficiently covered by an Archetype. The generic cut-off that we use for the BI-Introscan is 50%. If the coverage-score is equal or higher to 50% it is considered a pass (oké), while scores lower than 50% will result in a ‘fail’.

Minimum Required Archetype The first (and therefore most simple) archetype that sufficiently meets all your needs is called the ‘minimum required archetype’ or MRA. In the example to the right, the MRA is ‘6a.

Consolidated Data warehouse’, because that’s the least complex archetype that has no ‘fails’ on your specific needs.

By way of definition, the sum of Oké’s and Fails equals the number of needs that are relevant to your specific situation.

Reading the archetype score overview The overview shows the scores for each of the archetypes. In one glance you can see the rising coverage percentage per archetypes, as well as the number of passes (oké) and fails. The first archetype that shows no fails is the MRA. This is the least complex archetype that sufficiently meets all your needs (given the cut off percentage of 50%).

The BI-IntroScan uses 112 possible needparameters. The overview shows that 32 of these needparameters apply to your situation.

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But what if we use a different cut-off percentage?

One might wonder whether the determined MRA (Minimum Required Archetype) is very sensitive to the cut-off percentage used. In other words - ‘if I use a different cut-off percentage, how would the MRA vary?’

Although a cut-off at 50% renders the most optimal results, this remains a valid question. That’s why we extended our BIIntroScan report, with an overview of the MRA’s for each of the cut-off percentages.

Looking at the barchart, you find that for the cut-off percentages 10% to 60% the MRA remains the same, namely 6a. Consolidated Data warehouse. Up from 70% the archetype 7. Enterprise Datawarehouse prevails.

The barchart shows the robustness of the chosen MRA. The wider the range of cut-off percentages around the 50% mark that indicate the chosen MRA, the more robust this choice is.

If the MRA varies a lot accross the range of cut-off’s, further architectural research is recommended.

BI-Archetypes in short

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1. SM

2. DT-BI

3. SB-BI

SPREADMARTS

DESKTOP BI

SERVER BASED BI

Management Reports are created by individuals (heroes) using MS/Excel on their desktops. They obtain and maintain their own business data.

The information workers now have sophisticated front-end BI-tools (Tableau, QlikView) instead of Excel on their desktops. They still obtain/ maintain their own business data.

Behind the individual desktop BI-Clients, a common BI-server component is used to store common reports. Some business data is obtained and maintained centrally.

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4. DDW

5. ODDW

6a. CoDW

DEPARTMENTAL DWH

ORGANIZED DEPT. DWH

CONSOLIDATED DWH

The information workers in a specific department have created a first data warehouse that feeds their desktop BItools. Source data for the department is obtained and maintained centrally.

The growing departmental data warehouse comes in need of professional maintenance. Within the department a separate BI-section is setup to maintain their business data.

On top of two or more departmental data warehouses, an additional common data warehouse is created that consolidates data from the DDW’s into one organization-wide Dwh.

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6b. CeDW

7. EDW

8. SO-BI

CENTRAL DWH

ENTERPRISE DWH

SERVICE ORIENTED BI

As an alternative for consolidation, the organization has created a central dwh that potentially contains all source data.

A central data model is introduced and maintained professionally.

This highly professionally maintained central dwh is pre-emptively loaded with all source data in real-time. BIdevelopment is centralized and a BI Comp. Center supports all BI end-users.

A high-end (rare) BI-setup that publishes data and information services provided by a real-time enterprise Dwh. Using the BI-services, report development is decentralized.

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Comparing your current situation with the MRA The second questionnaire is meant to get info about your current BI-situation. In this way the BI-IntroScan can determine the differences between your current situation (“As Is”) and the required situation based on your management information needs (“To Be”).

The BI-IntroScan considers a large number of aspects that apply to the construction of a BI-solution. We have classified these aspects along eight aspect areas.

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS

1. Data integration tooling

5. BI-Support

2. Data warehouse setup

6. BI-Change

3. BI tooling

7. BI-Maintenance

4. Analytical applications

8. BI-Professionals

Spider Diagram: Construction Aspects To Be (MRA)

1. Data Integration Tooling

As Is (current)

2. Data warehouse Setup

8. BIProfessionals 67%

50% 50% 25% 13%

7. BIMaintenance

72%

10%

57%

90% 20% 33%

24%

33%

69%

40% 50%

4. Analytical Applications

6. BIChange

5. BISupport

3. BITooling

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1. Data Integration Tooling

2. Data warehouse Setup

8. BIProfessionals 67%

50% 50% 25% 13%

7. BIMaintenance

The blue score (To-Be)

Represents the average fullfilment of construction aspects that are already in place within your own organization

Indicates the average score for the required BI-construction, based on the Minimum Required Archetype

Derived from your answers to the introspective questionnaire

Derived from your answers to the needs questionnaire

72%

10%

57%

The red score (As-Is)

90% 20%

3. BITooling

33%

24%

33%

69%

40% 50%

4. Analytical Applications

6. BIChange

5. BISupport

Analyzing the gaps between AS-IS & TO-BE The axis of the spider diagram that is generated by our BI-IntroScan represent the eight aspect areas. Each of the eight axis show the average score of the aspects involved in that specific aspect area. All axis range from 0% to 100%, where 100% means that all aspects of that specific area are covered.

The spider diagram gives you a quick visual overview of how your current situation holds up against the MRA. In other words, to what level your BI-setup relates to the construction aspects that you actually need to fulfill your requirements regarding the supply of sufficient management information.

General impression

1. Data Integration Tooling

Looking at the spider as a whole we can spot two more general observations.

2. Data warehouse Setup

8. BIProfessionals

Firstly, in the technical section (axis 1 to 4) it is clear that there is a lack of back-end tooling to robustly provide data to the apparently sophisticated front-end BI-tools used.

67%

50% 50% 25% 13%

7. BIMaintenance

Secondly, it is clear that organization-wise (axis 5 to 8) the current situation lacks professional embedding of the BI-tooling into the organization.

72%

10%

57%

90% 20%

3. BITooling

33%

24%

33%

69%

40% 50%

4. Analytical Applications

6. BIChange

1. Data Integration Tooling

5. BISupport

1. Data Integration Tooling

2. Data warehouse Setup

ls 67%

In a BI-environment, data needs to flow. Through various components.

Extracted out of the source systems, temporarily staged, cleansed, transformed and loaded into a data warehouse and possibly in data marts. Flowing can be quick or slow (real-time or daily, weekly).

50% 50% 25% 13%

57% 20%

10%

72%

Although the selected MRA does not need extravagant data logistics (50%),3.the 90% BI- current situation (25%) needs some extensions to meet the requirements.

Tooling

Tooling 2. Data warehouse Setup

ta Integration Tooling

8. BIProfessionals

50% 50% 25%

13% 20%

50%

The scores on the axe show that there is too little structured combination 67%storage of data, which 50% will lead to a burden on the logic in the front-end and BI-tools, that can be avoided by creating or expanding the data warehouse.

3. BITooling

25%

3. Front-end BI-Tooling13%

33%

24%

The way your source data is stored and combined can warehouse vary heavily. One can 2. Data use data layers, various types of data modeling, pre-emptive Setup loading, etc.

50%

72% 2. Data warehouse 90% Setup

10%

2. Data warehouse setup

72%

10%

57% 7. BIFront-end BI-tools50%provide the reports/dashboards that your managers need.

20% Maintenance

90%

33%

Tools vary from Excel to sophisticated self-service tools. They are aligned 40% 25% with certain types of end-users (scientists, analysts or managers). Yet, no best 50% 24% single tool will satisfy all end-user needs equally sufficient.

72%

10%

3. BITooling

33% 33%

90% 3.isBIThe graph shows extensive BI-tooling present, in fact more than needed.

4. Analytical Tooling Applications

33%

4%

69%

40%

50% 4. Analytical Applications

33%

5. BISupport

40%

6. BIChange

50%

4. Analytical Applications

These applications directly support the management process using 4. Analytical ‘embedded’ BI functions. They use data delivered from the data Applications warehouse. You can buy analytical applications for each management discipline (marketing management, risk management, operational management, etc.).

BI- that there is sufficient coverage for these app’s.

The spider diagram5.shows Support

90%

ntenance

5. BI Support

This axe involves components to effectively 69% support end-users and decentral developers. Think of a helpdesk, training, BICC 6. BIand governance.

Change 8. BICurrent support appears Professionals to be almost at par but may need some additional organization.

20%

40% 50%

25%

6. BI Change

13%

33%

7. BI33% Maintenance

24%

3. BITooling

10%

57% 20%

1. Data Integration Tooling

24%

40%

69% 4. Analytical Applications

Support

90%

T

Change entails all processes, tools and 33%organization that are needed to33% efficiently develop new BI-applications, like: versioning, datamodeling, DTAP, architecture.

The scores show us that although 2. Data50% warehouse there is some BI-development in Setup place, it is largely insufficient to 4. Analytical support professional change in Applications the minimum required archetype.

6. BI50% Change

67% 5. BI-

72%

50%

5. BI-

8. BI Professionals Support 1. Data Integration

25% 13%

7. BIMaintenance

57%

Tooling

72%

10%

90% 20% 24%

8. BIProfessionals 33% 67%

33%

7. BI Maintenance

69%

40%

This organizational axe entails functional, application, technical50% maintenance and service level management. The current 7. BIMaintenance support is clearly in need of organization enhancements.

6. BIChange

13% 57%

The current support 3. BIfrom BI-professionals to Tooling 2. Data wareh the end-users appears Setup to be almost at par with 50%the required situation.

Looking at the scores 50% there is probably need 25% for some additional 72% 10% support-roles.

90%

20%

4. Analytical 24% Applications

33% 33%

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NOT PRECISE

N = ONE

The BI-IntroScan translates your needs into one of nine construction models.

This enables automatic evaluation of your BI-environment. Reality can never be fully covered by a model.

Use the results as an indication.

Because there is only one person filling out the questionnaires, there is a limitation on the gathered info. Our BI-FullScan uses multiple respondents generating a more weighed evaluation.

NOT MANUAL Although the BI-IntroScan harbours 20 years of experience in its logic, it still is an automated tool. Before drawing final conclusions it is good practice to combine the scan with an assessment by our senior consultants.

CREATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL SOLUTIONS CLEAN&ADEQUATE Make it happen.

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info@fourpoints.nl

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