Enabling Business Agility: Building the Next-Generation of BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE Systems

An Interview with Bill Busch

Companies rely on information and data as the differentiator and key to success and business growth. For years, organizations have turned to business intelligence systems to make sense of the vast amounts of information and data available in order to answer critical business questions. According to a number of Forrester Research surveys, business intelligence (BI) has been the number one software priority of organizations’ project plans since 2010¹ and one of the top three IT investment areas for more than a decade.

Despite the focused investment in BI, the traditional systems that are prevalent in today’s organizations have historically been slow to change and have forced users to operate within a set of rigid capabilities. However, in the last few years a new set of technologies and methods have been developed that have resulted in BI systems that are flexible and easily changed. Business users can prepare data for analysis and create their own reports, all without IT involvement. BI organizations realize that enabling business users to be self-sufficient greatly increases the BI value proposition. New data can be added to a BI ecosystem within days versus months with traditional systems. In short, BI systems can now support the speed of business.

What are some of the trends impacting BI solutions today? How can organizations prepare for navigating a rapidly changing business environment?
Although there are many trends impacting BI, the two most prevalent are the speed of business and Big Data. Having ready access to enterprise data is now essential for businesses to recognize and act upon market trends. BI systems traditionally have required months for new data to be added and this has hindered an organization’s ability to perform timely analysis. However, using agile BI tools, methods and modern data architectures, new data can easily be made available to business analysts. With data discovery tools like QlikView, Endeca and Spotfire, business users can, without IT involvement, leverage quality data warehouse data and combine it with data that is external to the data warehouse. The time-to-value is reduced greatly, thus supporting faster decision cycles.

How does an agile BI solution differ from a traditional BI approach?
The first and probably most important change is that BI systems are not limited to information stored in data warehouses or data marts. Merv Adrian from Gartner research coined the term “Logical Data Warehouse,” which essentially enables users to leverage data from many different data sources, thus, creating one logical or virtual data warehouse. Whether it is a Big Data lake, data refinery, staging area, data mart or a data warehouse, end users should be able query the data where it is stored. In an agile BI environment, users easily can join data from different sources without worrying whether joint paths have been established or roll ups have been defined. The business analyst is in control and can prepare and analyze data to meet his/her individual requirements.

Another major difference is the autonomy of the business user to create and publish BI content. IT organizations should not be in the business of creating BI content. The tools that they deploy should enable power users to create BI dashboards, reports and applications, and then publish this content for consumption. This takes 80 percent of the content creation off of IT’s plate, enabling IT to focus on data quality and increasing access to enterprise data resources.

What steps should an organization take to implement agile BI solutions?
Enabling business agility must be a core objective for the BI program or else other competing objectives may overshadow the agile BI objective. The architecture needs to allow for pervasive data access. BI reporting, dashboard and analytical tools must enable users to quickly perform analysis and then develop and publish BI content based on that analysis. The architecture should minimize the need for modeling or analysis to publish new data for business use. Processes should be honed to reduce unnecessary work. Finally, the BI organization needs to be focused less on traditional IT development and more on increasing usage of the BI systems. Agile BI is a significant paradigm shift.

What are the biggest challenges that businesses have with enabling agile BI solutions?
There are several major challenges. First, most IT organizations believe agile BI means to deliver BI through an agile SDLC process like SCRUM. Although delivering value incrementally is desirable, agile BI actually is focused on enabling the end-user through improved BI tools and greater data access.

I also see IT organizations still focusing on one-size-fits-all data management where all published data needs to be modeled and fully integrated into the data warehouse. Corporations are dealing with tens of thousands of tables and data elements reaching into the millions. It simply is not cost effective to integrate all this data into a traditional data warehouse or into a single BI semantic layer. IT organizations need to change their focus from traditional data modeling to inventorying and classifying data so that business users can find and access the data they need. This does not mean that data modeling goes away, but IT organizations must right-size their data management activities (including analysis and modeling) based on the value of the data to the organization. In the world of Big Data, this results in about 20 percent of the data being modeled.

The other area where IT organizations have challenges is around data quality. With data discovery technologies in particular, IT tends to take a hands-off approach versus governing and managing these capabilities. I have seen data discovery environments that resemble the Wild West, and the data discovery tool gets blamed for the mess. However, if the tool had been governed with similar effort as other critical BI capabilities, then the data quality challenges would have been mitigated.

What are the benefits in evolving a current BI strategy into a flexible and agile BI environment?
The initial benefit companies see is the reporting backlog will disappear because content creation is moved from a small number of IT professionals to a larger number of BI power users. The enhanced data access will enable quicker, better decision making, which eventually results in higher revenue.

As a result of this overall approach, we see business stakeholders finally owning BI content and data quality, which is a good thing. This results in better alignment between BI initiatives and business initiatives. If IT truly embraces the consultative role, a strong working partnership between IT and business stakeholders will develop.

Do BI development and support organizations have to change to support an agile BI environment?Yes, they do. Most BI teams within IT organizations are development and IT-project focused. This changes in organizations supporting agile BI. The development role now focuses on only a small portion of the data. The majority of the effort should enable data access and make the data easier to query. IT resources need to become consultants that coach end-users on best practices and how to best deliver BI content. Yes, IT will still move data from one system to another and build a data warehouse, but this will be focused only on a limited number of high-valued data elements.

How does Perficient help companies implement agile BI strategies and technologies?Perficient has a number of offerings that help companies transition to a more agile approach to BI. In our standard BI or data strategy assessment and roadmap offerings, we have built the capability to benchmark and improve the agility of a BI program. For companies not seeking a full BI/data strategy, we have a targeted agility assessment, which helps companies develop a plan to implement agile BI capabilities through technology, process and organization improvements. When companies are looking to purchase new software for the BI/data warehouse environment, we include specific agile and business-enablement requirements in Perficient’s product selection engagements. Finally, we offer a complete set of information architecture and implementation services that incorporate Perficient’s agile BI thought leadership.

originally shared by 

Forrester Research. “TechRadarTM: BI Analytics, Q3 2013.” July 11, 2013

10 Tips for the First-Time Business Owner (Advice from a young entrepreneur in the trenches)

Here are 10 pieces of advice that I wish someone had given to me before I launched my first venture in service sector .

1. Focus. Focus. Focus. 
   Many first-time entrepreneurs feel the need to jump at every "opportunity" they come across. Opportunities are often wolves in sheep's clothing. Avoid getting side-tracked. Juggling multiple ventures will spread you thin and limit both your effectiveness and productivity. Do one thing perfectly, not 10 things poorly. If you feel the need to jump onto another project, that might mean something about your original concept.
2. Know what you do. Do what you know. 
   Don't start a business simply because it seems sexy or boasts large hypothetical profit margins and returns. Do what you love. Businesses built around your strengths and talents will have a greater chance of success. It's not only important to create a profitable business, it's also important that you're happy managing and growing it day in and day out. If your heart isn't in it, you will not be successful.
3. Say it in 30 seconds or don't say it at all. 
   From a chance encounter with an investor to a curious customer, always be ready to pitch your business. State your mission, service and goals in a clear and concise manner. Fit the pitch to the person. Less is always more.
4. Know what you know, what you don't know and who knows what you don't. 
   No one knows everything, so don't come off as a know-it-all. Surround yourself with advisors and mentors who will nurture you to become a better leader and businessman. Find successful, knowledgeable individuals with whom you share common interests and mutual business goals that see value in working with you for the long-term.
5. Act like a startup. 
   Forget about fancy offices, fast cars and fat expense accounts. Your wallet is your company's life-blood. Practice and perfect the art of being frugal. Watch every dollar and triple-check every expense. Maintain a low overhead and manage your cash flow effectively.
6. Learn under fire. 
   No business book or business plan can predict the future or fully prepare you to become a successful entrepreneur. There is no such thing as the perfect plan. There is no perfect road or one less traveled. Never jump right into a new business without any thought or planning, but don't spend months or years waiting to execute. You will become a well-rounded entrepreneur when tested under fire. The most important thing you can do is learn from your mistakes--and never make the same mistake twice.
7. No one will give you money. 
   There, I said it. No one will invest in you. If you need large sums of capital to launch your venture, go back to the drawing board. Find a starting point instead of an end point. Scale down pricey plans and grandiose expenditures. Simplify the idea until it's manageable as an early stage venture. Find ways to prove your business model on a shoestring budget. Demonstrate your worth before seeking investment. If your concept is successful, your chances of raising capital from investors will dramatically improve.
8. Be healthy. 
   No, I'm not your mother. However, I promise that you will be much more productive when you take better care of yourself. Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle, not a 9-to-5 profession. Working to the point of exhaustion will burn you out and make you less productive. Don't make excuses. Eat right, exercise and find time for yourself.
9. Don't fall victim to your own B.S. 
   Don't talk the talk unless you can walk the walk. Impress with action not conversation. Endorse your business enthusiastically, yet tastefully. Avoid exaggerating truths and touting far reaching goals as certainties. In short, put up or shut up.
10. Know when to call it quits. 
    Contrary to popular belief, a smart captain does not go down with the ship. Don't go on a fool's errand for the sake of ego. Know when it's time to walk away. If your idea doesn't pan out, reflect on what went wrong and the mistakes that were made. Assess what you would have done differently. Determine how you will utilize these hard-learned lessons to better yourself and your future entrepreneurial endeavors. Failure is inevitable, but a true entrepreneur will prevail over adversity.

Your First Day at Work

Your first day at work can either be a daunting or an experience you look forward to. I have always looked forward to my first days at work. This is no surprise because I enjoy meeting new people and taking on challenges.

What about those that find their first days challenging? I certainly knew a few during my first days. Starting well on your first day can go a long way in fashioning how your career will progress in any company. The friends you make on your first day, the impressions you give to other people, the often times unprovoked unpleasant glance or comments directed at you from institutionalized employees; all are significant elements in the direction your career will take and in your work satisfaction in general.

From my experience you can help yourself by staying positive and not getting involved or taking sides in domestics squabbles too soon. Take your time in observing and getting to know the people you will be working with and the environment. More importantly, get to know your line managers and learn what makes them tick. Aligned yourself closer to your managers and immediately state your intention as a valuable asset to the team.

Older more experienced employees can also play an important part in the settling of new employees. Rather than push back on new employees, as was the case in my experience, they can put their skills, experience and knowledge to better use by offering to coach or even taking the opportunity to step up and lead teams of inexperienced employees.

Take care on your first day. Keep the focus that got you the job in the first place and don’t try to make it all happen on your first day. As they say, Rome was not built in a day, so pace yourself. Please give your comments or views below.

The story of my first sale

There aren't many more thrilling moments for an entrepreneur than clinching your first sale. Today we ask five of the best how it felt - and how you can achieve the goal...

My first sale was very interesting. Where I make near about 1000 Rs. In one day. I was very happy to see such an great start. I was able to make some decisions based on this success. Then I found people also taking interest in my business. And started appreciating my work is because I was so young for such kind of business.

            I have start with my business with one Xerox machine then I expand it to two. Then I will start it offset printing and photography. But such kind of business required an marketing. So I prepare on marketing stuff for my new venture. Then it became so popular and so famous within that particular area. I have got more clients and more work. I have also some responsibility like my schooling and graduation. Basically my future planning. Because I could not continue this business in future due to family problem.

            Then after we’re shifted to district from small village to metro city. Then I have continued with schooling. My graduation and post-graduation. But I still have eager for my own venture after few months later I will defiantly have my dreams back to live.              

ideal being the real

When I start my own business with small idea in my mind, I will make it real when I was 15 years old. It’s like dream comes true. Just like ideal being true. I’m very nervous that time, because nobody appreciates my work. But when is show some enthusiasm towards my work I found people starts believe I me.

The headmaster suggested that I midair my views in the school slick, but Jonny. I wanted to set up an alternative slick with a fresh attitude. i wanted to battle against corporal punishment, compulsory chapel, games and Latin.

All these ideas were far too ‘revolutionary’ to be aired in the school magazine, The Stoic, a name which seemed only too apt to its long-suffering readers. We then thought about linking up with other schools that had similar rules. Gradually the idea of an interschool magazine was hatched. 

We would link up with other schools and swap ideas. I jotted down a few titles in a school notebook: Today, 1966, Focus!, Modern Britain and Interview. 

Then I wrote out what I wanted to publish and did some more sums. I wrote out a list of 250 MPs whom I found in Who’s Who, and a list of possible advertisers whom I found by going through the telephone book.