| > | | | | department and gradually integrate the rest of the |
| Implement BI as efficiently as possible. Poorly | | | | company. Because at this point they know what the |
| implemented business intelligence initiatives are not only | | | | end users need and what their key performance |
| costly and difficult to maintain, but they can produce | | | | metrics are, it should be simple for the core group to |
| inaccurate information as well. If you’re looking | | | | know where to begin their work. These groups will |
| to start a business intelligence project for your | | | | also have to maintain the cleanliness, integrity, and |
| company or improve an existing one, these | | | | security of the data across the company. |
| recommendations should help your company get the | | | | Understand How Data Relates to the End Application |
| most out of BI. | | | | This will help the core group simplify the process as it |
| Determine What You Need First | | | | moves forward. By knowing which data to apply |
| Often, companies will jump into a business intelligence | | | | management and analytics principles to at any given |
| program without first determining what they need from | | | | time, the group can discover efficient ways to produce |
| it. Find out what the end users need specifically, so | | | | desired information. |
| that once the program is set up they can use it easily | | | | Create Consistency |
| and don’t have to seek out the necessary | | | | In order for your company’s business |
| information on their own. This is also a good time to | | | | intelligence program to be successful, you’ll |
| define your key performance metrics and your | | | | need to apply the same integration techniques to data, |
| milestones. Both the information for the end users | | | | whether it is delivered from an internal or external |
| and your benchmarks will help you structure your BI | | | | source. This gives your company the ability to create |
| program. | | | | new relationships between data to determine new |
| Create a Core Group | | | | possible outcomes using your business intelligence |
| The easiest way to get everyone in the company on | | | | program, without having to stop to reprocess any of |
| board with the BI program and produce the most | | | | the data. |
| accurate and useful information is to designate a core | | | | Once you set up your business intelligence program or |
| group that is responsible for the program. This group | | | | revamp your existing one, your company will be poised |
| will be guide the rest of the company away from | | | | to compete in a market where more and more |
| current practices and processes that lead to multiple | | | | industry leaders are relying on their data to back |
| versions of data and less than useful analytics. Often, | | | | important decisions. |
| it is easiest for the core group to start this work in one | | | | |