Business Intelligence - First Steps

Business Intelligence. Everyone seems to want it in order to make critical business decisions, however, the concept tends to be ethereal with little understanding of the mechanics required to produce meaningful, current, and easily-accessed information. We have created dashboards and ad hoc reporting through SharePoint and other tools - the presentation of information isn't really the hard part. The challenge is rooted in understanding the data that matters, the processes that run the business and how to organize the information in a fashion that has meaning to the team.

Data that Matters

An organization's metrics needs to resonate with the entire team from the person who answers the phone or greets visitors to the person who ultimately determines the direction of the firm. The information must be communicated in a fashion that can be easily understood while focusing on the things that truly matter to the organization. I came across a blog entry that provides guidance on determining and communicating the "metrics that matter" within an organization (8 Tips for Crafting Metrics That Matter - by Jesse Farmer). Metrics need to be actionable with a focus on results.

Understanding Business Process

Our implementation work typically begins with an analysis of business process and requirements. We start with an understanding of the 'As Is' processes and determine 'To Be' taking special care to understand the gaps, especially as they relate to the requirements. Careful consideration should be given to ensuring that value is added at each step of the process. The real nuance comes from understanding the interconnectedness of processes and how success is measured at each step. This notion of interconnectedness struck a chord with me when I spent some time with Ron Dimon of Business Foundation. His organization helps large firms determine, understand and manage their processes. They have created very unique depictions of business processes and their relations showing interconnectedness through the use of a "Periodic Table of Business". Rather than getting submerged in technology, Business Foundation uses a straight-forward, paper-based system to align teams around processes. However the business processes are presented, they need to be an accurate, tested depiction with buy-in from team responsible for implementing and administering them.

Rallying Around the Metrics

If you have the metrics that matter (i.e. the receptionist and CEO are both looking at the same metrics each day) and you feel confident that your processes are clearly defined with the granularity of data you require, presenting the information is a straight-forward process. As I mentioned above, we have had tremendous success using SharePoint as a means of delivery for metrics and reports. However, there are many presentation options to consider including hosted options. Remember the thermometer charts used to show fundraising progress for charity? It does not need to be overly slick to get the point across. Get the information in front of the team, be clear about how the information is accumulated and what the goals are, show trending wherever possible, and post it consistently.

The overall theme here is clarity over chaos, simplicity over complexity and consistency over a flash-in-the-pan approach. This will all translate to better organization alignment and at the end of the day, isn't this what it is all about?