Information Architecture
Definition:
DecisionPath defines Information Architecture as a business-driven, technically-effective arrangement of the business information that is generated by and used by the core management, customer-oriented, and operating processes of a business. Business information is typically generated and used by transactional systems and management systems, and is sometimes purchased from third parties. This information must be made available to various business users for various business purposes, and thus it must be stored in appropriate, technically efficient and effective ways. The Information Architecture defines how the business information will be processed, stored, managed, and made available for its various uses.
Purposes:
- Identify the current arrangement of the business information that is generated by and used by the core management, customer-oriented, and operating processes of the business.
- Identify weaknesses of the current information architecture in relation to the ability to efficiently, effectively, and reliably enable opportunities to leverage BI for such purposes as reducing costs, acquiring and retaining profitable customers, achieving operational excellence, increasing campaign effectiveness, meeting regulatory mandates, delivering more robust management and financial information, improving strategic performance, reducing reporting costs, and driving top-line growth.
- Identify weaknesses of the current information architecture in relation to BI and data warehousing best practices.
- Identify the content, structure, quality, and accessibility of the business information that is generated by and used by the core management, customer-oriented, and operating processes of a business.
- Define a target state Information Architecture and associated migration path that is cost-effective and risk-appropriate in relation to the BI Requirements Portfolio.
Benefits:
- Provides a fundamentally sound, risk-appropriate basis for technical planning and risk management within the broader BI Roadmap.
- Ensures that realization of BI-driven business improvement opportunities is not impeded by an inappropriate information architecture or by issues related to access to business information maintained within transactional systems.
Technical Selection
Definition:
DecisionPath defines a Technology Selection engagement to potentially encompass: (a) working with a business to develop or refine business-driven functional and tool requirements, preferably based on the BI Requirements Portfolio and the BI Roadmap; (b) translating those requirements into a defined set of weighted business and technical selection criteria and a Proof of Concept designed to prove vendors’ ability to meet the requirements within the company technical environment; (c) conducting market and product research; (d) providing technical support for the Proof of Concept; and (e) providing source selection support as desired.
Purposes:
- Reduce business and technical risk by using company-specific business requirements to drive functional and technical requirements.
- Leverage a company-specific Proof of Concept to move beyond general product and market research, e.g. Gartner and Forrester, and “look under the hood” at claimed features and functions and how they actually work and perform.
- Use structured selection approaches that balance and trade off various business and technical factors that go into making capital investment decisions.
Benefits:
- Allows technology selection criteria to be architecturally-appropriate, technically specific, and weighted toward product features and functions that truly matter for the specific company.
- Allows for a more objective approach to product selection.
Technical Execution
Definition:
Within the BI Pathway Method, DecisionPath defines a “Build Phase” which encompasses all of the technical activities required to execute BI projects, including: (a) BI application design; (b) BI application development, deployment, and support; and (c) BI infrastructure deployment and integration.
Purposes:
- Provide technical execution services based on cross-industry experience and established technical best practices on a turn-key basis or in concert with client technical professionals, as appropriate.
- Reduce technical risk in situations where the company has limited experience with the core technical activities required for successful execution of BI projects.
- Provide on-the-job technical training to client team.
Benefits:
- Reduced technical risk.
- Faster delivery of BI applications to business community.
- Enhanced individual learning for client technical team.
- Proven technical methods transferred to client technical organization.
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