Constraints
Degree of Self-ServiceC
on
stra
ints
IT Analyst Manager Director
IT CreatesParameterized
Dashboards Business Creates
ParameterizedDashboards Many Org
Levels Using BI Tool
IT CreatesMany
Reports
Constraints
Reusable Enterprise Objects
• Data Warehouse
• Semantic Layer, Virtual Database
• Data and Object Security
• Report Sharing System
• Codebase
• Pre-calculate common metrics
Constraints
• Document Data Flow
• Data is your product, treat
the same as manufacturing
treats production line
Constraints
“After looking closely at all the information that we’ve gathered, we have
decided to further extend the Beta period so we can improve Pottermore
before giving more people access,” – Pottermore Blog Post
Constraints
"What is impressive ... is our ability to deliver every time with a high level of
innovation and creativity in a large and diverse open world,"
"We are applying the very [same] product template to our other strong
franchises to bring them back to Assassin's Creed blockbuster profitable
status,“ - Yves Guillemot (Ubisoft CEO)
Constraints
Use proven software development practices:
• Everyone has needed components of
application stack for them to work in
isolation
• Ability to do branching from master
codebase
• Frequent checkouts, merging
• Checkout only the piece of code you
need to work on, test in your own
environment
Constraints
Use proven software dev practices
• Shorter Dev Cycles
• Automate QA
• Automate deploys
• Removes risk
• Enables fast deploys
and fixes
Waste
Movement of Code
• Review anywhere code is moved
• How does it get there, what manual
work is done
• How is code merged, how are
conflicts resolved
• What type of movement is involved
for QA
Transportation
Waste
BI Code Flow Diagram
Master Codebase
Dev Branch
(2)
(4b) Test Stage(5) Prod(6)
Dev Branch
Dev Branch(2
)
(4a)
Smoke Tests
Waste
Inventory
Code Repository
• Structure and Organization
• How is versioning done, any
automation?
Codebase Organization
• Use self-documenting tools where
applicable
• Name packages, procs, functions,
objects appropriately
• Use comments, descriptions, etc
Waste
Motion
Guiding Dev Activities
• Auto Complete in Dev Tools
• Organizing workflow (user stories,
iterations, etc)
Code Motion
• Manual work that can be
automated?
• Any steps that can eliminated?
Waste
Waiting
Developers Waiting
• Shorten dev wait time on code
running (are there simple areas
where performance can be
improved)
• Waiting on personnel
• Database connections
• Network changes (firewall)
• Dependent dev work
Waste
Over Producing
To many products
• Dashboards that can be
consolidated
• Move many reports to one
dashboard
• Consolidate reporting platforms
• Is more likely to happen at an
organization level rather than within
one group
Waste
Over ProcessingTo many features
• Occurs when going through details
of user story to early
• Reduced by self-service (not
creating content in report that’s not
going to be used)
• Wait for users to request something
or get their approval while
collaborating before implementing
Waste
• .
Defects
Handling Bug Fixes
• Be capable of quick fixes
• Cut out unnecessary code and
features to reduce risk
• Remove unnecessary environments
• Prioritize bugs
Waste
Skills
Skillsets of Others
• Identify highly analytical end users –
these will be your champions
• Get to know skills of co-workers
Skillsets of Team
• Help organization understand
capabilities of Analytics group
• Be involved with cross-functional
projects
• Self-service training acts as form of
evangelizing
Waste
Unnecessary Feedback Loop
• Self-service eliminates unnecessary
feedback between end user and
developer creating report/dashboard
• Maintain Feedback for information
needed to support self-service
architecture
• Make it a priority to teach people
who will help themselves
Waste
Real Time Reports
Put in Transactional, BI?
In Transactional:
• Waste with transactional system resources
• End-users constrained when changes needed
In BI:
• Use BI resources, offload transactional system and gain BI performance
• End-users can modify report content w/out IT