operational reporting and the business ...aair.org.au/app/webroot/media/pdf/data warehousing...
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OPERATIONAL REPORTING AND
THE BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
AGENDA
MICHAEL GIBSON
DEAKIN UNIVERSITY
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Definitions Operational Reporting • The use of traditional BI toolsets against operational datasets, including data
that exists within transaction systems
• In addition to production OLTP databases, architectures may include ODS (or like), DB replicas, etc.
• Essentially providing real-time (or near) detailed reporting to support operational business processes
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A Few Preliminary Questions With the previous definition in mind…
• How many have participated in Operational Reporting while in a BI role?
• How many have at least considered the idea?
• How many think it’s just too difficult?
• Perhaps it’s simply not a priority?
• The preferred architecture doesn’t yet exist?
• Is it specifically part of your BI strategy?
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A Potentially Contentious Topic • Not everyone agrees that Operational Reporting and Business Intelligence
should be included in the BI mandate / strategy
• Or perhaps that it is, but only in certain contexts Examples; – Only with appropriate architecture (eg. an ODS) – For operational dashboards
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Some Definitions of BI Gartner Glossary
Business intelligence (BI) is an umbrella term that includes the applications, infrastructure and tools, and best practices that enable access to and analysis of information to improve and optimize decisions and performance.
Used elsewhere by Gartner
'Now, Business Intelligence is becoming the term to describe the enterprise-wide discipline of using data, analyzing information, making decisions and managing performance‘
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Some Definitions of BI Wikipedia
Business intelligence (BI) is defined as the ability for an organization to take all its capabilities and convert them into knowledge, ultimately, getting the right information to the right people, at the right time, via the right channel. This produces large amounts of information which can lead to the development of new opportunities for the organization. When these opportunities have been identified and a strategy has been effectively implemented, they can provide an organization with a competitive advantage in the market, and stability in the long run (within its industry)
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Some Definitions of BI • Most commonly accepted BI definitions have no specific inclusion or
exclusion of Operational Reporting • However, an Operational aspect of BI is usually represented this way…
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Some Definitions of BI
Strategic
Tactical
Operational
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Some Definitions of BI Distinctions are often made between ‘Operational Reporting’ and ‘Operational Business Intelligence’
Operational Reporting
Operational Business
Intelligence Often has a direct connection to unmodified transactional data.
Utilises BI/DW architectures to transform and potentially integrate detailed data – usually with some latency.
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Some Definitions of BI My personal view is that most simply ignore it or apply dogmatic principles to deliberately exclude it.
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My Experience at Deakin • Poor reporting / querying capabilities for nearly all major systems
– Finance (Oracle e-business) – HR (Alesco) – Student (Callista) – and several more
• Typically no standard reporting available at all (data sourced through requests to systems admin / ITSD)
• Some old Discoverer reporting • Some reporting output designed for printing on 132 char paper widths Much of this still exists!
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My Experience at Deakin Typical example of a user’s experience obtaining data
SQL
TOAD / SQLPlus
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My Experience at Deakin It’s utterly amazing that this situation persists! Almost comical!
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BI Practitioners Can Help • Deliver significant business value by
improving operational business processes
• Some of the same benefits as for BI generally
– Efficiencies / timeliness / speed – Accuracy / robustness – New capabilities
• Exit the ‘dark ages’
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Examples… of business processes we’ve been able to help improve;
HR (area of fastest user growth in 2012) • Staff budgeting / planning
Finance • Credit card usage and compliance • Invoice / PO compliance
SMS • Admissions processing • Assessments • Curriculum proposals* (possible future links to course dashboard) ICT • Service level management / service desk • Call centre operations
Compliments DDW reporting (more examples follow…)
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Decentralised Approach Similar to broader BI model of development being decentralised, where other areas obtaining own skills in Cognos development • Human Resources • Division of Student Administration Supported by our BI team as 2nd tier
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How Difficult Is It? • Obviously more complex than
modelling a star schema
Our SMS Admissions Model
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How Difficult Is It? Architected similar to a DW sematic layer; • Database view & Presentation layer modelled • Owner & User views presented Depends in intended use, and the nature of the users In the case of HR reporting, security model has been embedded to facilitate row-level security applied.
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How Difficult Is It? Database view Presentation layer
Pre-modelled joins
In our case, Cognos assumes a Star Schema
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How Difficult Is It? As a rule of thumb, stick to creating separate models for each module
Fixed joins can cause problems
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How Difficult Is It? Lends itself perfectly to an Agile methodology. • Possible high degree of uncertainty and complexity • Requirements are likely to evolve over time • ‘Workable’ deliverables within iterations, etc.
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Quick Wins In many cases Operational Reporting can be done quickly, producing results within hours or days, but it depends on many things; • The complexity of the reporting requirements • The complexity of the underlying database model • The availability and quality of SMEs (often from system admin teams) • Ability to test / confirm results It also assumes the database is freely accessible
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Operational Reporting and the BI Strategy • So from where I sit, Operational Reporting is an important consideration in
Deakin’s overall BI strategy • Operational Reporting compliments (not replaces) the DDW to offer a fully
rounded service • Considering the benefit derived so far, and that still remaining, it will be front-
and-centre
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Other CC reporting • Highest gross individual users • Highest gross departments • Highest Vendors • Identify split transaction
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Invoicing • Duplicate invoices
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Other PO reporting • Duplicate POs • POs by budget centre • Highest vendors, etc.
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HRMS Reporting Casual Staff • Commitments • Casual hours paid • Casual staff listing • Time sheets pending payment Staff Contact Details Staff Budgeting • Current occupancies • Vacant positions Payroll – budget centres Training attendance
Over 100 new users in 6 months
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Other Cisco Reporting • Queue activity • Abandoned calls • Wrap-up code summary • Agent handle times
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Other Service Level Management reporting Various SLM / SLA summary breakdowns Individual interactions Incidents Problems Includes daily bursting to all staff members with an active case
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Other Callista SMS Reporting Admissions • Applications received, offers made, offers accepted, offers rejected • Tracking of international applications • Postgrad applications Assessments • Examination details / materials / timetabling • Student exam details • Offshore exam details • Results Curriculum proposals
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