very frequently asked questions - home - aair warehousing... · 2010-04-15 · xcelsius dashboards....

Very Frequently Asked Questions

Elice GarciaElice Garcia

User Support User Support CoordinatorCoordinator

http://www.uq.edu.au/mishttp://www.uq.edu.au/mis

Background

UQ Systems

• Several systems used for data production– PeopleSoft for student and applicant data

(SInet)– Aurion for staff (HR) data– ResearchMaster for Research data– Masterpiece for Finance data– Many other smaller systems used across

campus

UQ Data Warehouse

• Data collections include Student, Staff, Finance, Research, Space and National Data (and other)

• 3 IT Staff• 3 User Support Staff• Supporting over 1600 users

UQ Data Warehouse

• Datawarehouse runs on MS Sql Server• Business Objects was chosen as BI tool• Deploy Full Client (DeskI) via Citrix

Metaframe• Users can create ad-hoc queries• Some users access online standard

reports only (Reportal)

What We’re Asked


Keeping everybody

happy

Keeping costs down

Ensuring quality outcomes

How do we keep everybody happy?

• Related questions –– How can we ensure that our sponsor keeps

supporting and funding us?– How can we get senior executives

interested?– How do we get other key staff onside?– How do we deal with the data owners?– How do we get users to use the BI system?


sponsor

senior executives

other key staff

general BI users

TipsTips

Executive Sponsor

• Choose the right sponsor• Communicate frequently • Develop initiatives that

– they will enjoy; and– will make them look good

• Show them happy users• Any opportunity• Make your BI system indispensable

StrategiesStrategies

Executive Sponsor

• Send updates• Target appropriate visitors• Tailored reports in ‘my documents’• Quick response to new systems and

system upgrades• Whole of organisation reporting –

– all data collections– ‘operational’ as well as

benchmarking/performance

Reportal


sponsor

senior executives

other key staff

general BI users

TipsTips

Other Senior Executives

• One sponsor is not enough• Target the group and individuals• Know who they are!• Choose the correct approach• Always respond quickly and be available• Make yourself known to key support staff



• Personal visits, especially to new executives to demonstrate the system and discuss their BI needs

• Tailored reports in ‘my documents’• Work closely with their key admin staff

and ensure that there is at least 1 BusinessObjects ‘champion’

InitiativesInitiatives


• Key Statistics – drill down• Xcelsius – Fee Modelling and dashboards• The Reportal


Xcelsius dashboards


sponsor

senior executives

other key staff

general BI users

TipsTips

Other Key Staff

• Vital to get influential support staff onside

• Identify groups and individuals• Reward their support in a visible manner• Respond quickly, be available and

approachable• Make yourself known to key support staff


Other Key Staff

• Provide demos/presentations to these groups and seek feedback

• Offer individual training and/or consultancy visits• Work closely with their key admin staff and

ensure that there is at least 1 BusinessObjects ‘champion’ in each user area

• Respond quickly to requests for standard reports to assist with planning etc.


Other Key Staff

• Strategic planning reports• Faculty portals


sponsor

senior executives

other key staff

general BI users

TipsTips

General BI Users

• Respect your users• Be responsive• Provide strong support services• Encourage initiative and sharing• Keep it simple• Identify areas of need• Think like a user


General BI Users

• MIS culture• Referral groups• Strong training program• Workshops and information sessions• Web site built around user support


General BI Users

• User Forum• User Awards and “Friends of

BusinessObjects” Award• Faculty portals – ‘operational’ areas• On-line customisable finance reports for

academic staff



Keeping everybody

happy

Keeping costs down


How do we keep costs down?

• Related questions –– How can we support a large number of

users?– How do we deal with training issues?– How do we meet reporting needs for a wide

and varied range of users?– How do we cope with ad hoc reporting

needs?

TipsTips

Keeping Costs Down

• Place responsibility appropriately• Provide online resources• Keep a simple approach• Encourage users to help themselves and

others


Keeping Costs Down

• Use BusinessObjects metadata and other resources

• Develop a BI Portal• Utilise your website• Offer in-house training and support


Keeping Costs Down

• Remote shadowing• Automated Administration Tasks


Keeping everybody

happy

Keeping costs down


How do we ensure quality outcomes?

• Related questions –– How can we maintain a large number of

reports?– How do we deal with complex reporting

solutions?– How do we ensure good communication

within and outside our BI provider area?– How do we ensure consistency and

standards?

TipsTips

Ensuring Quality Outcomes

• Be aware of maintenance issues – do not over produce complex reports

• Audit report lists regularly and dispense with unnecessary reports

• Vet all reports before publishing• Encourage sharing of information and

reporting initiatives



• Develop standard recognisable formats and guidelines for publishing

• Develop internal systems that ‘centralise’ information about reports and user communication

• Utilise web sites, newsletters and events



• Job Tracker• Use data from internal systems• Best practice guides• Universe (data collection) Update Guide• Complex formulae created from our end• Validation reports (surveillance)• Control Centre

Surveillance

SI-net

User Tables

User Tables

User Tables

Operational Data Source

Data Warehous

e CopyBASE TABLE

Surveillance

Business ObjectsBusiness Objects

Data WarehouseData Warehouse

Transform

BusObj Reports

Data Correction

Control Centre

Questions

http://www.uq.edu.au/mishttp://www.uq.edu.au/mis

very frequently asked questions - home - aair warehousing... · 2010-04-15 · xcelsius dashboards....

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