Select and Implement a Reporting and Analytics Solution

Select the right analytics solution with our data-driven approach.

Select and Implement a Reporting and Analytics Solution

Member Challenge

  • Statistics show that the top priority of 85% of CIOs is insight and intelligence. Yet an appetite for intelligence does not mean that business intelligence initiatives will be an automatic success. In fact, many industry studies found that only 30% to 50% of organizations considered their BI initiative to be a complete success. It is, therefore, imperative that organizations take the time to select and implement a BI suite that aligns with business goals and fosters end-user adoption.
  • The multitude of BI offerings creates a busy and sometimes overwhelming vendor landscape. When selecting a solution, you have to make sense of the many offerings and bridge the gap between what is out there and what your organization needs.
  • BI is more than software. A BI solution has to effectively address business needs and demonstrate value through content and delivery once the platform is implemented.
  • Another dimension of the success of BI is the quality and validity of the reports and insights. The overall success of the BI solution is only as good as the quality of data fueling them.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Business intelligence starts with data management. Without data management, including governance and data quality capabilities, your BI users will not be able to get the insights they need due to inaccurate and unavailable data.
  • When selecting a BI tool, it is crucial to ensure that the tool is fit for the purpose of the organization. Ensure alignment between the business drivers and the tool capabilities.
  • Self-serve BI requires a measured approach. Self-serve BI is meant to empower users to make more informed and faster decisions. But uncontrolled self-serve BI will lead to report chaos and prevent users from getting the most out of the tool. You must govern self-serve before it gets out of hand.

Impact and Result

  • Evaluate your organization and land yourself into one of our three BI use cases. Find a BI suite that best suits the use case and, therefore, your organization.
  • Understand the ever-changing BI market. Get to know the established vendors as well as the emerging players.
  • Define BI requirements comprehensively through the lens of business, data, architecture, and user groups. Evaluate requirements to ensure they align with the strategic goals of the business.

Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should select and implement a business intelligence and analytics solution, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Name Actions
Select and Implement a Reporting and Analytics Solution – Executive Brief
Select and Implement a Reporting and Analytics Solution – Phases 1-3

1. Launch a BI selection project

Promote and get approval for the BI selection and implementation project.

Name Actions
Select and Implement a Business Intelligence and Analytics Solution – Phase 1: Launch Your BI Selection Project
BI Score Calculator
BI Project Charter

2. Select a BI solution

Select the most suitable BI platform.

Name Actions
Select and Implement a Business Intelligence and Analytics Solution – Phase 2: Select a BI Solution
BI Use Case Fit Assessment Tool
BI Planning and Scoring Tool
BI Vendor Demo Script
BI Vendor Shortlist and Detailed Feature Analysis Tool
BI Request for Proposal Template

3. Implement the BI solution

Build a sustainable BI program.

Name Actions
Select and Implement a Business Intelligence and Analytics Solution – Phase 3: Implement the BI Solution
BI Test Plan Template
BI Implementation Planning Tool
BI Implementation Work Breakdown Structure Template

Testimonials

Gaining a better understanding of the architecture and discussing specific aspects of different solutions

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