VisionWaves : Delivering next generation BI by combining BI and PM in an Intelligent Performance Management Framework VisionWaves Bergweg 173 3707 AC Zeist T 030 6981010 F 030 6914967 2010 VisionWaves B.V. All Rights Reserved.
Abstract... 3 1. Analysis... 4 1.1. Business Intelligence.... 4 1.2. Integration... 4 1.3. Information Delivery... 4 1.4. Analysis... 4 2. Next Generation Business Intelligence... 5 2010 VisionWaves B.V. Next generation BI Page 2 of 7
Abstract VisionWaves incorporates a full BI capability; it draws on multiple data coming from diverse systems and it levers all possible interdependencies between these data. However, VisionWaves extends these standard BI capabilities by also integrating organization-wide Performance Management. This next generation BI platform integrates all possible and relevant databases, transaction systems and process execution systems to incorporate the business value chains and to allow for analysis of the entire organization from a single source. The VisionWaves top-down methodology, by starting with the strategy, introduces another substantial difference only data useful to support of the strategy is incorporated, therefore ensuring that data warehouses, data marts and related cubes are sized sensibly. 2010 VisionWaves B.V. Next generation BI Page 3 of 7
1. Analysis 1.1. Business Intelligence. Gartner defines a BI platform as a software platform that delivers the 12 capabilities listed below. These capabilities are organized into three functional categories: integration, information delivery and analysis. The analysis below provides a cross-reference of this capability decomposition to Delta. 1.2. Integration BI infrastructure Delta uses the same security, metadata, administration, portal integration, object model and query engine throughout the entire framework and provides a single look and feel. Metadata management Gartner refers to this as the most important of the 12 capabilities. Delta not only leverages the same metadata, but it provides a robust way to search, capture, store, re-use and publish metadata objects such as dimensions, hierarchies, measures, performance metrics and report layout objects. Development Delta includes a set of programmatic development tools coupled with a software developer's kit for creating BI applications that can be integrated into a business process, and/or embedded in another application. The development environment supports Web services in performing common tasks such as scheduling, delivering, administering and managing. Workflow and collaboration SharePoint in Delta enables BI users to share and discuss information via public folders and discussion threads. In addition, the workflow capabilities provided can assign and track events or tasks allotted to specific users, based on predefined business rules. 1.3. Information Delivery Reporting Delta has full, user-friendly and scalable reporting capability. Moreover it handles a wide array of reporting styles (for example, financial, operational and performance dashboards). Dashboards Delta excels as a dashboard. The dashboards indicate the state of the performance metric, compared with a goal or target value and are explicitly linked to the organization s strategic requirements. Ad hoc query Delta users can query the data directly, without relying on IT to create a report. Therefore Delta offers a robust navigation layer to allow users to navigate available data sources. Microsoft Office integration Delta, including the Microsoft BI stack, provides full integration with Microsoft Office, integration includes cell locking and write-back. 1.4. Analysis OLAP Delta provides a variety of storage architectures such as relational, multidimensional and inmemory. Advanced visualization Delta visualization capabilities go beyond just slicing and dicing data and include more process-driven BI projects, allowing all stakeholders to better understand the workflow through a visual representation. Predictive modeling and data mining Delta enables organizations to classify categoric variables and estimate continuous variables using advanced mathematical techniques. 2010 VisionWaves B.V. Next generation BI Page 4 of 7
Scorecards Viewed as one of the key differentiators in the market, Delta takes the metrics displayed in a dashboard a step further by applying them to a strategy map that aligns key performance indicators to a strategic objective. Different performance management methodologies such as Six Sigma or a balanced scorecard framework can also be leveraged. 2. Next Generation Business Intelligence Gartner also sheds some light on the evolution of BI and where next generation BI platforms will evolve. From a BI perspective many organizations view BI as "the use of information that enables organizations to best lead, decide, measure, manage and optimize performance to achieve efficiency and financial benefit." The value of BI is more than information dissemination; BI is highly linked to achieving business goals. Gartner believes that BI capabilities will become more pervasive in operational and workplace applications as organizations seek to use BI to lead, support decisions, explore, measure, manage and optimize their businesses and thereby drive business transformation. Therefore next generation BI should introduce this strategic alignment in a dynamic manner and provide a combination of BI and Performance Management. Figure 1 : recent presentation at the Gartner Symposium November 2009 An overall vision and strategy for BI and PM should take into account much more than the traditional use of analyst-driven BI applications; it should also include multiple initiatives to measure, manage and improve the performance of an individual, a process, a functional team or a business unit - or even the entire organization. The framework should be used to define, align and integrate the metrics, people, processes, components, methodologies and capabilities associated with the different layers, and to place them into 2010 VisionWaves B.V. Next generation BI Page 5 of 7
the larger business oriented context and linkage to strategy execution. This framework can also be useful for performing a readiness/completeness assessment of existing initiatives and for assessing the alignment and integration of the technology with the needs of the business. Today VisionWaves is unique in offering this Performance Management Framework capability. Performance Management is a multi-faceted concept with many interdependencies, and therefore it requires a multi-faceted, highly adaptable framework. This is especially so in the current business climate, in which successful organizations, will have a clear and identified business model. Figure 2: Strategic Value Chain Management First they must identify who their key stakeholders are and what is the organization s mandate. Then they must understand what combination of customers, products, services and channels will provide different contributions to this expected value. Furthermore they will be able to identify and connect the processes that are required to deliver these combinations. Finally they must understand what resources or capabilities will be needed to execute these processes. The starting point is the stakeholders and not the strategies; stakeholders define the nature and content of the value they demand. Then comes strategy; which strategies should the organization adopt to ensure that the wants and needs of the stakeholders are satisfied? It is already paramount to emphasize the role of performance measurements and enterprise metrics: 2010 VisionWaves B.V. Next generation BI Page 6 of 7
1. To track whether or not strategies are actually being implemented. 2. To communicate these strategies into the organization. 3. To encourage and incentivize the implementation of the strategies. 4. To analyze whether strategies deliver the expected or planned results. Where many existing frameworks and methodologies falter, the VisionWaves framework extends this model to the alignment of processes and the resources to operate these processes. At these process and resource levels metrics are crucial in order to connect strategic measurements to operational measurements. A more detailed positioning of Delta as an Intelligent Performance Management Framework can be found in the attached Positioning paper. 2010 VisionWaves B.V. Next generation BI Page 7 of 7