A Novel Approach to the Implementation

of a Data Warehouseof a Data Warehouse

Sandra Sirasch Director Corporate InformationNovember 2008November 2008

Overview of Presentation 2Overview of Presentation• The Context for the Data Warehouse Project

• Approach used in the implementation was one based on the fundamental methodologies which surround gBusiness Intelligence not just capturing data

• The business benefits demonstrated when the• The business benefits demonstrated when the system was put to the test in the recent audit by the Australian University's Quality Agency (AUQA), andy Q y g y ( Q ),

• What did we learn?

• What have we achieved

December 2, 2008• Future Directions

Context and Background Institutional 3Context and Background - Institutional

• In 2005 it became apparent that:In 2005 it became apparent that:– the University had disparate data systems with

questionable integrity around much of the data inquestionable integrity around much of the data in those systems,

– limited capacity to integrate data from the various p y gsystems, and

– virtually no capacity to develop and produce reports to assist with informed decision making and strategic thinking. This was the big one.

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Approach & ImplementationApproach & Implementation

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Start of the Project 2006 5Start of the Project - 2006

• project instigated to identify the various reports necessary so as to assist the University with its decision making and strategic planning.

• In all 8 major areas were identified for attention.

• The University then explored the best approach to be able to deliver the required information, choices -

i i i t t t & i t– running queries against corporate systems & using report tools

– full warehouse where sets could be connected, enhanced and integrated.

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Decisions Made 6Decisions Made

• a SAS Data Warehouse as the core - the Management Information System (MIS).

• in first instance data to be used to be associated with:– the reports identified in the previous project and– strategic measures in plan g p

ie a “Business Intelligence Approach” as the data had a g ppparticular business focus

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Goal of Project 7

To provide a tool to enable the University to produce

Goal of Project

accurate and consistent management and performance reports across 8 major areas, in agreed formats, when

d d d i ff ti i ti h lneeded and via effective communication channels.

Approach AdoptedApproach AdoptedConcurrently Top Down, Bottom Up, Top Down

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Quick Overview of the Project 8Quick Overview of the Project

• 8 performance areas identified by the University8 performance areas identified by the University

• Data warehouse was built progressively as the data for each performance area was identified and captured Eacheach performance area was identified and captured. Each area was a separate project with its own delivery date

• Data quality improvement has been incorporated in the• Data quality improvement has been incorporated in the data management processes

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Areas Of Focus 9Areas Of FocusData Management Data Warehouse Management

Reports

Nustar

Research Data Mart (1)

Student

ETL

Research (1)

Student (2)

Reports

Finance 1

Callista

Data Mart (2)

TeachingData Mart (3)

Student (2)

Teaching (3)

Alesco

pora

teIn

form

atio

nta

War

ehou

se FinanceData Mart (4)

International D t M t(5)

Finance (4)

International (5)So

urce

Data

ETL

Cor

pD

at Data Mart (5)

StaffData Mart (6)

(5)

Staff (6)

Excel

S

DESTTables

MarketData Mart (7)

Corporate Data Mart (8)

Market (7)

Corporate (8)

ETL

Others Accurate information delivered to you

when you need it and how you want it

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Data Mart (8) how you want it .

Challenges for the Project 10Challenges for the Project• Data quality• Managing University’s expectation• Managing varied and sometimes changing project staff• Budget limitations• Managing the changing workplace for existing staff

O h d i i h j• Other system upgrades impacting on the project• Concurrent Program of Works (POW) projects straining

resourcesresources• Knowing when to call it and move on• Keeping the business going while we were implementingKeeping the business going while we were implementing• Establishing interface agreements between systems

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Putting the Warehouse to the TestPutting the Warehouse to the Test

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Putting it to the Test 12Putting it to the Test• At the end of 2007 the University was required to prepare a

portfolio for the Australian University’s Quality Agency

• The focus of the review was on – student admission, progression and retention– international and internationalisation

• As a result of having the MIS the University was able to put• As a result of having the MIS the University was able to put together a detailed portfolio in a relatively intensive period.

• The portfolio was well received by Heads of School and AUQA

• http://www.newcastle.edu.au/quality/audit.html

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What was Completed at Time of Audit 13What was Completed at Time of Audit

• ‘student characteristics and enrolments’ andstudent characteristics and enrolments and ‘research’

th th h i t t ‘t hi &• three other phases were in test – ‘teaching & learning’, ‘international’ and ‘staffing’

• two phases were in development – ‘marketing’ and corporate development

• ‘finance’ had not commenced

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Status of Project at Time of Visit14

Existing

Prebuilt Data Cubes

Student Cubes (1 already built)

ReportsLMRPPR

Existing HRPerformance Score

Business as UsualD

AT

HR Cube (1 already built)

Others to be and being built

Existing HR reports

ScoreCarding

Other Reports to b b ilt

A

WA

and being built be builtREHO

Extraction of data from warehouse and generation of pivot tables

Routine Reports

Ad Hoc

Progressively move the routine reports out of this area into the

USE

tables

Note: This was strategy used for AUQA

Reports this area into the area above

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What Did We Learn?

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Things we did well and would do again! 16Things we did well and would do again!• We had strong executive sponsorship and a tight project plan• We had an experienced project manager• We kept to budget and only varied timelines when it was

absolutely necessaryabsolutely necessary. • The phased ‘business intelligence’ approach meant that we

progressively got people on board and they became our d tadvocates

• We didn’t promise capacity we demonstrated it progressively over time

• Close involvement with the business owner was vital, this was not an IT projectH i th j t i iti t d d d b b i• Having the project initiated and owned by a business group meant that interpretation and understanding of data and reports was not an issue

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The Web Portal For Reports17

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The Web Portal18

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What do the New Load Reports Look Like!19

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Reports – Full Year Estimates20

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Future Directions

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The Development of Tools 24The Development of Tools

• The goal is to not just use the MIS for reporting but to• The goal is to not just use the MIS for reporting but to also use it dynamically

• The first example of this is in the cluster calculator• The first example of this is in the cluster calculator

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QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

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