b i Requirements Checklist

BI Requirements Checklist

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The BI Requirements Checklist is designed to provide a framework for gathering user requirements for BI technology. The framework covers, not only the obvious BI functions, but also the follow-up actions a user may need to perform, with the information gathered using the BI technology. In some cases, normal Office automation tools, may be the answer, but applets or macros may be required to help with integration.

The checklist is divided into various major sections with individual points. Points are accompanied by descriptions to help clarify the question being asked.

Once your users have completed the checklist, you will have an overall understanding of what they perceive their needs to be, to support their business activities. Follow the data gathering with an analysis of the responses, grouping the answers into:

Nice to Have rating totals 1 to 4

Good to Have rating totals 5 to 7

Must Have rating totals 8 to 10

Not Required rating total of 0

It should be noted that no single product, can fulfill all the items on the checklist. BI solutions are a collection of tools that are used to satisfy the business requirements.

Users from different areas will have different requirements. Marketing people will have a need for segmentation, while financial users will have a need for specific financial calculations. Your data gathering should account for the diversity of requirements by business function, and job function.



Name: ______________________________

Department: ______________________________

Position: ______________________________

Telephone: ______________________________

Email: ______________________________

Requirement Description Rating 1 to 10 Data Inquiry Simple Ad Hoc real time inquiry The ability to enter and execute a

query retrieving information, containing information having, simple sums, counts and averages, grouped by specified values.

Computed Columns The ability to have columns of information that are calculated and not stored.

Prompted Ad Hoc inquiries The ability to execute predefined inquiries, which prompt you for constraints, but always retrieve the same columns of information

Scheduled data extracts The ability to have queries executed at predetermined times, or related to business events.

External Sources of Information The ability to integrate information from outside the Data Warehouse. Examples: • Spreadsheets • Files from outside sources,

vendors, suppliers, catalogs • Files external to the Data

Warehouse such as VSAM files, IMS databases, flat files, other databases.



Requirement Description Rating 1 to 10 Data Inquiry Import information for personal use The ability import inquiries into P/C

based packages for further analysis. Examples: • Import into a spreadsheet • Import into a personal database

Retrieve small amounts of information A few hundred rows of information, which may fit comfortably into a spreadsheet

Retrieve large amounts of information A few thousand, or more rows of information, not likely to fit comfortably into a spreadsheet. May be stored in a personal database for further analysis.

Use Summary Information Information that is aggregated to pre-determined levels. Example: Product sales by region and time

Use Detail Information Information captured at the detail level, perhaps at a transaction level.



Requirement Description Rating 1 to 10 Data Manipulation Workgroup Databases The ability to extract information for

local storage and further analysis

Custom Forms Presentation The ability to view and update information using a custom form

Spreadsheet View The ability to view information in a row and column format

Interactive Updates The ability to change information in real time

Batch Updates The ability to store changes for processing later

Data Warehouse Write Back The ability to have changes made put back into the Data Warehouse.

Requirement Description Rating 1 to 10 Data Analysis Forecasting Budgeting Time Series Analysis The ability to perform a time based

analysis

Business Modeling/What If scenarios The ability to create models to reflect possible outcomes.

Goal Seeking The ability to define a desired goal, and have various factors evaluated to achieve that goal.

Regression Analysis The ability to analyze how different variables affect an outcome, and use that data to predict outcomes for other data series.

Statistical Functions Use simple and advanced statistical functions, like skew and variance.

Financial Functions Use financial functions like IRR and NPV

Segmentation The ability to define groups based on a criteria, and then re-use that group for further analysis.



Requirement Description Rating 1 to 10 Reporting Report Types

Columnar Information listed in columns by column heading

Cross Tab or Pivoted Information listed in Columns, but data values can form column headings

Banded Information listed in horizontal bands, with each band having it’s own content and possibly spanning multiple lines.

Aggregation Having the ability to create totals, and sum duplicate rows of information

Computed Columns The ability to have columns of information that are calculated from queried data.

Complex Calculations The ability to have complex calculations Examples: • Percent of Total • Rolling Sums • Period Comparisons

Drill Up and Drill Down The ability to view information at a specific level, and drill to other levels of information on a selected value. Example: • Drill from Country, To Region, To

District, To City.

Mixed Text and Graphics The ability to produce reports that contain both text and graphics

Cosmetic Control The ability to control fonts, bolding, or display report data in specialized forms

Database Publishing The ability to create documents that are driven by report data. Examples: • Product Catalogs

Exception Reporting The ability to produce reports that only report on specific business problems. Examples: • Product Sales drop by 10% • Customers having Late Payments

Controlled Calculations The ability to control the calculations used, so that everyone uses the same formulas.

Report Templates The ability to create report layouts that server as starting points for creating custom reports

Prompted Reports The ability to create reports that prompt you for content and constraints.

Reporting Preferences The ability to set preferences for constraints, or content.



Requirement Description Rating 1 to 10 Graphics Chart Types

Pie Bar Stacked Bar Line High/Low Radar Area Histograms Other Combination The ability to mix chart types on a

single chart. Example: • A Bar chart having a Line Chart

superimposed on it.

2D 2 Dimension Charts for Data Analysis 3D 3 Dimension Charts for presentation Multiple Scales The ability to have multiple scales

displayed for different data series.

Split Scales The ability to have scales change their range to reflect vastly different data series

Median Line The ability to place a line showing the median for comparison purposes

Custom text Placement The ability to randomly place text for annotation purposes

Slide Shows The ability to create slide shows for presentation purposes

Custom Drawing The ability to perform drawing functions to adjust the look of a graphic, or create new objects

Maps The ability to create geographical diagrams

Clip Art Chart Templates The ability to create templates for

common chart generation

Automatic Update The ability for charts to automatically reflect new information when the data changes.



Requirement Description Rating 1 to 10 Data Security Database level The ability to protect access to the

database in general

Table level The ability to protect which tables of information can be accessed

Field Level The ability to protect which fields on a table can be viewed Example: • HR can see employee personal

information, but others cannot.

Field Content The ability to protect data according to the content of the data. Example: • Managers can only see information

for their departments data

Requirement Description Rating 1 to 10 Documents Small Text Only Small Text and Graphics Large Text Only Large Text and Graphics Group editing of documents



Requirement Description Rating 1 to 10 Automation Task automation The ability to automate frequently used

tasks. Usually in the form of macros and small applications that serve as assists

Complete/Advanced Automation The ability to fully automate a business function requiring many steps

Scheduled Automation The ability to have common tasks executed at predetermined times or according to Business Events

Requirement Description Rating 1 to 10 Portability and Accessibility Remote access to tools The ability to use BI tools from remote

locations. Examples: • Dialup modem access • VPN over Internet

Stand Alone access to BI Tools The ability to use the tools when not connected to the network

Internal Collaboration The ability to share BI work with persons inside the company. Examples: • Email • Publish to a group in a Portal

External Collaboration The ability to send BI work to persons outside the company.

External Access The ability to have external resources use the BI applications. Examples: • Suppliers checking inventory levels • Vendors Checking Returns