CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

OPERATIONAL REPORTING AND

THE BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

AGENDA

MICHAEL GIBSON

DEAKIN UNIVERSITY

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Definitions Operational Reporting • The use of traditional BI toolsets against operational datasets, including data

that exists within transaction systems

• In addition to production OLTP databases, architectures may include ODS (or like), DB replicas, etc.

• Essentially providing real-time (or near) detailed reporting to support operational business processes

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

A Few Preliminary Questions With the previous definition in mind…

• How many have participated in Operational Reporting while in a BI role?

• How many have at least considered the idea?

• How many think it’s just too difficult?

• Perhaps it’s simply not a priority?

• The preferred architecture doesn’t yet exist?

• Is it specifically part of your BI strategy?

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

A Potentially Contentious Topic • Not everyone agrees that Operational Reporting and Business Intelligence

should be included in the BI mandate / strategy

• Or perhaps that it is, but only in certain contexts Examples; – Only with appropriate architecture (eg. an ODS) – For operational dashboards

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Some Definitions of BI Gartner Glossary

Business intelligence (BI) is an umbrella term that includes the applications, infrastructure and tools, and best practices that enable access to and analysis of information to improve and optimize decisions and performance.

Used elsewhere by Gartner

'Now, Business Intelligence is becoming the term to describe the enterprise-wide discipline of using data, analyzing information, making decisions and managing performance‘

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Some Definitions of BI Wikipedia

Business intelligence (BI) is defined as the ability for an organization to take all its capabilities and convert them into knowledge, ultimately, getting the right information to the right people, at the right time, via the right channel. This produces large amounts of information which can lead to the development of new opportunities for the organization. When these opportunities have been identified and a strategy has been effectively implemented, they can provide an organization with a competitive advantage in the market, and stability in the long run (within its industry)

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Some Definitions of BI • Most commonly accepted BI definitions have no specific inclusion or

exclusion of Operational Reporting • However, an Operational aspect of BI is usually represented this way…

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Some Definitions of BI

Strategic

Tactical

Operational

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Some Definitions of BI Distinctions are often made between ‘Operational Reporting’ and ‘Operational Business Intelligence’

Operational Reporting

Operational Business

Intelligence Often has a direct connection to unmodified transactional data.

Utilises BI/DW architectures to transform and potentially integrate detailed data – usually with some latency.

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Some Definitions of BI My personal view is that most simply ignore it or apply dogmatic principles to deliberately exclude it.

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

My Experience at Deakin • Poor reporting / querying capabilities for nearly all major systems

– Finance (Oracle e-business) – HR (Alesco) – Student (Callista) – and several more

• Typically no standard reporting available at all (data sourced through requests to systems admin / ITSD)

• Some old Discoverer reporting • Some reporting output designed for printing on 132 char paper widths Much of this still exists!

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

My Experience at Deakin Typical example of a user’s experience obtaining data

SQL

TOAD / SQLPlus

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

My Experience at Deakin It’s utterly amazing that this situation persists! Almost comical!

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

BI Practitioners Can Help • Deliver significant business value by

improving operational business processes

• Some of the same benefits as for BI generally

– Efficiencies / timeliness / speed – Accuracy / robustness – New capabilities

• Exit the ‘dark ages’

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Examples… of business processes we’ve been able to help improve;

HR (area of fastest user growth in 2012) • Staff budgeting / planning

Finance • Credit card usage and compliance • Invoice / PO compliance

SMS • Admissions processing • Assessments • Curriculum proposals* (possible future links to course dashboard) ICT • Service level management / service desk • Call centre operations

Compliments DDW reporting (more examples follow…)

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Decentralised Approach Similar to broader BI model of development being decentralised, where other areas obtaining own skills in Cognos development • Human Resources • Division of Student Administration Supported by our BI team as 2nd tier

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

How Difficult Is It? • Obviously more complex than

modelling a star schema

Our SMS Admissions Model

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

How Difficult Is It? Architected similar to a DW sematic layer; • Database view & Presentation layer modelled • Owner & User views presented Depends in intended use, and the nature of the users In the case of HR reporting, security model has been embedded to facilitate row-level security applied.

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

How Difficult Is It? Database view Presentation layer

Pre-modelled joins

In our case, Cognos assumes a Star Schema

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

How Difficult Is It? As a rule of thumb, stick to creating separate models for each module

Fixed joins can cause problems

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

How Difficult Is It? Lends itself perfectly to an Agile methodology. • Possible high degree of uncertainty and complexity • Requirements are likely to evolve over time • ‘Workable’ deliverables within iterations, etc.

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Quick Wins In many cases Operational Reporting can be done quickly, producing results within hours or days, but it depends on many things; • The complexity of the reporting requirements • The complexity of the underlying database model • The availability and quality of SMEs (often from system admin teams) • Ability to test / confirm results It also assumes the database is freely accessible

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Operational Reporting and the BI Strategy • So from where I sit, Operational Reporting is an important consideration in

Deakin’s overall BI strategy • Operational Reporting compliments (not replaces) the DDW to offer a fully

rounded service • Considering the benefit derived so far, and that still remaining, it will be front-

and-centre

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Other CC reporting • Highest gross individual users • Highest gross departments • Highest Vendors • Identify split transaction

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Invoicing • Duplicate invoices

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Other PO reporting • Duplicate POs • POs by budget centre • Highest vendors, etc.

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

HRMS Reporting Casual Staff • Commitments • Casual hours paid • Casual staff listing • Time sheets pending payment Staff Contact Details Staff Budgeting • Current occupancies • Vacant positions Payroll – budget centres Training attendance

Over 100 new users in 6 months

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Other Cisco Reporting • Queue activity • Abandoned calls • Wrap-up code summary • Agent handle times

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Other Service Level Management reporting Various SLM / SLA summary breakdowns Individual interactions Incidents Problems Includes daily bursting to all staff members with an active case

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

Other Callista SMS Reporting Admissions • Applications received, offers made, offers accepted, offers rejected • Tracking of international applications • Postgrad applications Assessments • Examination details / materials / timetabling • Student exam details • Offshore exam details • Results Curriculum proposals

CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B