Right now there are tons of heated debates going on about what business intelligence systems to use and the most effective ways to implement them. All this debate about the technological side of business intelligence programs makes it easy to forget that a good business intelligence strategy is about much more than the technology that’s behind it. Way before you decide what technology you’ll be investing in and how it will be used, you’ll want to establish a clear vision for your business intelligence strategy. Here are four key ways you might want to re imagine your business intelligence strategy.

1. How To Develop An Effective
Business Intelligence Strategy

2. Maximize your results
Right now there are tons of heated debates going on about what
business intelligence systems to use and the most effective ways to
implement them. All this debate about the technological side of
business intelligence programs makes it easy to forget that a good
business intelligence strategy is about much more than the
technology that’s behind it.
Way before you decide what technology you’ll be investing in and
how it will be used, you’ll want to establish a clear vision for your
business intelligence strategy. Here are four key ways you might
want to re imagine your business intelligence strategy.

3. A Top-Down Approach
Take a top-down approach to reinventing your business
intelligence strategy.
Businesses tend to be successful at having their BI
strategy penetrate their organization’s operation
and tactical levels, but less successful at involving
an organization’s strategic levels.
Don’t fall into this same pitfall. Instead, use a top-
down approach and be sure to get your
organization’s key decision makers are fully
immersed and accounted for in your BI
strategy.
Wealth Engine Says:
Find the “Pain Points” in your organization. Talk with each decision
maker, including marketing, development, community outreach, finance,
human resources, and programming to determine which decisions they
struggle with, where they are seeking new information and insight, and
how your competencies can complement their needs.
https://www.wealthengine.com/resources/blogs/nonprofit-blog/how-
does-data-become-business-intelligence

4. Evaluation And Prototyping
There are lots of great BI tools on the market these days.
But, all this great technology can end up being
expensive.
Before you commit to purchasing and building out an
expensive new BI tool be sure to thoroughly evaluate
your current system first.
Review the strengths and weaknesses of your current BI
program. Understand where the value in your current
BI system is and what parts of it need more
investment.
Once you’ve done this, map out the improvements you’d
like to see and research the most cost effective BI
platforms that meet your needs.
CIO says:
One size does not fit all. In general you may benefit from an out-of-the-
box, industry-specific data model if you have a more homogeneous IT
environment—such as one ERP, one CRM system. Do watch for
extensibility and hierarchy flexibility. More complex enterprises may
benefit from customization, although you may still want to consider
beginning with an industry-standard model as a template or a set of
guides (such as typical facts, dimensions and so on).
http://www.cio.com/article/2437838/business-intelligence/10-keys-to-a-
successful-business-intelligence-strategy.html

5. Reverse Engineer Solutions.
Before you invest in one of the many BI tools on the
market, consider your users and the actual
decisions they will need to make.
If you’re in this mindset you’ll be more likely to
develop a business intelligence solution that
will truly support the decision maker.
Etech Says:
Reporting based on accurate and timely information helps companies measure the
performance of their processes. Business Intelligence helps companies make
informed decisions on strategic issues by providing crucial information on current and
historical performance of the company along with future trends, expected demands,
customer behavior etc.
Business Intelligence teams ensure that the company receives real-time advanced
reports to ensure that the company can efficiently utilize the information at hand to
better manage the business.
http://www.etechgs.com/blog/post/Business-Intelligence-Helps-in-Strategic-Decision-
Making.aspx

6. Start Small And Measure Progress
Run a lower cost pilot project before you purchase an entirely
new BI system.
While your smaller pilot BI program is running be sure to
capture data to help you measure your program’s
effectiveness.
Use the metrics, surveys and other data captured during
this process to generate support for a larger, more
involved BI system deployment.
Sisense says:
The more time you spend on upfront planning, the less time you’ll waste
stressing if your project will be in budget. Ask very specific questions like:
How quickly do you need the project completed? Do you want every
department to have access to BI and dashboards? Should clients also have
access to your generated reports? The breadth of your BI project will most
likely reflect what your needs are and actually lay out a budget for you.
https://www.sisense.com/blog/make-business-intelligence-software-fit-2016-
budget/

7. Still Have Questions?
Although there is more talk than ever these days about BI systems, less
than 50% of organizations consider their BI initiatives to be as successful
as they had hoped they would be. Taking the time to really think about and
craft your BI strategy is vital to the success of your BI strategy. Whatever
technology you choose to bolster your BI program’s implementation and
adoption, if it truly aligns with your organization’s business goals it is sure
to be a success.
If you are thinking about implementing a new BI solution or are reevaluating
your organization’s current business intelligence strategies, contact the
business technology experts at Advisicon. Our team specializes in
transforming your organization’s project management through technology
implementations, application and workflow development, and training. Get
in touch with us today!