1. Compaq Services
Always Thinking Ahead
Putting“Business”and“Intelligence”back into Business
Intelligence
As decision support systems evolved into data warehouses and
then into “Business Intelligence solutions,” often the only real
difference was the terminology. In far too many cases, these
solutions promised more that they delivered. You may have
experienced one of the following yourself:
“The IT guys told us that an enterprise data warehouse
would solve all of our problems. But nine months later,
we still have no way of getting any more information
than we had before.”
“We have more reports now but we cannot agree with
the numbers we are seeing.”
“I still need someone who knows SQL to get anything use-
ful out of the databases.”
As one of the leading global providers of technology and services
for Business Intelligence, Compaq has developed a series of tech-
niques to maximize the business benefit of applying information
technology to business problems.
Business Exploration — the Compaq difference
Business Intelligence solutions address the needs of decision-
makers for reliable, current information to assist them in making
choices about their businesses that are informed, and in which
they can have confidence. Therefore, the starting point of a suc-
cessful project must be to identify the major issues facing the
business. Once identified, they are then refined into the strategic
components of the solution, and finally into the elements of the
problem which can be addressed by IT.
Compaq Business Exploration Services is not an exercise in develop-
ing data models or technical architectures, or in selecting products
and tools. It is intended to be a short, sharp exercise that creates a
foundation for applying information technology in ways that make
sense for your business.
Iterative approach
We believe that successful Business Intelligence solutions are
delivered by increments toward the final goal, and not by over-
whelming, drawn-out processes.
Our approach works in three stages:
1. The first stage identifies the business drivers
and anchors the project’s starting point firmly
in the business strategy.
2.The second stage defines the “business
initiatives” — the building blocks required
to satisfy the strategic goals.
3.In the third stage, a comprehensive business
solution is identified.
Compaq Services for Business Exploration:
Ensuring that Business Intelligence solutions
make the right impact on your business

2. Within each of the stages, there are three steps. In the first step,
participants are informed of their roles and what is expected of
each of them. One-on-one interviews are conducted to gain
detail and increase understanding. The second step is a working
session with all participants brought together to build consen-
sus. The third step is further analysis and the documentation of
detailed requirements to be presented to the executive sponsor
and participants.
Business Exploration Service establishes a clear business justifica-
tion for the project. Our experience has shown that it is the most
effective means of shaping a BI strategy and demonstrating
measurable ROI. The process itself encourages buy-in from all
members of an organization, an important component in ensur-
ing success of the project.
The importance of sponsorship and consensus
In order for your Business Intelligence project to succeed, it is
essential that the owners of the business problem be identified
and heard. It is also essential that an appropriate sponsor with
strategic and budgetary authority be appointed so that the
project has a conceptual and practical champion.
In addition, managing expectations for executives and users
is critical to the success of a BI project. Consensus is essential
in ensuring that those participating at all levels of input feel
a sense of ownership for the evolving system, and maintain a
realistic level of expectation for its outcome. The process of con-
sensus-building and expectation management creates the right
culture for a successful Business Intelligence project.
Building on experience
Compaq continues to refine the Business Exploration Service to
achieve the benefits you expect in the most expeditious way.
One of the keys to achieving this is through the use of templates
called “BI Frameworks.” Frameworks are an integral part of the
Compaq methodology — including off-the-shelf technologies,
partner software, industry models, and tested configurations —
presented as an integrated suite that’s tailored to your unique
requirements. They enable busy executives to see what has
worked before, and offer a starting point that is a step ahead of
time-consuming speculation about every possible solution.
A complementary attribute of Compaq Business Exploration
Service is the use of partner augmentation. To be really effective
requires solid industry and business expertise, so we comple-
ment our own experts with leading consultants to provide the
right level of expertise at the right time.
How long should a Business Exploration take?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions, and the
answer is that it depends. Where no previous projects have been
attempted, you may be looking at weeks or months to scope and
agree upon goals, to assess the quality of available data, and to
realistically parcel projects of achievable scope. Where there has
been a history of previous expertise and experience and the proj-
ect is a refinement of that understanding, the whole process can
be undertaken in a few days. The process needs to be as long as it
takes to gain consensus toward building a solution which the
business believes will make a difference.
The outcome of Business Exploration
Delivering a successful project is no longer about technology;
tools exist to extract, transform, and migrate data into a ware-
house, comprehensive enough for even a novice to build an
efficient data store. The success of a BI project relies upon the
flexibility and business focus of the dialogue between the busi-
ness decision-makers and the technology providers. Concerns
and barriers to success need to be understood and confronted
from the start, and Business Exploration helps to achieve that.
At the end of the Business Exploration process, we deliver a com-
prehensive roadmap for the path forward. It summarizes the
business issues, the agreed-upon solution, and the information
technology that can be applied toward solving these issues. In
addition, the Business Exploration process itself yields a team of
technicians and decision-makers who understand the issues, and
are already working together to achieve your agreed-upon goals.
Expect results
To find out how the Compaq Business Exploration Service can
sharpen your Business Intelligence efforts, please call your local
Compaq representative today.
Compaq believes that the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date; such informa-
tion is subject to change without notice. Compaq is not responsible for any inadvertent errors. Compaq
conducts its business in a manner that conserves the environment and protects the safety and health of
its employees, customers, and the community.
Compaq and the Compaq logo are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Printed in U.S.A. 0007-0499-A Rel. #xxx/xx xx xx xx.x Copyright © 1999 Compaq Computer Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Business
Direction
Business
Initiative
Business
Solution
Business
Solution
Solution Design &
Implementation
Business
Initiative
Business
Initiative
Establishes strategic direction &
identifies key initiatives to support direction
Defines & prioritizes
business initiatives
Defines solution
model for selected initiative
Select solution phase for
implementation
Business Exploration Road Map