There are two sides to implementing business intelligence (BI). Often, we talk about the hardware and software implementation, and then the data warehouse design and tools needed to directly solve the data problems we face.
The other side is much more personal, but equally as important, and that is creating a business intelligence culture. Creating a successful BI culture enables you to reach better insights, while allowing your organization to turn data into a part of your essence, to be used as a currency and second language. This leads to everyone making better and more informed decisions.
When looking to implement a BI culture, successful organizations focus on enabling and enhancing the abilities of their team. The goal is that eventually it all becomes second nature and an inherent part of your business. Here are 5 elements of creating an effective BI culture:
1. Openness
One of the most important elements of an effective BI culture is the availability of data. Opening the data in your organization leads to more members of your team being able to impact the efficiency, productivity and profitability of the company.
Always make it as easy as possible for your team to find what they need. Give them the training they need to succeed. Allow every team member to explore and find their own insights and ideas, leading your organization to new innovations.
2. Collaboration
Organizations that are successfully cultivating a healthy BI culture encourage collaboration wherever it’s needed. We all face challenges in the work we do, and everyone should be free to ask those around you for help. Experts from all across your organization will be able to help you get over that hurdle. Everyone also learns and analyzes data slightly differently. By working together, organizations get a much more complete view of their data.
3. Iterate the Future
It’s important to focus on an iterative approach to implementation and growth. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of progress. Successful organizations know that each step that they take matters, and don’t let their long-term end goal impede the progress of today.
Being iterative allows your culture to grow in manageable steps, and better adapt to unforeseen challenges and obstacles. When building a BI culture in your organization start with the steps you can take now, and keep an eye on your end goal.
4. Obsess Over Automation
If it’s not repeatable, it’s already stagnant. Automation is about getting a stronger return on value for your organization. If a task has to be supplemented by a manual process you are taking time away from higher value activities that can’t be automated.
By automating more tasks that are part of your business intelligence strategy, there is more room for IT to add value and work on larger and more immediate projects. New automation tools are showing up all the time, like WhereScape’s newly announced automation for Data Vault and DataRobot’s automation of predictive modeling. Every Teknion partner is about speed and a return on value that lets more of your organization be focused on strategy and finding new innovations that let you thrive.
5. Live and Breathe Business Intelligence
Creating a business intelligence culture isn’t a part time affair. It takes time to build up, and it requires vigilance to maintain. A successful business intelligence culture becomes second nature. Open data, collaboration, iterative planning and automation should feel like constant companions, and it should feel wrong to not utilize everything at your disposal to create better outcomes for your business.
BI Culture and You
Setting out on your path to creating a BI culture can start today. Begin by implementing the steps above that you and your team can take on today. Create conversations about data and start immersing everyone in it. When in doubt, focus on areas you can bring more value, free up resources and get to more informed business decisions.
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