Boris Evelson, Principal Analyst at research company Forrester presented an eye opening session at this week's Business Intelligence conference in Seattle. The theme of the conference being "Think Bigger About BI" couldn't be better embodied than it is in Boris.
The question and resulting definition of what Business Intelligence is, is not an easy one and the more people you have in the room, the more different answers and opinions (some of them heated!) you will get. In the interests of thinking bigger, I wholeheartedly believe that Boris' definition works on every level. Boris' definition of BI, taken from Boris' profile at forrester.com is summarised below:
"a set of processes, methodologies, and technologies used to transform raw data into meaningful, useful, and action-oriented enterprise information"
The most significant observation in that definition, one that many product-centric organisations and technophiles miss, is that BI is not in itself simply technology. It is not a product, it is not a piece of software and there is no "one size fits all" or silver bullet. BI is about people, processes and tools that deliver the meaningful, useful, actionable information in Boris' definition.
So if BI is not simply a product that you can buy, plug in and turn on - how do you get it?
In his talk at the conference, Boris talked of a parallel approach. A pragmatic programme to set you on the right path for a successful BI journey. In short, Boris' recommends starting by creating both a strategic vision of where you would like to be and identifying and taking the smallest possible baby-steps to get there - start with the lowest hanging fruit, something that can be delivered in weeks not months, costs thousands not millions and delivers immediate value to the business.
The most pertinent piece of advice that Boris offers is that selecting the right, experienced partner is crucial. Business Intelligence is personal, both to your organisation and to the way you work. Business Intelligence is a long-term strategic vision delivered, starting in baby steps, over a period of years. The first steps must be taken on solid ground and with confidence. An experienced architect and implementation partner are critical to success. Now as an experienced BI consultant I would say that, but Boris' opinion underlines the need - don't take my word for it, you can read Boris' paper "It's time to reinvent your BI strategy" for yourself.