1. Business Intelligence 2.0
Review & Recommendations

2. Need for Project Existing system is based on 9 year old technology
Is becoming very slow
Inconsistencies due to size of system and it’s organic growth
Overly complex for most staff

3. Objectives
To make technological recommendations of a future BI platform
To make recommendations about the high level data model for reporting
Increase system utilisation by making it easier to use for a wider range of staff
Increase in quality of information
Enable business process improvements & more informed decision making

4. Scope Re-evaluation of the current college reporting system
Evaluate modern BI technologies
Plan for a ‘unified data model’
Develop a prototype data model & dashboard
Develop guidance & procedures for future extension of data models

5. Findings: Feedback from Stakeholders
Curriculum
To many reports
Too much information
Slow
Confusing
Technical
Too many views
Reports are often subtle variations on other reports, but the cant be reused
Slow!!!!

6. Findings: Research Into Core Data Warehousing Technology
There are only really 2 possible technical methodologies:
Introduce Tabular Modelling
New Technology
Lightning Fast (in memory model base on VertiPaq engine)
Easier to use
Not Mature due to newness & is missing functionality
Multi Dimensional Modelling
Very Fast
Mature & Flexible Technology (KPIs, Query Level Security)
Harder to learn

7. Findings: Research into Dashboards
There are many commercial products available:
SharePoint
SAP
Cognos
Many more…
Most work the same way
The data is what's important!

8. Proposed Solution
To create a Multidimensional Cube based using Multidimensional Modelling
Generate a range of KPIs based on cube data
To implement role based dashboards using SharePoint 2013 for:
CMT (Enrolment, Funding, Retention/Success, Register Marking)
Head of School (Enrolment, Funding, Retention/Success, Register Marking)
Lecturer (Retention/Success, Register Marking, Moodle Engagement)
All Dashboards to be security trimmed to appropriate levels

9. Multi Dimensional Modelling For Beginners (0 Dimensions)
All Enrolment Data for all years
9000 Enrolments

10. Multi Dimensional Modelling For Beginners (1 Dimension)
Years
11/12
3000
Enrols
12/13
3000
Enrols
13/14
3000
Enrols

11. Multi Dimensional Modelling For Beginners (2 Dimensions)
Engineering
2000
1000 Art Students in 12/13
Dept
Art
1000
Sport
1000
Years
11/12
3000
Enrols
12/13
3000
Enrols
13/14
3000
Enrols

12. Multi Dimensional Modelling For Beginners (3 Dimensions)
Engineering
2000
58 Art Students in 12/13 in HE
Dept
Art
1000
Sport
1000 FE
Years HE
TFS
11/12
3000
Enrols
12/13
3000
Enrols
13/14
3000
Enrols
Course Type

13. Extract, Transform & Load Process (ETL)
Existing Model
Proposed Model
Send to Excel
Query Data
Send requested coordinates to Excel
Process in Cube
Save to Cache
Query Data
Processed In Advance

14. Advantages of solution
Very Fast
Secure
Easier to use end users
We already have the necessary technology in house

15. Challenges
Struggling with how to work with historical data (daily snapshots)
Will require rewrite of old reporting
Requires a more robust planning
KPIs requires targets. We will need the organisational discipline to create and maintain
Technical staff will need some retraining

16. Where Next? Arrive at a solution to deal with historical data
Ensure GIS datasets (pointer data) is stored in cube
Explore Server to server data exchange with ArcServer
Explore new product known as PowerMap for GIS integration
Finish the prototype model
Run a trial with a range or staff
Use finding from trial to feedback into a production model

17. Questions?

19. Multi Dimensional Modelling For Beginners