Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
How do you measure progress toward these goals?
What will keep you from reaching those goals?
How is information used today?
What are your biggest concerns about data today?
What do you need to be able to do in the future?
What else should we be aware of?
What does this project need to do for you to consider it a success?
SAMPLE STRATEGIC REQUIREMENT
Consistent Management Reporting
Currently, each department of the organization determines its own
performance goals and tracks its performance to these goals. This is what is
reported to enterprise management. Because these are all developed
separately, there is no common view of the entire organization. There is a need
to define ways to measure performance across the company and to ensure that
these are reported to upper management consistently.
Business Integration and Efficiency
In order to achieve peak efficiency in running the business, there needs to be
great coordination and cooperation across the organization. This requires
increased communication between different groups across the entire
enterprise. Several business integration efforts are currently underway that
should help the organization to better focus on the mission. Data is at the heart
of enabling effective management of the business from the top down.
If strategic requirements were not collected prior to a specific data warehouse
project, it is worth taking the time to do so now. This strategic viewpoint can
help put the rest of the requirements into the proper context.
The following types of requirements are gleaned from interview sessions
with a wide range of representatives from the business community. Each
session typically yields insight into broad business requirements, business
analyses, and needed business data. The next major section of this chapter
provides more detail about selecting who to interview and how to run the
sessions. Note that the requirements are not usually presented in a linear
fashion as described below. Rather, the discussion will flow back and forth.
