Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
Prioritization of Feedback
After each individual request has been explored, the requests need to be
examined as a whole. The goal is to determine how to best group the requests
to provide the most benefit with the least amount of effort and/or rework.
For example, instead of having four releases next year that all work on the
product dimension, consider combining all of the product dimension requests
into a single release. That way, the product dimension and the ETL processes
to build and maintain it will be worked on only once.
Look at the combinations of requests in several different ways. Combine
everything needed by department. Look at all of the requests that only require
BI application changes. Group the requests by the business impact or return
on investment. Group the requests based upon source system data that is
involved. While representatives from the data warehouse support team can
study the requests, it is also important to get input from different business
groups too.
NOTE
It is not recommended to put together technical-only releases. Resources
will be consumed for some time to work on the release and when the results are
unveiled, the solution will deliver exactly what the business had before. Look for
ways to bundle technical foundation work with value-added enhancements.
To help the decision-making process, it is important to tie the releases to
the potential business value. Each of these alternatives defines a new project,
which needs a project charter as described in Chapter 5. Some organizations
require a project charter to be developed for each alternative being considered.
Other organizations prefer to examine the different alternatives and then
require the project charter for the alternative(s) that have been selected.
Ultimately, a combined group of IT and business representatives must
develop recommendations for what each release should contain. These rec-
ommendations and all new projects can then be presented to the executive
steering committee for approval. Several alternatives may be developed and
presented. The pros and cons for each can be discussed, and the steering
committee can make an informed decision about which alternative to pursue.
Oncethedecisionsaremade,thedirectioncanbecommunicatedtothe
rest of the organization. If anyone is not satisfied with the direction, then
their concerns can be raised through their management chain, either IT or
business. This is when each representative on the steering committee can help
by communicating the options and the business rationale for the decisions.
This helps ensure that everyone understands (even if they don't agree) that the
business is driving the content and priorities for the data warehouse, rather
than IT setting these priorities.
