To BI or not to BI

Dears,

When a user of a BI application complains about the application not being useful - something that I hear way too often - what does that really mean? I can count at least 10 possible meanings, and potential reasons:

1. The data is not there, because
It's not in any operational sources, in which case the organization needs to implement a new app, a new process or get that data from an outside source
It is in an operational source, but not accessible via the BI application.

The data is there, but
2. It's not usable as is, because
There are no common definitions, common metadata
The data is of poor quality
The data model is wrong, or out of date
3. I can't find it, because I
Can't find the right report
Can't find the right metadata
Can't find the data
I don't have access rights to the data I am looking for
4. I don't know how to use my application, because I
Was not trained
Was trained, but the application is not intuitive, user friendly enough
5. I can't/don't have time do it myself - because I just need to run my business, not do BI !!! - and I don't have support staff
I am low on IT priority list
6. It takes too long to
Create a report/query
Run/execute a report/query
7. I need to report/analyze on something that SQL can't do, such as
Faceted search
SQL on data with uneven, unbalanced, ragged, recursive hierarchies
8. It's a wrong BI application
I have strategic decisions to make, but the app is designed for operational decisions, or
I have operational decisions to make, but the app is designed for strategic decisions
9. The app is not integrated with other applications, processes or desktop so
I loose context
Have to switch apps, cut & paste
Don't know how to act on the info that I find
And my personal favorites
10. I don’t know what I am looking for, but my application is asking to
Run a specific report
Pick specific facts and dimensions
so I don't know where to start.
The app stops short of helping me, directing me to make the actual decision, even if I know how to use the app, have access to the right data, and can find what I am looking for. It's a loooooong way between finding the right info and actually make a decision based on the info.
What did I miss?
Because no-one thought about the decision I have to make, the actions I have to take, when they designed any of this. And anyway I don't have the analytic skills/interest or the time to wade through the data anyway - I just want my system to help me do the right thing. Most people in most companies don't want to do BI, they want to run their business and they need their systems and processes to actually help, not simply present data to them. So the bottomline Intelligence not for the sake of Intelligence, Organizations and Managers should sign off for new way of executing things and understand that BI apps would able to generate Intelligent information only when you put together metrics and data intelligently and its will not fall from the sky when you ask for it.

Think about it, I will come back with some more Intelligence
Your Partner and Companion
DC*