An Eye-Opening BI Assessment
 The client is a global visual communications services and solutions provider with over 20 years of experience providing their customers with best-in-class solutions.
The Challenge
The client had identified a need to assess their current state of reporting and analytics in order to understand the true nature of their information within the enterprise. They were exploring the possibility of integrating Business Intelligence, but were unsure of their needs; they approached Chateaux for their BI assessment methodologies and capabilities.
Currently, the client’s vital business operations are dependent on the IT team to build their ad hoc reports. The average end-user is unable to create or customize vital reports. As a result, the business is impaired by the inability to make quick, informed decisions. It also increases the number of reports in the system as IT must create a new report for every request from each user.
Most processes, including data collection, data aggregation, and analysis, are completed by utilizing Excel, a manual and labor-intensive means. This method also results in data quality issues where there is no single version of truth. In addition, some reports are not up-to-date, rendering a disconnect between IT and current business-state.
The Approach
Chateaux employed their proven methodology to provide the client with an accurate and insightful BI assessment. The process begins with determining the high-level needs of the analysis. Afterwards, a list of client executive project sponsors is established and the project is initiated.
Chateaux subsequently assembled a list of 29 relevant business managers and scheduled interviews with them. A list of interview questions was compiled to probe into areas related to the reports in use, issues within the current system, and their reporting ‘wish list’.
Upon completion of the interviews, Chateaux created a catalogue of reports and an analytical matrix to summarize and report the findings. After the Chateaux team reviewed and analyzed the findings, a gap analysis was defined and developed to illustrate the locations of chasms and opportunities within their reporting environment. A cost report was assembled to itemize expenditures within the current reporting approach, including both direct and indirect costs.
After all the reports and analyses were created, Chateaux conducted a workshop with key managers to educate them on the advantages to implementing a BI environment, including the resolution of current issues and the ability to achieve their technology goals.
The BI assessment in its entirety was then presented to the clients’ top executive team. Chateaux demonstrated what was lacking in the current reporting environment. Most notably, that the system in place is not scalable. This translates to the fact that incremental increases in activity generate exponential increases in complexity, subsequently leading to associated decreases in effectiveness. A scalable BI solution was presented to the client, which would enable users to increase their level of information-sharing, enhancing collaboration while minimizing redundancy and cross-talk.
The Result 
Withthe proven methodology and experienced processes that Chateaux executed, the client is in the process of internally assessing all of the outputs of the BI assessment that Chateaux provided them with. With the aid of the findings, the client is in the process of preparing for a new BI environment. This will provide them with a number of measurable outputs, including: heightened response time leading to faster, well informed decisions, cost reductions, uniform data – a single version of the truth - and increased usability for end-users within the organization.
Chateaux’s BI assessment provided the client with a ‘big picture’ view of their current reporting environment, including all of the hidden costs associated within. This enabled them to make an accurate assessment and comparison when creating an internal case for BI.
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