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Archive for January, 2009

Building a top down BI Strategy

January 21st, 2009 No comments
  • english
  • french

Planning, implementing and maintaining a BI project is not an easy task.
Ever since companies started 20 years ago with “Decision Support Systems” and “Data Warehouses” projects, one simple advice has always been the most important of all: use the 80-20 rule for your project time:
80% of the project’s time should be spent understanding the end users needs to defining the project, and the remaining 20% should be used to implement the project.
Most failures in BI projects are due to a nice (and costly) tool that doesn’t quite answer the end users needs and eventually adds more to their workload than helping them making good decisions, and eventually is not used.

And by needs, I mean real needs, not just what they want:

If you ask someone what car they want, chances are that they will describe you their dream car, a car that they will probably never be able to afford! But when you ask them what they really need, the dream car disappears to be replaced by one that is just pragmatic, with 4 wheels, and engine and seats for everyone!

The same applies to BI projects while defining it. Some user would dream about a system that would magically take decisions for them, automatically gathering heterogeneous information from everywhere.
But their real needs might not be so fancy, and some indicators and an easy access to the database information, with the insurance of the quality of that information is often all they need.
This is what a good BI project should provide.

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A little bit about Pierrekiroule Consulting…

January 15th, 2009 1 comment
  • english
  • french

Bilingual (French / English), I have spent more than 10 years working in Europe and North America with Business Intelligence (BI) and Enterprise Content Management software editors.

My main approach to solving problems is pragmatic: get to know the end users, their real issues and what they need prior to implement the right solution and the right tool for them.

As I do not represent a vendor, I can find the right solution for the customer.

My top 3 work values are:

  • Creativity
  • Services to help solving problems
  • Interpersonal relations

My top 3 soft skills are:

  • Designing
  • Improving
  • Presenting

ballon

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Welcome!

January 5th, 2009 No comments
  • english
  • french

Welcome to Pierrekiroule Consulting!

I share here with you my experience and findings about Business Intelligence (BI), Document Management, or other thoughts, findings and experiences.

To contact me, please send me an email at: consultant (at) pierrekiroule (dot) com

You can check my Linkedin resume and connect to me here (link opens a new window).

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