Planning for Success

For the understanding of a savvy manager, the chapter focuses on several critical factors in context to the successful planning of a business intelligence (BI) program. The first important step in achieving senior-level support and sponsorship for a BI program is to build a value proposition, and explore the partnership between the business user and the information technology development staff. Any manager who plans for a successful business intelligence (BI) implementation must be aware that the real driver of any internal program of this sort must have value proposition. Whether it is a painstakingly crafted return on investment (ROI) model or just the means by which senior management can evaluate ongoing organizational performance, no BI program can succeed without being able to convince the senior management that there is value in building the program. The success of the program is not always tied to the whiz-bang technology. The most important factors to success are being able to partner with senior-level business sponsors, identify and articulate high-level goals and expectations, and build the right team to execute the vision. Long-term strategic compliance can be achieved through tactical short-term successes.