Optimizing BI: Getting the Most for Your Money

by Brian J. Dooley

As companies seek to keep up with the need to analyze and understand company information in near-real time, enterprise BI solutions are becoming more important and more capable. Vendors have jumped into the space, offering a flurry of tools and infrastructure designed to meet this growing need. Selection and implementation of these tools is not a trivial undertaking, however. While outside consultants are usually responsible for these tasks, it is important to examine and to discipline the entire implementation process. Otherwise, the potential is great for expectations not to be met, schedules to slip, and costs to spiral out of control.