Business Intelligence and Tools Unit 5

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Unit 5 Implementing and Mai ntaining a Data
Warehouse Environment
Structure
5.1 Introduction
Objectives
5.2 Approaches in Implementing a Data Warehouse
5.2.1 Top Down Approach
5.2.2 Bottom Up Approach
5.2.3 A Combined Approach
Self Assessment Question(s) (SAQs)
5.3 Visual Warehouse
5.3.1 The Architecture of Visual Warehouse
Self Assessment Question(s) (SAQs)
5.4 Measuring the Data Warehouse Results
5.5 DW Tools in Use
5.5.1 Data Modeling Tools
5.5.2 ETL and Metadata Creation Tools
5.5.3 Data Analysis and Report Generation Tools
5.5.4 Commercial Tools
Self Assessment Question(s) (SAQs)
5.6 Summary
5.7 Terminal Questions (TQs)
5.8 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
5.9 Answers to SAQs, TQs, and MCQs
5.9.1 Answers to Self Assessment Questions (SAQs)
5.9.2 Answers to Terminal Questions (TQs)
5.9.3 Answers to Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
5.1 Introduction
After the selection of an appropriate architecture, the data warehouse has to
be implemented and maintained effectively so as to meet the objectives set.
These implementation methods include the top down approach and bottom
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up approach. The project managers of the BI projects are expected to
monitor the performance of the data warehouse on a continuum basis to
ensure that the data warehouse is successful in providing the best possible
assistance to the decision-making processes of the organization. Also, the
current unit makes an attempt to make the reader aware of the data
warehousing tools available in the present market.
Objectives:
The objectives of the Unit are to make you understand:
The approaches involved in implementing a data warehouse
The architecture of a visual data warehouse
Measuring the data warehouse results
Critical success factors of BI systems
Various data warehousing tools available in the market
5.2 Approaches in Implementing a Data Warehouse
The approaches that are in practice in implementing a data warehouse
include
Top down approach
Bottom up approach
A combination of both
A project manager can adopt any of these approaches as these
implementation choices offer flexibility in determining the criteria that are
important in any particular implementation. Here, the choice of an
implementation approach is influenced by various factors such as the
current infrastructure, availability and affordability of the resources, the type
of architecture chosen, the scope of the implementation, and return-on-
investment requirements.
5.2.1 Top Down Approach
The top-down approach views the data warehouse (refer Fig 5.1) as the
mainstay of the entire analytic environment. The data warehouse holds
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atomic or transaction level data that has been extracted from the source
systems and integrated within a normalized, enterprise data model. Later,
the data is summarized, dimensionalized, and distributed to one or more
dependent data marts. (here, the data marts are dependent because
they derive the entire data from a centralized data warehouse). Also,
organizations make use of staging area to collect and store source system
data before it can be moved to the data warehouse.
The advantage of a top-down approach is that it provides an integrated,
flexible architecture to support the downstream analytic data structures.
Here, the data warehouse is a single departure point of data for all data
marts and thereby organizations can achieve a single version of the truth,
maintain consistency and standardization. As the warehouse consists of the
atomic data, it enables the organizations re-purpose that data in any number
of ways to meet new and unexpected business needs. On the other hand, a
top-down approach may take longer time and may cost more to deploy the
data than any other approaches (especially in the initial increments). This is
because organizations must create a reasonably detailed enterprise data
model as well as the physical infrastructure to house the staging area, data
warehouse, and the data marts before the deployment of their applications
or reports.
A top down implementation requires more planning and design work at the
beginning of the project itself. In order to implement this approach, an
organization needs to involve people from each of the workgroups,
departments, or lines of business. Also, decisions concerning the data
sources to be used, security, data structure, data quality, and data
standards need to be completed before starting of an actual implementation.
Though it can result in more consistent data definitions and the enforcement
of business rules across the organization since its inception, the cost of the
initial planning and design becomes significant. It is a time-consuming
process and can delay the actual implementation, benefits, and return-on-
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investment. This approach can work well when there is a good centralized
organization that is responsible for all hardware and other computer
resources. In many organizations, the workgroups, departments, or lines of
business may not have the resources to implement their own data marts.
Fig. 5.1: Top - Down Approach
5.2.2 Bottom Up Approach
The objective of bottom-up approach (refer Fig 5.2) is to deliver business
value by deploying the dimensional data marts at the earliest. Unlike the
top-down approach, the data marts in this approach contain all the data
(both atomic and summary) that users may want. The data is modeled in a
star schema design to optimize usability and query performance. Also, each
data mart builds on the next one, reusing dimensions and facts, so that
users can query across data marts, if desired, to obtain a single version of
the truth and both summary and atomic data.
Also, the approach consciously attempts at minimizing the back-office
operations, preferring to focus an organizations effort on developing
dimensional designs that meet end-user requirements. Here, the staging
area is non-persistent, and may simply stream flat files from source systems
Data
Source 1
Data
Source 2
Data
Source 3
Data
Staging
Area
Global Data
Warehouse
Data
Mart 1
Data
Mart 2
Data
Mart 3
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to data marts using the file transfer protocol. In a majority of cases, the
dimensional data marts are logically stored within a single database. Thus
the approach minimizes data redundancy and makes it easier to extend
existing dimensional models to accommodate new subject areas.
The bottom-up approach involves the planning and designing of data marts
without waiting for a more global infrastructure to be put in place. This does
not mean that a more global infrastructure will not be developed; but it will
be built incrementally. This approach is more widely accepted today than
the top-down approach because immediate results from the data marts can
be realized.
Along with the positive aspects, this approach has some considerations. For
example, as more and more data marts are created, data redundancy and
inconsistency between the data marts may occur. This needs to be
minimized with careful planning, monitoring, and design guidelines. Multiple
data marts may bring with them an increased load on operational systems
because more data extract operations are required. Integration of the data
marts into a more global environment can also be difficult unless some
degree of planning has been done.
Fig. 5.2: Bottom - Up Approach
Data
Source 1
Data
Source 2
Data
Source 3
Data
Staging
Area
Data
Mart 1
Data
Mart 2
Data
Mart 3
Global Data
Warehouse
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5.2.3 A Combined Approach
As we have already discussed, there are both positive and negative
considerations while implementing any of the two approaches. In most of
the cases, a right approach could be a combination of the two approaches.
Of course, this is a difficult balancing act, but can be done with proper
planning. One of the key issues in this scenario is to determine the degree
of planning and design that is required for the global approach to support
integration as the data marts are being built with the bottom up approach.
Initially, you can develop a base level infrastructure definition for the global
data warehouse at a business level. For example, you may simply identify
the lines of business that will be participating and then a high level view of
the business processes and data areas of interest to them will provide the
elements for a plan for implementation of the data marts. As data marts are
implemented, you can develop a plan as to how to handle the data elements
that are needed by multiple data marts. This could be the start of a global
data warehouse structure or simply a common data store accessible by all
the data marts.
In some cases, it may be appropriate to duplicate the data across multiple
data marts as this is a trade-off decision between storage space, ease of
access, and the impact of data redundancy along with the requirement to
keep the data in the multiple data marts at the same level of consistency.
Self Assessment Question(s) (SAQs)
For Section 5.2
1. Differentiate the Top down and Bottom up data warehouse implantation
approaches?
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5.3 Visual Warehouse
Visual Warehouse is an integrated product for building and maintaining a
data warehouse or data mart in a LAN environment. The visual warehouse
integrates many of the business intelligence component functions into a
single product and it can be used to automate the process of bringing the
data together from heterogeneous sources into a central, integrated,
information providing environment. It does not simply create a data
warehouse or an information database; but provides the processes to
define, build, manage, monitor and maintain an environment which provides
information. The visual warehouse can be managed either centrally or from
the workgroup environment. Therefore, business groups can meet their own
information needs without burdening information systems resources, and
can enjoy the autonomy of their own data mart without compromising overall
data integrity and security in the enterprise.
Following are some of the important features of visual warehouses:
Visual Warehouse has the ability to extract and transform data from a
wide range of heterogeneous data sources (both internal and external
sources of an enterprise); such as the DB2 family, Microsoft SQL
Server, Oracle, Sybase, Informix, and flat files (for example, from
spreadsheets). On the basis of the metadata defined by the
administrative component of visual warehouse, the data from any of
these sources can be extracted and transformed. Also, the extraction
process, which supports full refreshing of data, can run on demand or on
an automated scheduled basis.
The transformed data can be placed in a data warehouse built on any of
the DB2 UDB platforms (including DB2 for Windows NT, DB2 for AIX,
DB2 for HP-UX, DB2 for Sun Solaris, DB2 for SCO, DB2 for SINIX, DB2
for OS/2, DB2 for OS/400, and DB2 for OS/390) or on flat files. The
visual warehouse provides the flexibility and scalability to populate any
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combination of the supported databases. Also, visual warehouse
supports Oracle, Sybase, Informix, and Microsoft SQL Server using IBM
DataJ oiner.
Once the data is in the target data warehouse, the data can be
accessible by a variety of end user query tools. These tools can be from
IBM, such as Lotus Application, or QMF for Windows, or from any other
vendors whose products comply with the DB2 Client Application Enabler
(CAE) or the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) interface, such as
Business Objects, and Cognos Impromptu. The data can also be
browsed using any of the popular web browsers with additional web-
infrastructure components.
5.3.1 The Architecture of Visual Warehouse
The architecture of a visual warehouse (refer Fig 5.3) provides a fully
distributed Client/Server system that allows users attain the benefits of
network computing.
The major components in the architecture are discussed below.
5.3.1.1 Visual Warehouse Server
The visual warehouse server runs on a Windows NT workstation or server.
It controls the interaction of the various data warehouse components and
provides for automation of data warehousing processes through a powerful
scheduling facility (either a calendar-based scheduling or event-based
scheduling). The server component monitors and manages the data
warehousing processes and also controls the activities performed by the
visual warehouse agents.
5.3.1.2 Visual Warehouse Administrative Clients
The Administrative Client also runs on Windows NT server and provides an
interface for administrative functions, such as defining the business views,
defining the target data warehouse databases, registering data resources,
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filtering source data. The warehouse can support an unlimited number of
administrative clients and provides comprehensive security facilities to
control and manage client access to the administrative functions as well.
5.3.1.3 Visual Warehouse Agents
The architecture of visual warehouse agents is a key enabler for scalable
business intelligence solutions. These agents run on Windows NT, OS/2,
AS/400, AIX, and Sun Solaris and they handle access to the source data,
filtering, transformation, sub-setting, and delivery of transformed data to the
target warehouse as directed by the Visual Warehouse Server. Multiple
agents of the warehouse populate a data warehouse and so there will be a
significant impact on the throughput.
5.3.1.4 Visual Warehouse Control Database
A control database is set up in DB2 to be used by visual warehouse to store
control information used by the Server. The control database stores the
VW
Server
Control
Database
VW
Agent
VW
Agents
VW
Agent
Relational
Source
DB2
Target
Non-
Relational
Source
OEM
Target
Flat File
End
User
End
User
Fig. 5.3: Visual Warehouse
VW Admin Clients
Databases
Scheduling
Modeling
Operations
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metadata required to build and manage the warehouse. The information in
the control database includes the mappings between the source and target
data, the schedules for data refresh, the business views, and operational
logs. When a request for service is made to the Server, the control
information pertinent to the request is retrieved from the database and sent
to the appropriate agent that actually provides the service. Also, different
warehouses could use different control databases.
5.3.1.5 Visual Warehouse Target Databases
The target databases in a data warehouse contain the visual warehouse
data stored in structures defined as Business Views (BVs). When visual
warehouse populates a BV, the data is extracted from the source and is
transformed according to the rules defined in the BV, which is then stored in
the target database.
Self Assessment Question(s) (SAQs)
For Section 5.3
1. List out the important components involved in the visual warehouse
architecture?
5.4 Measuring the Data Warehouse Results
The only way to conclude the success of a data warehouse project is to
monitor and measure the results of the project. These measurements can
be both subjective and objective. Some measures are costly as they require
latest technical tools and the expert manpower to use those tools. So the
project manager needs to be selective in choosing an appropriate mix of
metrics to measure the results of a data warehouse implementation.
Some of the metrics that the project managers can consider in this context
include:
1. Functional Quality:
To understand the functional quality, you may ask yourself the following
questions:
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Do the capabilities of the data warehouse satisfy the user requirements?
Does the data warehouse provide the information necessary for the
users to do their job?
2. Data Quality:
There are two means of measuring quality.
One is, you may ask the users whether their reports are accurate
Second is, you may use a software tool to provide a scorecard on the
quality of the data.
3. Computer Performance:
There are three performance indicators you may consider and they are:
Query response time
Report response time
Time to load/update/refresh the data warehouse
Some organizations have established benchmark performance numbers for
known queries and reports, and they exercise and measure these
benchmarks periodically.
4. Network Performance:
The ability of the network to handle the data traffic will directly impact
response time. Network software measures line load, line traffic and indicate
conditions where an activity was waiting for line availability. Besides the
software, network administrators must be available to analyze the results
and take appropriate action.
5. Number of Queries:
Many of the query tools provide metrics on the number of queries executed
by department and by individuals.
6. User Satisfaction:
Users must be polled shortly after being given the data warehouse capability
and then polled periodically to identify changes in their level of satisfaction.
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5.5 DW Tools in Use
The data warehouse development tools can be broadly divided into two
categories:
Tools integrated with the generic software such as server OS, RDBMS,
ERP packages, etc. For example, the tools supplied by Microsoft (along
with Windows 2003 Server), Oracle (with Oracle Database), IBM with
IBM servers and SAP (with the ERP package)
Specialized commercial tools for developing data marts/warehouses that
are supplied by vendors. These tools can be classified as:
Data modeling tools
ETL and Metadata creation tools
Data analysis and Report generation tools
5.5.1 Data Modeling Tools
The data modeling tools involve in the conversion of the existing E-R
models to multidimensional models that are required for data warehousing.
There are several data modeling tools available in the market, but many of
the project managers prefer to do the modeling manually.
Some of the data modeling tools include:
Rational Rose of IBM Corporation
Oracle Designer of Oracle Corporation
ERwin of Computer Associates
Power Designer of Sybase Corporation
5.5.2 ETL and Metadata Creation Tools
These are the back-end tools used by developers and administrators. These
tools provide the GUI to carry out the functions using a user-friendly
interface. These tools extract the data from different data sources (such as
flat files, legacy databases, RDBMS, ERP, CRM and SCM applications
packages, etc.)
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Some of the important functions carried out by these tools include:
To carry out the transformations such as joining of tables, sorting,
applying filters, etc.
To create the metadata, target data and the transformation logic
To provide the GUI for carrying out the ETL operations
To provide the necessary administration tools to manage multiple users
to access the tool simultaneously
5.5.3 Data Analysis and Report Generation Tools
These are the 'front-end' tools that provide the end-user applications. These
tools are also referred to as On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) tools.
Some of the important functions provided by these tools include:
To analyze the data from multiple dimensions
To generate standard reports for business intelligence
To provide a good number of statistical analysis features
To provide the capability to generate ad-hoc queries
To present the data in graphical/tabular form and also
5.5.4 Commercial Tools
Here, we discuss the important commercial tools being used in the data
warehouse development process.
5.5.4.1 Informatica
This suite consists of five components and provides the complete business
intelligence solutions. The five components in conjunction with Informatica
Server and Informatica Repository server enable you to perform the entire
extraction, transformation and loading processes. The five components are:
Repository Server Administrator Console: This is used to connect to
the Repository Server.
Repository Manager: This is used to create/organize/manage the
repository (related database managed by the Repository Server that
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stores information, or metadata, used by Informatica Server and Client
tools).
Designer: Designer is used to create mappings that contain
transformation instructions for the Informatica Server. Before you can
create mappings, you must add source and target definitions to the
repository. It contains Source Analyzer, Warehouse Designer and
Mapping Designer.
Workflow Manager: This tool is used to create and run workflows and
tasks.
Workflow Monitor: This is used to monitor scheduled and running
workflows for each Informatica Server.
5.5.4.2 Cognos
Cognos is a rich set of tools for development of data mines, data marts and
data warehouses and the main components available in this tool include:
Cognos DecisionStream: This is used to carry out the ETL process
and metadata creation.
Cognos Impromptu: This is used to generate business intelligence
reports.
Cognos Scenario: This is used for data mining applications.
Cognos Query: This is used for data navigation to process ad hoc
queries.
Cognos PowerPlay: This is used for multi-dimensional on-line analysis
of data.
5.5.4.3 Business Objects
This suite provides a set of business intelligence tools. The various tools of
this suite are:
Data Integration Tools: These tools extract, transform and load the
data from the source databases to the target database. There are two
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categories; Data Integrator and Rapid Marts. Data Integrator is an ETL
tool with a GUI. Rapid Marts is a packaged ETL with pre-built data
models for reporting and query analysis that makes initial prototype
development easy and fast for ERP applications.
The important components of Data Integrator include;
Graphical designer: This is a GUI used to build and test ETL jobs
for data cleansing, validation and auditing.
Data integration server: This integrates data from different source
databases.
Metadata repository: This repository keeps source and target
metadata and the transformation rules.
Administrator: This is a web-based tool that can be used to start,
stop, schedule and monitor ETL jobs.
BI Platform: This platform provides a set of common services to deploy,
use and manage the tools and applications. These services include
providing the security, broadcasting, collaboration, metadata and
developer services.
Reporting Tools and Query & Analysis Tools: These tools provide
the facility for standard reports generation, ad hoc queries and data
analysis.
Performance Management Tools: These tools help in managing the
performance of a business by analyzing and tracking key metrics and
goals.
5.5.4.4 DataStage
DataStage provides a set of powerful tools for developing a data
warehouse. It has a number of client and server components.
The DataStage client components are as follows:
DataStage Manager: This provides the user interface to view contents
of the data repository.
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DataStage Designer: This tool is used to create the DataStage jobs.
Using this tool, you can specify the data sources, transformations
required and the destination database. These jobs are compiled and
executable files are then created. These executable files can be
scheduled by the DataStage Director and run by the Server.
DataStage Director: This tool provides the user interface to schedule,
run and monitor the server jobs.
DataStage Administrator: This is used to perform administration tasks
such as administration of the users, creation of projects, etc.
The DataStage server components are as follows:
DataStage Repository: This repository contains all the required data to
build a data warehouse.
DataStage Server: This runs the server jobs
DataStage Package installer: This provides the GUI to install
packaged server jobs and plug-ins.
Self Assessment Question(s) (SAQs)
For Section 5.5
1. Discuss the types of commercial tools available for developing data
marts/warehouses?
5.6 Summary
The implementation of a data warehouse include the following approaches;
Top down approach, Bottom up approach, and/or a combination of both. In
the top-down approach, the data warehouse holds transaction level data
that has been extracted from the source systems and integrated within a
normalized, enterprise data model. Later, the data is summarized into data
marts. In the bottom up approach, the data is extracted to the data marts
from the source system and the entire data is summarized in the data
warehouse. In practice, a combination of the two approaches is adopted.
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Visual Warehouse is an integrated product for building and maintaining a
data warehouse or data mart in a LAN environment. The major components
in the architecture of a visual warehouse include visual warehouse server,
visual warehouse administrative clients, visual warehouse agents, visual
warehouse control database, and visual warehouse target databases.
There are two types of data warehouse development tools; tools integrated
with the generic software and specialized commercial tools for developing
data marts/warehouses. The types of specialized tools include data
modeling tools, ETL and metadata creation tools, and data analysis and
report generation tools. Informatica, Cognos, Business Objects, and
DataStage are the important commercial tools available in the market in
developing the data warehouses.
5.7 Terminal Questions (TQs)
1. The data warehouse implementation approaches (Top down approach
and Bottom up approach) are theoretical in nature. Comment.
2. You may not be sure if the data warehouse is a success, but we will
always know when we have failed. Discuss various measures to assess
failure.
3. Apart from the technical issues and challenges, what kind of steps are to
be handled carefully by the project manager so as to complete the
project successfully?
5.8 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Which of the following is the most practical approach of implementing a
data warehouse?
a. Top down approach
b. Bottom up approach
c. Any of the above
d. A combination of the above
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2. Which of the following approaches involves extraction of the data from
the source systems to data marts and then loading of the data into the
data warehouse?
a. Top down approach
b. Bottom up approach
c. Any of the above
d. A combination of the above
3. Which of the following is an integrated product for building and
maintaining a data warehouse or data mart in a LAN environment?
a. Pseudo Warehouse
b. Virtual Warehouse
c. Visual Warehouse
d. Local Warehouse
4. The target databases in a data warehouse contain the visual warehouse
data stored in structures, called _____________.
a. Data Visual Views
b. Data Structure Views
c. Business Views
d. Management Views
5. Which of the following tools is involved in extracting the data from
various source systems?
a. Data modeling tools
b. ETL and Metadata creation tools
c. Data analysis and Report generation tools
d. None of the above
6. Which of the following is not a Data modeling tool?
a. Rational Rose
b. Power Designer
c. RDBMS
d. Oracle Designer
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7. ERwin is an example of ________ type of tools.
a. Data Modeling
b. ETL Tool
c. Data analysis tool
d. Report generation tool
8. Which of the following tools of Cognos is useful multi-dimensional online
analysis of data?
a. Cognos Scenario
b. Cognos Impromptu
c. Cognos Query
d. Cognos Powerplay
9. Workflow Manager is a part of ______ tool.
a. DataStage
b. Informatica
c. Cognos
d. Business Objects
10. Which of the following is not a client component of DataStage?
a. DataStage Designer
b. DataStage Developer
c. DataStage Director
d. DataStage Manager
5.9 Answers to SAQs, TQs, and MCQs
5.9.1 Answers to Self Assessment Questions (SAQs)
Section 5.2
1. In the top down approach, the data warehouse holds atomic or
transaction level data that has been extracted from the source systems
and integrated within a normalized, enterprise data model. Later, the
data is summarized, dimensionalized, and distributed to one or more
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dependent data marts. The characteristics of the top down approach
are discussed in the section 5.2.1.
In contrast to this approach, there is a bottom up approach, wherein the
data is extracted to the data marts from the source system and the
entire data is summarized in the data warehouse. The characteristics of
the bottom up approach are discussed in the section 5.2.2. However, a
combination of the two approaches is adopted in practice in order to
ensure the benefits offered by both the approaches.
Section 5.3
1. Visual Warehouse is an integrated product for building and maintaining
a data warehouse or data mart in a LAN environment. It integrates the
business intelligence component functions into a single product and it
can be used to automate the process of bringing the data together from
heterogeneous sources into a central, integrated, informational
environment. The architecture of the visual warehouse includes the
components; visual warehouse server, visual warehouse administrative
clients, visual warehouse agents, visual warehouse control database,
and visual warehouse target databases.
Section 5.5
1. The commercial tools can be categorized into Data modeling tools, ETL
and Metadata creation tools, and Data analysis and Report generation
tools. The data modeling tools involve in the conversion of the existing
E-R models to multidimensional models that are required for data
warehousing. The examples of data modeling tools are listed in section
5.5.1.
The ETL and metadata creation tools provide the GUI to carry out the
functions using a user-friendly interface. These details are discussed in
Section 5.5.2. The data analysis and report generation Tools involve in
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the preparation of various business reports. These tools are discussed
in Section 5.5.3.
5.9.2 Answers to Terminal Questions (TQs)
1. Both Top down approach and Bottom up approach have their own
advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages of the Top down approach include:
Provides an enterprise view of the data
Inherently architected (not a union of data marts)
Centralized control and rules
Single, central storage of data about the content
The disadvantages of this approach include:
Takes a longer time for the implementation
Needs high level of cross-functional skills
High exposure/risk to failure
The advantages of the Bottom up approach include:
Faster and easier implementation of manageable pieces
Less risk of failure
Favorable return on investment
Inherently incremental (can schedule important data marts first)
The disadvantages of this approach include:
Each data mart will have its own narrow view of data
Permeates redundant data in every data mart
Allows inconsistent and irreconcilable data
Proliferates unmanageable interfaces
Although each of these approaches has their own advantages and
limitations, a practical approach that can accommodate the advantages
of both the approaches is implemented. Therefore, both Top down
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approach and Bottom up approach remain to be theoretical and a
combination of these approaches is implemented in practice.
2. We may not be sure if the data warehouse is a success, but we will
always know when we have failed. Some of the indications of failure are:
1. Funding has dried up.
2. Users are unhappy with the quality of the data.
3. Users are unhappy with the query tools.
4. Only a small percentage of users take advantage of the data
warehouse.
5. Poor performance in terms of query response, report response, time
to load/update/refresh the data warehouse
6. The data warehouse has the inability to expand (not scalable) and
the components are not integrated.
3. The project manager has to undergo the following project management
related activities to implement the project successfully:
Scope the project to be able to deliver within the planned duration.
Select a specific business subject area (but not try to solve all
business requirements within one project)
Find a sponsor from the upper management of the business side of
the company.
Involve the sponsor throughout the project.
Establish a sound information and communication structure that
includes business and technical staff inside and outside the project.
Define the contents and type of the deliverables of the project as
early and in as much detail as possible.
Together with the end users, validate the results of the analysis
phase (the initial dimensional models) against the deliverables
definition.
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Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 129
Deploy the solution quickly to a limited audience and iterate
development.
Establish commonly agreed on business definitions for all items
within the scope of the project.
Validate the quality and correctness of the information before making
it available to the end user community.
Keep the end users involved and informed throughout the project.
Be prepared for political and cultural obstacles between business
departments or between business and IT departments.
5.9.3 Answers to Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Ans: d
2. Ans: b
3. Ans: c
4. Ans: c
5. Ans: b
6. Ans: c
7. Ans: a
8. Ans: d
9. Ans: b
10. Ans: b
.