Best Practices in Data Warehousing
Make Warehouse Data Available to All
knowledgeworkers (not Only to
Managers)
The early data warehouses were designed to support
upper management decision-making. However, over
time, organizations have realized the importance of
knowledge sharing and collaboration and its relevance
to the success of the organizational mission. As a result,
upper management has become aware of the need to
disseminate the functionality of the data warehouse
throughout the organization.
IRS Compliance Data Warehouse supports a diver-
sity of user types—economists, research analysts, and
statisticians—all of whom are searching for ways to
improve customer service, increase compliance with
federal tax laws and increase productivity. It is not
just for upper management decision making anymore
(Kmonk, 1999).
Supply Data in a Format Readable by
Spreadsheets
Although online analytical tools such as those sup-
ported by Cognos and Business Objects are useful for
data analysis, the spreadsheet is still the basic tool used
by most analysts.
U.S. Army OPTEC wanted users to transfer data
and work with information on applications that they
are familiar with. In OPTEC, they transfer the data into
a format readable by spreadsheets so that analysts can
really crunch the data. Specifically, pivot tables found
in spreadsheets allows the analysts to manipulate the
information to put meaning behind the data (Microsoft,
2000).
Restrict or Encrypt Classified/Sensitive
Data
Depending on requirements, a data warehouse can
contain confidential information that should not be
revealed to unauthorized users. If privacy is breached,
the organization may become legally liable for damages
and suffer a negative reputation with the ensuing loss
of customers’ trust and confidence. Financial conse-
quences can result.
DoD Computerized Executive Information System
uses an online analytical processing tool from a popular
vendor that could be used to restrict access to certain
data, such as HIV test results, so that any confidential B
data would not be disclosed (Hamblen, 1998). Con-
siderations must be made in the architecting of a data
warehouse. One alternative is to use a roles-based ar-
chitecture that allows access to sensitive data by only
authorized users and the encryption of data in the event
of data interception.
Perform Analysis During the Data
Collection Process
Most data analyses involve completing data collection
before analysis can begin. With data warehouses, a new
approach can be undertaken.
Census 2000 Cost and Progress System was built to
consolidate information from several computer systems.
The data warehouse allowed users to perform analyses
during the data collection process; something was pre-
viously not possible. The system allowed executives
to take a more proactive management role. With this
system, Census directors, regional offices, managers,
and congressional oversight committees have the abil-
ity to track the 2000 census, which never been done
before (SAS, 2000).
Leverage User Familiarity with Browsers
to Reduce Training Requirements
The interface of a Web browser is very familiar to most
employees. Navigating through a learning management
system using a browser may be more user friendly than
using the navigation system of a proprietary training
software.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural
Development, Office of Community Development,
administers funding programs for the Rural Empow-
erment Zone Initiative. There was a need to tap into
legacy databases to provide accurate and timely rural
funding information to top policy makers. Through
Web accessibility using an intranet system, there were
dramatic improvements in financial reporting accuracy
and timely access to data. Prior to the intranet, questions
such as “What were the Rural Development investments
in 1997 for the Mississippi Delta region?” required
weeks of laborious data gathering and analysis, yet
yielded obsolete answers with only an 80 percent ac-
curacy factor. Now, similar analysis takes only a few
minutes to perform, and the accuracy of the data is as