Setting up a BI Unit

Setting up a BI Unit

What are the steps required to create a Business Intelligence section in my department to facilitate business planning, strategy formulation and decision making?
Do you have any tips or pitfalls to share? Thank you...
My organization is looking over natural gas supply, demand and operations.

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Mandulo
Manager, South Africa

Business Intelligence Unit in the Strategy Unit / Department

In my organisation, the BI-unit resides with the strategy department. This makes sense for me because the information from BI helps in realigning strategy and keeping an eye on competitors. So I suggest that you incorporate BI in a department with a primary focus on strategy or marketing.

Tero Kaleva
Partner, Finland

Position of Business Intelligence Function

I would suggest that you start by defining the task of the section. Task is not the same as target. Do it by discussing with people who are going to use that service. Then sketch the processes for facilitating the planning, decision making etc. For the facilitator, the key skill is the ability to establish real discussions and participation.

Paulo
Manager, South Africa

Position of BI Department

Hi. Place the business intelligence unit where it will get most traction and support, preferably under the the offices of the CEO and the CFO.

A key success factor is to place the unit where leadership is effective, influential, and will be able to drive and champion the objectives of the unit.

To facilitate business planning, strategy formulation and decision support, focus on staffing, systems and processes.

Ensure that structurally your internal staff mix includes management science, business and technical. They will need to collaborate internally and externally and be innovative in their solutioning approaches.
Define external champions, outside of your unit, who will be your reps and marketers on the ground. They'll help you with change management and delivery.

Systems should facilitate the delivery of knowldge and insights at a level appropriate for consumption by the organisation, yet be flexible to mature along with the organisation. I'm a proponent of data warehoused guided analytics.

Consider defining areas of strategic focus that are key to the organisation. e.g. finance, Ops and HR.

Your processes should ensure effective datawarehousing, reporting and distribution layers.

You'll mature along this journey along with the organisation over time, so don't try and chew everything at once. Good luck.