140808_ Moving users from Report to Analytics to informatics

Old methodologies were never designed with current technologies in mind. However there is a 0.95 percent probability your current partner advisors are taking you down the HANA path with old methodologies. One of these is the need to move from reports to analytics and from Analytics to Informatics.

this year have assisted many companies move their users from Reports to Analytics and executives from Analytics to informatics as Step 1 for decision enhancement. Thought of sharing this ideation.

From report to Analytics to informativcs

0.     Report: concept is probably as old as when humans could write or draw. So reports are an ancient method of tracking events. Reports have modernized with the advent of computers but still contain some fairly standard variables.

a.     Is Data intensive and based on a row/column page orientation

b.    Normally 1 report per query topic, low graphical content

c.     Used extensively by operational users for day to day activities

d.    Can be information or list reports

Users: Operators, Operational users to track day-to-day activities

Type: Sales person, Production Planner, Stock mover, etc.

1.     Query: BW introduced the ability to run multiple slice and dice capabilities that allowed running multiple reports from one sheet in excel. For example by changing navigation parameters a user could flip from total sales by region to states. Or flip from Value to margins.

a.     Is Data intensive or aggregative

b.    Ability to meet multiple reports in 1 query, medium graphical content

c.     Used extensively by modern operational users

d.    Can be information or list reports

Users: Operators, Operational users to track day-to-day activities

Type: Sales person, Production Planner, Stock mover, etc.

2.     Analytics: By the early to mid 80’s the concept of graphs attached to data sheets became quite common. Since then Analytics evolved from graphs to Data Visualizations. These were reports used by management.

a.     Is Data aggregative

b.    Has lots of visualization and graphs, high visualization content.

c.     Has many navigation layers with options to drill into data layers

d.    Designed as roll-up from operational reporting data and KPI’s

Users: Management, directors and VP’s

Type: Sales management, Production Management, Logistics management.

3.     Informatics: By 2009-10 Gartner introduced the Informatics concepts for C level executives. This layer needs to see global operations, trends, Investments and financial flows.

a.     Is Information intensive

b.    Mainly visual and graphical with very few aggregated data KPI’s

c.     Has few to no navigation layers except for experienced users.

d.    Normally drill downs handed to management for clarifications.

e.     Designed as roll-up from management KPI’s

Users: C level executives

Type: Executives

When deploying HANA as a solution for 'Time-to-information' layer with Real-time decision capabilities it becomes imperative to architect on FEDW (Introduced in ‘BI Valuenomics’ in 2010, and move from reports to Analytics for the operational layers. And move from Analytics to informatics at the executive decision layer.

The visualization below is the Decision Matrix visualizing reports, analytics and Informatics in an enterprise decision enablement. Audience is the Ministry of defense or the Armed Forces.