This is a 'model case study' relating to the Business Intelligence Maturity Model.
Specialist Staff
BI Maturity Model Stage 1
Academic staff at a Further or Higher Education Institution ('The Institution') find that they do not understand the data submitted in statutory reports, or used in planning and performance review meetings in the Institution. They appoint a Director of Information Management and Performance from outside the Education Sector (for example, from local government, the police service, the health service).
Initially, for a few years, the new Director with a small team, concentrates on understanding the data sources and meanings, and on preparing (manually) spreadsheets and graphs for senior management.
Data Definitions
BI Maturity Model Stage 2
The key to progress is a series of meetings and workshops with data providers and data users. The School and Faculty Administrators are essential to this. These briefings and discussions cover what data are needed, why they are needed (statutory returns, internal decisions etc), and what the data mean. The meanings of data and the steps needed to secure data quality are discussed in small groups throughout the Institution, led by the Director of Information Management and Performance and her team.
One example of potentially confusing data: HR data are aligned by manager and reporting structures, while Finance data are aligned by Cost Centre. These can give different numbers, since who reports to X may be different from whom X pays for.
From these meetings, written instructions (Standard Operating Procedures) are developed, along with maps showing which data sources relate to which reports or spreadsheets.
Exploring BI Tools
BI Maturity Model Stage 2
After discussion and visits to other institutions, two BI tools begin to be used, with small numbers of licences. These pilots do not prejudge any full-scale project, but they do provide immediate benefits because certain reports are now more easily and more quickly prepared, and some graphical outputs make the data clearer to senior management.
Another benefit of this pilot work is that the management information specialists (both in the central Information Management and Performance Team and in schools and faculties) are becoming familiar with BI tools and therefore know better what to look for when they do start their full-scale project.
Business Intelligence (BI) System Selection
BI Maturity Model Stage 3
Finally, after more discussions in their group of similar institutions, and more visits to institutions already using BI, the Institution sets aside a budget for a full-scale BI project. Using their pilot experiences with BI tools, they define specific purposes for their BI project, and set out a phased plan, over three years. The specification and project plans are developed together by the ICT service and the Information Management and Performance team.
Several vendors express interest, including some with no educational experience and some experienced in the sector. The Director and her staff meet with all the interested vendors, and assess their proposals against the Institution's goals. A short list of three vendors is agreed, and a scripted technical demonstration is designed. Each vendor performs well, but one is clearly best, and is also 'easy to work with' for the Institution.
Initial BI deployment: Student Data
BI Maturity Model Stage 4
The first phase of the BI project is to automate the collection and reporting of Student Data, with a dashboard available to the senior management, management information (MI) specialists, and key faculty administrators.
For a cost equal to about 1.5 or 2 full time staff members, the software licences and consulting services are obtained, and a BI system is in place and working within about 8 weeks.
Since the departments are already familiar with their student data, they quickly accept the BI system and see the benefits it offers. Automated reporting, and easy access to ad hoc reports saves time equal to more than 2 FTE staff across the whole Institution.
Expanding BI Use
BI Maturity Model Stage 5
In their Phase 2 plan the BI system is extended in coverage and depth.
Coverage expands to include Financial and Facilities data. A modest amount of further consultancy is needed for this, and a few extra licences are purchased. The work takes a few weeks to implement and test.
Depth is increased to allow senior staff in Faculties, Schools and Departments to use the dashboards. This expanded population of users is achieved by:
- Some preset reports and dashboards, not user-configurable
- Additional training for users (provided by the BI vendor)
Later in this phase, some elements of the dashboards are made available via the Institution's website to students, prospective students and the public.
The process of expanding the BI system through the Institution strengthens 'dotted line' reporting relationships among the central Information Management and Performance staff and the administrators and management information staff in service departments, schools, faculties, and departments.
Forecasting and Planning
BI Maturity Model Stage 6
Finally the BI system is embedded throughout the Institution and well understood by administrators, planners and senior staff. It is now expanded to support planning and forecasting. A traditional separation between planning and business information is resolved.
The BI system allows the Institution to ask 'what if?' questions, like:
- What if central funding is decreased by 20%?
- What if overseas students (for course X) increase by 10%?
- What if we offer Course Y through our overseas partners?
- What if we close and remodel building Z?
The future may not be uniformly rosy - change and challenges continue. But at least decisions are made with good evidence, and data about the Institution are shared transparently.
