Big data is not about the number and variety of data reports you can create — or even about the velocity which you can expel those reports; it’s about how you use the data reports to push your organization to success. When asked about big data, the Geeks (IT department) often say that an organization needs to start with small steps, and they need to get the buy-in from different areas within the organization. But often, this is a response that stems from not knowing how to implement this type of system. To a degree, this is true — unless all executives from the various departments collaborate in the project, implementing analytics correctly is impossible. The issue doesn’t stop there; to implement a system that scales data down into concise SQL report writing you need to know what you’re doing – and the best person to help you with that is a business intelligence consultant.
It’s in The Education Not in The Training
Organizations that have implemented Crystal report deployment processes successfully, suggest that an organization seek professional report consulting services, as a business intelligence consultant helps steer your team in the right direction. When it comes to big data and the decisions that are derived from it, you need education, and not just training – and that comes from a business intelligence consultant trained in analytics. Before you even start the SQL report writing, you need to visualize the type of success you want from the implementation. Ask yourself what are we going to do with the analytics? And this is the one question that a professional BI consultant can help you sort out.
Unfortunately as in most technology developments, innovative technology arrives long before educational organizations can coordinate with businesses to help them manage and sustain these new technologies. Many Chief Information Officers claim that finding the right skill set is the biggest issue for their IT and analytical department. The success of business intelligence in any organization is based on two critical factors: the right technology including the right SQL database reporting skills, and detailing of business requirements for better decision-making (the role of BI analysts takes on.) Compromising either of these two factors leads to sub-optimal implementation and data utilization.
Challenges in Finding the Right Skill Set
while most businesses plan on adopting data driven projects, most agree that currently there’s not enough of the skill set in the market to address these needs. Most would even say that they need more clarity as to what skills to look for in a business intelligence analyst. Experts in the field believe that many businesses are mistaking analytical analysis with tools and software implementation, believing this to be solely an IT job.
Certainly technical skills are required to manage, configure and maintain the SQL data writing needs, but effective business analysis is also a key factor in the implementation. Before internal IT personnel can be put on the job they need to understand what type of information they are looking for.
What to Look For?
The BI specialist should be well versed not only in the technical aspects of a data driven organization but also in the science behind the data. This person needs to understand how people create and use information. But, by the same token he should know how to organize the data so management teams can get useful inferences from it.
The IT and BI Engagement
before the IT department is put to the task of scaling the data they need to be trained and educated in the BI process, which is different from the traditional IT project. In the conventional IT task, the organization defines the outcome and then requires the study.
In analytical based projects, the hypotheses are built around the research, experiments and refinements brought about in the IT reporting. The BA analysts helps change that IT mindset and ensures complete synchronization between management and IT. Hence, the person holding this position needs both technical and business acumen, someone who is a good business analyst and understands IT analytical tools.
What to Look for?
Management leaders need a BI analyst who has IT Capabilities, but a person who is also good with large sets of numbers and has as statistical background. This can include measures of central tendency estimation probability, outliers, normal Vista Gratian, hypothesis testing, regression, correlation; data visualization, time series, segmentation, forecasting, fuzzy logic and artificial neural networks. This team member needs to be cross functional, a person that understands business and computer science.
Bottom Line
Deciding to implement analytics in your organization and simply expecting your IT department to figure it out is a little like Texas would say, “Whistling down wind.” No one is going to hear, understand or know what to do. You need professional help to implement analytics correctly, and that comes from someone experienced in data analysis as well as IT technology.