I was reading this article the other day about “Workgroup BI”.
I am not an expert on BI theories and buzz-words and I am glad about it. I say I am glad as it allows me not to worry about it.
The article mentions BI and DW solution from the 90s. I was still at school at the time, but I have been working since 2002 and I came in contact with quite a few of the established BI vendor solutions. Namely Business Objects, Oracle Discoverer and the likes.
My judgement about those tools is very clear: useless.
Excel: most-used BI solution
Everywhere I worked, the most (ab)used BI tool is called Excel. It doesn’t matter how hard IT departments try, users still end up creating their own spreadsheets and analysis. The reason is simple, the current BI offerings are thought and implemented alongside ERP and bring with them all rigidity of ERPs.
The daily work of “business” people doesn’t wait for IT procedures. If your competitor is grabbing market share you can’t wait for IT to come up with a solution to analyse the problem. You need to act and you need to act fast.
The end result is not optimal though: duplication of efforts, unreliable data (too many unofficial sources) and processes depending on people.
Finding the right balance
My experience tells me that departments will always need flexibility to perform custom analysis, a central BI solution that solves all problem is just impossible (run away from those who try to convince you about the opposite!).
On the other hand, allowing each department to come up with its own version of the truth is equally dangerous for a company.
So, what about finding the right balance between central and local analysis? if that’s what Workgroup BI is about, then count me in.
The reason why I choose QlikView (and I am still trying to spread it in my company) is because it allows me to have a central source of official data, but it also allows the local departments to use their expertise to run their analysis without waiting for IT to come up with a solution.
One other major element that I think should be taken into account is that in the next 10 years more and more NetGen will be part of the workforce and this will allow to introduce more advanced tools into the hands of final users.
I know that I know nothing
I’d love to hear what others think about the above, and forgive me if I am an ignorant about the BI theories, but I have decided long time to follow Socrates famous sentence: I know that I know nothing.
The Spark
PS yes, I studied philosophy and I loved it! 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
you don't know what you don't know
not sure I understand what you means Gilles
you don't know what you don't know
not sure I understand what you means Gilles