BA Roadmap

What’s your biggest business challenge? Throwing software at your business challenge might not be the first step to success.

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7/12/2017
business challenge

​More times than not, we see so many companies that have large business challenges and they tend to think software will fix their problem. Don't get me wrong it can, but it has to be done strategically. 

I encourage you to have a discussion with us here at Lodestar Solutions. We'll help you build out a roadmap for the right solution and do a comprehensive walk through of your data and your data challenges before you make a software selection. We have several programs that help clients identify their core business challenge and then assess the best way to tackle it. 

This can be done all through our comprehensive BAR Program, our Data Discovery workshop and our Destination Dashboard workshop. Below you can find out about each program:

Our BAR (Business Analytics Roadmap) sessions help you prioritize your analytic initiatives to become a data driven organization. We review your current state of how you gather, analyze, report and make decisions on your data. We work with you to identify gaps and define solutions, whether they are changes to processes, structure of existing data and/or needed technology improvements. With your team, we’ll schedule periodic sessions to keep focus on scope of initiative and progression to resolution.

Data Discovery includes sessions on what your existing data is able to provide and what may be lacking for executives and business leaders to make informed decisions. Knowing what you have, what you need or what cannot be accessed efficiently with your data is essential before you start adding more software.

Our Destination Dashboard sessions help you to get that “view” of your company designed the right way for the right people. The concept of a dashboard sounds simple, but usually morphs into that old parable of the blind men describing an elephant. Our workshop gives you quick and easy tips on how to design dashboards before you invest a lot of time and effort in an attempt to “mind-read” what the business requires in their dashboards. Using these repeatable tips that we provide you will reduce the overhead of maintaining redundant, unused or irrelevant reports.

It's important to understand your data because if your data isn't good, garbage in is going to be garbage out. Analytics software is only as good as the data it works with. You want to review your source data before you buy analytic software because you may need to make improvements in that before you can improve your analysis on the data.

Our team of highly skilled, analytic advisers look forward to working with your company and solving your business challenges. Please reach out to our sales team at 630-724-7390 to schedule a consultation or email sales@lodestarsolutions.com

Want to find out more about Lodestar Solutions? Check out our Concierge Service​!

The MacGyver Approach to BI and Analytics when you have limited resources

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I had a conversation with a perspective client the other day when he asked me, “What are the Best Practices for BI and Analytics when you have limited resources when?”  I paused a moment and asked him, “Do you have all the data you need in a clean, efficient Data Warehouse and unlimited time, resources and money? “

In 20 years of selling and deploying software solutions, I have yet to find a client that can follow “Best Practices”.   Therefore, I believe in the MacGyver approach to Business Intelligence and Business Analytics.  Do you remember the 1980’s ABC television show where the main character, MacGyver (a secret agent) would repeatedly find himself in precarious situations?  MacGyver would then assess the situation, review his resources, contemplate his options to solve the situation, and finally, he would act with total confidence and commitment to resolve the problem.  Typically, the solutions included duct tape, a Swiss army knife, a shoe string, a piece of gum, and gas from a nearby lawn mower.

When you are looking to deploy Business Intelligence and Business Analytics, you should put aside “Best Practices” and use the “MacGyver Approach”:

  1. Assess your organization’s goals for BI/BA
  2. Evaluate your resources: data, tools, people, time and budget
  3. Explore your options on where to start
  4. Create your plan / Business Analytics Roadmap
  5. With complete commitment and communication, make it happen

But, like MacGyver’s plan, you must be able to face the unforeseeable curve balls and have the agility to change your plans to meet your goals.  By setting realistic expectations that things will change, and empowering your people to act when appropriate, you will realize Business Analytics and Business Intelligence success.

If you are struggling with creating your Business Analytics Roadmap, Lodestar Solutions offers software agnostic Business Analytics Coaching programs to help you define it.

If you liked this blog on What are the Best Practices for BI and Analytics when you have limited resources but still have questions, reach out to us at services@lodestarsolutions.com

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