Apress - Pro SQL Server 2008 Analytics_ Delivering Sales and Marketing Dashboards (2009)02 | CHAPTER 2 Seven Keys to Successful Reporting Projects F inding the balance between the functional components of an analytics implementation like process design key performance indicator KPI development development look and feel and the technical items like tool selection and complex feature development is a daunting task. You typically must evaluate the trade-offs associated with spending time in one area vs. another. This chapter will focus on providing you with the key tasks and tools necessary to lay an effective groundwork for any analytics implementation large or small. The Seven Keys Approach Our approach to BI is based on three fundamental beliefs All successful BI projects start with an understanding of the key metrics that drive the business and work through a proven design and implementation approach. Cost-effective BI projects focus on leveraging only the components of the BI platform necessary to deliver the key metrics in an accurate and timely manner. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when selecting the right components of the BI platform. A large part of defining the technical solution has to be driven by selecting the right tool for the skill level and preferences of the user community. Integrity of the business processes and underlying data will ultimately define the success or failure of any created reports dashboards and scorecards. With these beliefs in mind we recognize that successful business intelligence initiatives will require different tools from the Microsoft BI platform for different organizations but we use a set of seven common key tasks that allow our clients to select the right technologies and to make the appropriate implementation choices to achieve their desired outcomes. Key 1 Developing Executive Sponsorship The first key of a successful business intelligence project begins at the top. Ensuring that the management team and key managers are aligned with the goals of the project will allow these individuals to take a more .
