The Nielsen Company BI COE: A Case Study

John Boyer, The Nielsen Company Edie Harrison, The Nielsen Company Katie McCray, IBM

BI COE Case Study

> Who We Are > What It Is > What We Do > How We Do It > What Weve Done > What Weve Learned > Where Were Going

WHO WE ARE
> Speakers > Corporate Background > BI COE Background > Where the BI COE fits > Where the BI COE sits

Corporate and BI COE Background

> The Nielsen Company
Consumer Media Business Media Integrated Services

> Application Development / Shared Technology Services

Dot Com apps BI Media BI Consumer Portal STS Support Team

What is a BI COE?
> Textbook Definition > Practical Definition

Our Mission

How the BI COE Relates to its Environment

> Upwards > Sideways > Downwards > Outside

WHY A BI COE?
> Purpose
Quality of deliverables Success of projects Adoption of common vision Bridges the gap between business and IT Limits re-learning

> Primary Benefits

Consistent message Reusability Convergence

Where the BI COE sits within the Nielsen Enterprise

Data Management COE

Intranet / Dot Com COE

Portal COE Engagement COE

PMO COE Database COE

SOA COE

BPM COE

Application Teams
BI COE

BI COE Org Contributions by SDLC

Ideation Assessment Requirements Detailed Specs Development / Test Release Maintenance Ongoing project collaboration through BI COE PM team

Ongoing support of shared environments, release process and application hosting OOM Assessment Adoption Solution Definition Development Consulting Services Closeout OOM Assessment Architecture Leadership BI Consulting Services Closeout

Delivery of shared services and application delivery frameworks such as presentation services (Page Bus) & BI Service (BI Bus)

Project lifecycle

Support & Deployment Team Project Coordination Team

Adoption Team BI Advisory Team Shared Components Team

BICC Survey Findings IBM Cognos 2008

HOW WE DO IT
> Design of the Nielsen BI COE
BI COE Structure and Responsibilities Departmental and Vendor Interactions Project involvement and touch points Dependencies for success Measurements for success

WHAT WEVE DONE

> Adoption Team > Platform Team > Advisory Team > Adoption and Development Team > Support and Delivery (Platform) Team > Advisory Team > Project Management Team > Shared Components

Adoption Team
> On-boarded over 40 application teams > Addressed scalability of Adoption Team > Implemented constant review for on-boarding projects > Streamlined On-Boarding Documentation and Processes > Updated model to provide continuous project interaction > Implemented a standard Cognos TCS status reporting process

Support and Delivery (Platform) Team

> Expanded environment > Made documentation available in iShare > Implemented outages management > Created JIRA and change management > Standardized processes > Created SLOs > Overcoming challenges of managing and integrating off-shore team

Project Management Team

Phase of SDLC Data Access Stack Security considerations Migrate Answers

Databases used Schedules and Future plans Skill level

Project Management Team

I am a unique and special snowflake

Project Management Team

Development Challenges

Traffic Cop

Standards Evangelist

Efficiency expert

Advisory Team
> Interacted proactively in 30+ Projects > Developed standard project review process > Established proactive Cognos environment monitoring > Evaluated new products and vendors > Initiated planning for application convergence > Initiated recurring vendor communications > Documented and published proven practices > Created Self-assessments with algorithm for project risk scoring > Developed 10+ project prototypes and proofs of concepts > Trained and mentored project teams > Capacity planning for custom and upgrade environments

WHAT WEVE LEARNED

> Project Management > Application Development > BI COE

Project Management
> Got a plan? (Project Planning) > Is there a method to the madness? (Methodology) > Can we talk? (Communication) > Got a minute? (Time Management) > Can I friend you? (Networking) > Do you mind? (Emotional Commitment)

Microsoft Word Document

Application Development
> Run the numbers (SLOs) > Acknowledge the greater good (Enterprise vs Project Goals) > Know whom to trust (SME as experts) > Trust but verify (Competence) > Be the white on rice (Availability) > Build a covalent bond (Team dynamics) > Know your limits (Support and backup)

BI COE
> Evangelize and proselytize (Adoption Message) > House rules (Standards) > Role playing (Define role of BI COE) > Everyone needs a hand to hold onto (Support and maintenance) > Things we should have learned in kindergarten (Sharing information, resources)

WHERE WERE GOING

> Conclusions > Recommendations > Vendor Recognition > Take away

Conclusions
> What has worked
1+ years in sustained personnel changes, growth, building of team Supported all above achievements Add third bullet here

> What hasnt worked, or what hasnt worked for everyone

One size does not fit all Shared environment arent perfect for all teams Organizational Changes New teams Herding cats SLOs

Recommendations
> Executive sponsorship > Dedicate appropriate resources > Create a plan then change what doesnt work > BI COE with a bite > Constant monitoring > Start your own BI COE

Vendor Recognition
> Cognos
Products
Cognos 8.3

> Motio
Products
MotioCI MotioADF MotioPI

Partnership Support Services

Services

> Composite
Products
Clustered Enterprise Software

Services

> TCS
Services

Take away
> Business Intelligence Key Performance Indicators
What do you want on your dashboard?
As you develop your BI COE, make sure you monitor your progress. It is not possible to recommend one and only set of KPIs. Choose between three and five of the metrics below to start measuring. Choose metrics that are meaningful, easily captured and on which you can take action. Make sure youre measuring quality, timeliness and cost (in dollars or hours).

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