Thursday, May 21, 2009

Leo/Hasso vision deployment

Let’s take the Leo/Hasso vision and draw an actionable map to make the vision into a reality.

However, we cannot simply go full steam ahead without reviewing the past and define our CLEAR methodology.we cannot be CLEAR if the past is muddy. CLEAR is a message Hasso and Leo communicated to all 10,000 participants on site and 18,000 online Sapphire Attendees. Global SAP is about CLEAR and Business Intelligence.
CLEAR will eliminate inefficiencies so let us start with the foundations, i.e. auditing the house for BVA (Business Value Attainment).

These audits are applicable both for New and existing customers. i.e. even if you are 8 years with BW and do not have standards and processes clearly defined then we need to do that immediately, or if your Infocube models are not optimized then we need to do that...

Here is a list of BVA Chekclist that can be used as a KSF (Key Success form) that will analyze the foundation without and possibly need a signoff from key stakeholders.

BW Audit 1: BI Strategy alignment to Business Needs
(not 3rd party alignment but pure business, by business owners only. Hasso's vision answers business questions)

BW Audit 2: Audit Business participation, Standards, Processes, Org Structures and Governance against BVA
(Lack of standards leads to duplication and redundancies something Hasso clearly pointed we must eliminate)

BW Audit 3: Check Architecture for Best Practice against BVA
(Hasso's vision did not need an architecture but right now we will need to this to succeed)

BW Audit 4: check DSO and InfoCube design and automate modeling for the dream to come true.
(Hasso's vision did not need modeling or objects but right now we will need to this to succeed. The cost of getting all data elements from Operating systems into BW Accelerator will be prohibitive for most companies so I am relying on the BW as a pass through layer for now)

BW Audit 5: Optimize InfoCube modeling: Read paper ‘Positioning InfoCube for SAP BI’ for details. Use automation as your only option for self service excellence.
(Hasso's vision did not need modeling or objects but right now we will need to this to lower your BW Accelerator considerably. Each blade reduced can save a company 1 million dollars in 10 years)

BWA Audit 6: Slim BI Footprint in BI. Note reduce 1 blade and save ($1 million in 10 years)
(Hasso's vision did not recommend for ROI, but I need to run that as I come from a business background and cannot work with a '..given infinite money and memory...' scenario

BWA Audit 7: List navigation Attributes, Restricted Key Figures, Calculated Key figures for BWA
(Hasso's vision did not need to review objects that slow BWA processing speeds, but right now we will need to this to succeed.

BWA Audit 6: More accurate BWA support and admin from customer for Polestar
(Hasso's vision did not need modeling or administration as his vision can answer any question. I tend to differ for unless the question is positioned in my database the system cannot possibly answer it. Try answering what is my current stock position for the next 4 weeks by week (consider stock, Purchase orders, returns, requisitions and give me true numbers) in a polestar environment and we see where I am coning from. I love the the vision but do not yet see the business solution and I accept the limitation may be mine)
BOE Audit 7: use of Automated Modeling InfoCubes for Polestar /BO Explorer
(Hasso's vision did not need modeling and for right now we have seen a many fold improvement in Query Performance simply with automated modeling. When the vision becomes a reality we can stop doing all this but till then....

Key Success factors:
Conduct a Polestar BVA Audit for Query Performance
1. Business participation, Ownership and Audits *****
2. Business and Information Architecture *****
3. Object duplication / redundancy audit *****
4. Automated optimization of existing Infocubes *****
5. Automated Modeling & Conversion of DSO’s into Infocubes *****
6. Automated BW Accelerator support and forecast ***
7. Automated Polestar Modeling ****