Business Intelligence
at Indiana University

Business Intelligence is a broad term coined in 1958 that described the combination of technologies, processes, data and human resources that provide a view of the interrelationships between facts. Put more simply, BI is About BI getting the right information to the right people at the right time for greater efficiency and better decision-making.

BI encompasses what we have referred to as the "decision support environment", including reporting, the data warehouse, analytics, and other components. But it also includes anything — processes, tools, people, etc. — that play a role in enabling the most efficient, fact-based decision-making at all levels of the organization.

Decisions are only as good as the information they are based on. Fact-based decision-making is simply making choices based on the best information available. Raw data is compiled, analyzed, and interpreted to provide the insights necessary for determining the most reliable course of action.

Fact-based decision-making does not strive to replace the human elements of decision-making. Instead it seeks to empower the decision-making process so that choices are not based only on assumptions, anecdotal experience and the occasional hunch.

The IU BI Initiative arose out of the 2009 Indiana University Strategic Plan for Information Technology, Empowering People. In order to move IU in the direction of this plan, and more specifically Actions 30 and 31 specified in the plan, a Business Intelligence Task Force (BITF) representing a wide cross-section of application areas and departments at IU was assembled.

The goal of the BI Initiative then is to achieve the goals set forth in the strategic plan. Beyond that, the initiative is intended to bring all the many benefits of Business Intelligence to IU in order to maintain and even advance its position as one of the premier institutions of higher learning in the world.

Background on the BI Initiative.

While IU’s current reporting environment has certainly met the bulk of IU’s information needs, there are issues to be addressed, including:

• There is a lack of clear, easily accessible definitions (metadata) for reports and data elements.
• Integrating data pulled from separate data sources is time-consuming and inefficient.
• The availability of reports that cross application areas is limited.
• Our current report inventory focuses on operational reporting rather than executive-level management reporting.
• Our reporting capabilities are not always aligned with our strategic goals in a way that allows us to see how well we are doing and, if necessary, take corrective action.
• There has been a proliferation of "shadow systems" which extract enterprise data from the DSS environment and create a "local" copy for departmental applications and reporting needs. This replication is not only time and resource consuming, it also limits our ability to ensure the data is properly secured and access is appropriately limited.

Business Intelligence, when properly implemented and used, delivers many benefits. Some of the key advantages include:

• Alignment of an organization around its strategic goals: An articulate strategy, measurable objectives, and performance monitored against those objectives will enable us to make informed decisions that support the business strategy.
• Quicker, fact-based decision making: When analytical data is readily available and understandable, employees at all levels can more easily act in ways that improve performance and support the overall business strategy.
• Reliable presentation of information (‘One version of the truth’): Having all enterprise data integrated and with clear, easily accessible definitions will allow users to spend less time finding and figuring out the data and more time analyzing and making informed decisions based on the data.
• Competitive advantage and cost savings: The incentives for colleges and universities to measure, demonstrate, and improve performance are escalating. BI offerings have the potential to support previously unattainable levels of measurement, comparison, and institutional interventions to improve access, affordability, and success for students.
• More detail About BI benefits.

• BI Task Force (BITF) members represent most "enterprise-wide" systems including human resources, student, financial, and academic areas.
• The UITS Communications Team has provided valuable insight and input into the planning process and communication strategy for this initiative.
• Over 170 academic and administrative staff participated in the IBM assessment through interviews and other feedback mechanisms. This input has been critical to determining the challenges and opportunities in our current environment.

Given the scope, the number of people representing every major area, and the mandate provided by the UITS Strategic Plan, this initiative is by far the biggest, most far-reaching effort to transform the university’s decision-making capabilities and processes.

As this initiative is still in the planning phase, much of this is yet to be determined. More information will be provided when it is available.

Like the strategic plan, this initiative seeks to chart a course for developing BI capabilities at IU over the next five years or more. Details About BI what is happening with this initiative.

The roadmap is a plan for the implementation of BI at Indiana University. It is currently being worked on as part of the planning phase and will be posted here when it has been completed.

It is too early to say if and how our current reporting environment might be affected. In any event, the data currently found in the IUIE will still be available. Any changes to our reporting environment will be clearly communicated and implemented in a way that causes the least possible disruption to ongoing operations.

If you have questions About BI the BI initiative, view our contacts page. You may also feel free to contact any of the members of the BITF.