Business Analytics

individual assignment
Case study BI tool - Tableau

Sushma Dhanraj Jambhrunkar

Division B
PRN No : 12030241109
2012 2014
Date of submission : 09th December, 2013

Table of contents:
Topic
Page no
1. Selection of BI tool. ......................................................3
2.Case study - The Path towards Persuasive
Business Intelligence at Cornell University............3
3. Report based on following criteria :
3.1 Introduction ................................................................3
3.2 Assumptions ...............................................................3
3.3 Observations.............................................................3-4
3.4 Analysis .....................................................................4
3.5 Implementation ..........................................................4
3.6 Conclusion .................................................................5
3.7 Recommendations .....................................................5
3.8 Limitations..................................................................5
3.9 Bibliography.............................................................. 6

1. Select a BI tool - Tableau Software

2. Appropriate case study related to selected tool - The Path toward
Pervasive Business Intelligence at Cornell University
3. A report based on tool's case study with the following content :
i. Introduction In 2008, for uncovering best practices in expanding use of BI and analytics processes and
technologies, a global market research project was launched by IDC. Competitors were 11
BI software, services and hardware providers.
Cornell University (Cornell) founded in 1865, comprises of 11 undergraduate, graduate, and
professional colleges, operates under a complex structure combining centralized and
decentralized functions. The BI technology support is provided centrally and in the
individual colleges.
About Tableau - Tableau is a Business Intelligence Software that enables an individual to link
to data in few clicks and create dashboards. It integrates analysis and reports as a single
activity and lets one view the patterns in their data. It combines data exploration and
visualization in an application which is easy to learn and use. Tableau provides scalable
solution for creating and providing web, mobile and desktop analytics. It uses high
availability cluster, authentication for its access security, is scalable and uses best practice
optimizations.
ii. Objective To identify the internal and external factors, addressing the BI and analytic needs, for
effective use of BI and analytics processes and technologies. in Cornell University.
iii. Assumptions (if any) - None
iv. Observation Cornell focussed on the strategic and operational view.
Strategic view:
-Ad hoc metric based reporting system with little consistency.
-Need to identify KPI's to determine ongoing management.
-Lack of cross functional KPI's
-Improper decision making
-Wastage of resources

Operational view:
-Current BI staffing consisted of centralized team and localized staff
-However, decentralized IT staff at individual colleges gave a
better BI understanding for daily support operations
-This imbalance failed to address management and local colleges
BI needs.
v. Analysis :
Need to identify and come up with a solution for a mix of centralized and
decentralized, to help address the management needs for BI.
To enable proper decision making
To effectively use resources as required
Identifying effective KPI
To address BI needs, Cornell focussed on the changes that could brought about
in Organization culture, technologies and business and IT processes.
vi.Implementation
Cornell implemented the solution by considering changes in various factors as mentioned
below :
Changes in Organization culture: The steering committee identified and re-evaluated the
metrics to support strategic and operational decision making. This top-down approach
determined which KPI's to use.
To automate the tracking of KPI's through BI technology, officers took the data governance
initiative, ad reconvened committee to document meaning of KPI to be stored. The committee
created a technical team of BI experts from central IT and individual colleges.
Changes in Technology: Cornell outsourced its information management and BI needs. The
newly created technical team coupled with the existing one to create effective ad hoc query
and effective solution. They restarted the project with a new software tool. Cornell's
outsourcing software vendor activities helped them evaluate multiple software products and
they narrowed down to one of the existing applications and Tableau software, highly visual
and interactive end user query and analysis software.
Changes in Business and IT Software: Cornell's BI systems managed various applications
human resources, student performance, alumni relations etc. The first new applications
deployed with ad hoc query and analysis support for 3 functional areas and cross functional
KPI's. Post deployment, Cornell had access to unlimited server license and dozens of
Tableau desktop licenses. It delivers production reports using Brio for parameterized
reporting and exploratory query and analysis.

vii.Conclusion
The implementation provided benefits which can be categorized in four parameters : Right
Information, Right people, Right Time, and using the Right Tool.
Right Information - In the first phase, HR reports were deployed using tableau software. In
the second phase, Cornell offered capabilities to analyze data.
Right People - Decision makers are provided access to BI assets. College level decision
makers have access to standard reports, exploratory query and analysis tools. The variety of
users and technology needs gave a good interface to the Tableau software for the analysis
needs.
Right Time - Transition to a self service query and analysis architecture to free users from
having to rely on IT for each new request for information. In case dependency required,
responsiveness to end user requests has increased substantially.
Right Tool - The tool's interactive, visual interface diminished the need for training. Tableau
mimics techniques required for exploratory query and analysis. It is an easy to deploy tool.
viii.Recommendations
Ease of use and interface are important, particularly easy to use tools with respect to
BI features and analytical power.
It is important to differentiate between lot of data and having right information.
Despite its importance, the interface appeal should be more focussed upon and
assessed across full BI lifecycle and should be considered for different types of users
and applications.
Vendors must improve the visual appeal of their BI tools especially within their
authoring interfaces.
Customers should monitor the innovations used to address certain features, to
understand certain innovations attracts certain class of users.
To cope with the training and expectations, multiple training session should be offered
for a particular duration.
ix.Limitations
There is a major problem with data storage. Each accountholder can save upto 1GB
content and this limit applies at the organization level.
Working around issues caused by limitations.
Presence of large CSV files causes issues.
Lack of collaboration activities.

x.Bibliography
http://mkt.tableausoftware.com/files/Tableau-Cornell-213957.pdf
http://kb.tableausoftware.com/articles/knowledgebase/data-requirements-and-limitations
http://kb.tableausoftware.com/articles/knowledgebase/jet-data-file-size-limitations
http://www.tableausoftware.com/business-intelligence