Data Warehousing Concepts Overview

Access and Delivery

• Data warehouses hold significant information potential
• Users of data warehouses need to be categorized
• Different information delivery mechanisms exist
• Each user type needs the correct information delivery method
• The overall information delivery framework needs understanding and analysis of its components

Information from the Data Warehouse

• Data warehouses make strategic information available
• Source systems would be unnecessary if data were readily available
• Data warehousing makes better strategic decisions possible by accessing source system data formatted for query and analysis

Data Warehouse VS Operational Systems

• Data warehouses and operational systems differ in the information they contain
• Usage of information differs between databases
• The value of information differs between databases

Information Potential

• Data warehouses are critical for overall enterprise management
• Data warehouses are important for planning and assessing marketing campaigns to aid in market expansion

Information Potential for Business Areas

• Data warehouses support profitability, growth, strategic marketing, customer relationship management, and corporate purchasing.

Stages in the Realization of Information Potentials

• Define business requirements in terms of business rules for data warehouse use
• Select appropriate data subsets aligned with business rules
• Add value calculations (totals, averages) and translate codes to business terms
• Relate data with business meanings using metadata
• Organize data into user-friendly formats
• Present data in various formats (tables, text, graphs, charts)

User-Information Interface

• A solid interface is essential for data warehouse information delivery
• The interface sits in the middle, facilitating information delivery to users
• The interface can be a set of tools and procedures tailored for the environment
• Specify necessary interface features and characteristics without getting into user details
• Define the general characteristics of the user-information interface

Information Usage Modes

• Data warehouse use can be categorized into verification and discovery modes

Approaches for the Interaction

• Informational approach, analytical approach, and data mining approach are used for interaction with data

User-Information Characteristics

• Preprocessed information, predefined queries and reports, and ad hoc constructions are characteristics of user-information

Essential Features for the User-Interface

• User-friendliness
• Flexibility
• Versatility in presentation
• Metadata linkage
• Process management

Industry Applications

• Sample industry sectors include manufacturing, retail and consumer goods, and banking and finance

Classes of Data Warehouses

• Data warehouse users are categorized into miners, tourists, explorers, farmers, and operators
  • Miners are focused on knowledge discovery
  • Tourists are interested in business indicators
  • Explorers focus on ad-hoc analysis
  • Farmers concentrate on routine analysis
  • Operators deal with current data

Classes of Users

• Classify users as casual/novice, regular, and power users based on computing proficiency

Dashboard and Scorecards

• Dashboards and scorecards are powerful business intelligence tools helping in optimizing performance and strategic decisions
• Crucial to understand the strategic approach of the balanced scorecard (BSC) and implement it incorporating business logic

Dashboard and Scorecards (continued)

• Dashboards show visual graphs and raw data
• Scorecards utilize charts and progress updates