FREE DM Review Site Registration!
Sign-up today and access DM Review on the Web!

Your FREE registration entitles you to:
FREE email newsletters

FREE access to all DM Review content

FREE access to web seminars, resource portals, our white paper library and more!

   

People Management Not Unique to Enterprise Data Warehousing

Recently, an old client came to me with a familiar story. He said he had bought all the right tools, hired some new skill sets and was really disappointed so far with his enterprise data warehouse project. (Thank goodness I can beg off while I finish the last edit of my new book, Saving Expensive Mistakes with Enterprise Data Warehousing: A Guide for Executives.) I know I should just eagerly jump in and start reorganizing his project team, but I am a little older and, hopefully, wiser. I know this executive well, and I also know how impatient he is and how he hates planning. Unfortunately, this is where I part company. It is one thing to know all the steps that have to be taken, but it is quite another thing to do any kind of enterprise program that touches all the main departments without some prep work for the existing employees.

Doing any enterprise program requires careful planning before the project can successfully begin. I don't care if you are only changing the phones, any changes that affect the whole company or enterprise is significant. First, there needs to be a program of information and training in which everyone is informed and trained, at least to the extent that the new enterprise project will affect their jobs. Using outside consultants backed up with existing staff generally works best and will allow for a smooth transition for the staff to sustain the program for at least two years, depending on your attrition rate. The training also provides for an opportunity to single out and recruit people for the project. Some are selected because of their skills, others for their leadership and others because they are good team players and supporters. All of them are chosen for their enthusiasm! Expensive bonuses are not needed, only interest and executive involvement.

All due diligence must be done. An enterprise program is different compared to a departmental program. At the enterprise level, the project is a success or no one comes back alive! All are fired or resign without exception. This is not a pilot study that can be pushed into the closet if it fails to meet expectations. This must meet full expectations and with full transparency so all can adjust for the setbacks. This is not time to use new tools, test out new theories, or use untried or inexperienced people. This is the time to take advantage of existing tools, experienced people and a good well-worked plan that has worked well at the departmental level. If the initial phases are successful, there will be time to incrementally add new tools and new concepts, but not now.

There are usually three phases. The first ends with an approved plan, the second phase implements, and the third reviews and makes trade-offs. In enterprise data warehousing, this means that the modeling may well be accomplished before the first phase is even begun. The first phase should not begin without a central model or a good survey of all data marts with conformed dimensions. A consistent repository of metadata must already exist as well as a data quality program, a data stewardship program and a data governance council. All of this must be up and running and fully staffed before Phase I begins.

Phase II is implementation, which can really be very fast in data warehousing. The extract, transform and load (ETL) area is now the hot seat and will stand or fall on the basis of all previous organization and documentation. Good attitudes and a smooth team spirit are crucial at this juncture. Regular cheap parties and project meetings must be in full swing with everyone getting a reward for something. Don't underestimate the importance of public recognition for a job well done and persistent quality. Phase II will see the completion of the first incremental load of the data warehouse as well as the first BI results. Those results must be fully validated.

Phase III sees the first presentations not only to the clients of the data warehouse but all the stakeholders. Strong leadership is required to maintain focus and keep up the work levels so everyone can participate in the final workarounds and trade-offs. Final presentations can be made to management once everyone's suggestions for the future are consolidated with all options. Management will want results and options for the future.

No one is happier to see a successful project than management, but all too often, the original project mandate is not taken into full account. Original purpose and scope must be revisited, as well as resource requirements. A lack of transparency at this juncture will defeat any project manager. Rather, a full admission with future options and explanations already heard by the project team will be rewarded, even if budgets and schedules are exceeded. If there are surprises, the project manager and management has not been working well together. By now, there should be no big questions about the results.

Let us review. People management is not unique to data warehousing. Most IT people tend to think this is all about tools and technical issues with reorganizing existing data sources and loading special BI structures for reporting. It is all about informing, training, motivating and growing people to new levels of informational confidence. It is also about creating, organizing and providing access to data that can be used to provide new levels of analytics and data mining for an entire business enterprise. The opportunities are enormous, and any enterprise data warehouse will have a profound impact on a business. It will also lead to more change. Again, the staff has to be prepared for this and informed, retrained and recruited for new jobs. By now, you should be familiar with the routine.


Alan Schlukbier of Schlukbier Consulting has been designing and helping large enterprises explore and implement data warehousing solutions for over 15 years. He may be reached at alan@schlukbier.com.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:



Industry Vendors