Information Architecture Analysis

Based on the research phases previously described, the organization has taken steps to define its information architecture using technological components of Business Intelligence. The following section contains a description of the architecture and the analysis regarding the fulfillment of information needs.

The organization designed nine data marts (DM) which, once fully "loaded" with the relevant information, will form the corporate data warehouse (DW). Implementation is underway using dimensional models, storing tables based on facts and dimensions. The following data marts were designed:

1) Strategic information: provides information on the strategic performance of different units within the organization, such as: monthly performance reports (strategic indicators); margin indicators for organizational managers, and detailed information regarding organizational units;

2) Sales Analysis: provides information such as the averageticket for business units; information regarding the division of sales (counter; card; check; company agreements); time comparisons (previous month, last month of the year); progress (through graphs); participation by branches and employees (clerks and managers); participation by suppliers and products in sales;

3) Client Profile: provides information regarding loyalty programs and promotional campaigns, customer segmentation (by category, age range, gender, socioeconomic profile, and occupation, among other criteria); will allow market basket analysis (product mix vs. ticket level);

4) Human Resources: supplies information that facilitates the sizing of teams (total number for the company and by area), redistribution of personnel by shift, and performance analysis in business areas;

5) Purchasing Analysis: provides information on the ranking of suppliers and products, and division by categories (of suppliers), margin of products, logistics by supplier, and participation by laboratories and products;

6) Cost Management: supplies information on the administration of operating expenses (fixed and variable) for companies and business units.

7) Educational Services: reports on the loyalty programs for students; participation of contributing companies; promotional campaigns for courses; customer segmentation and correlation (correlation of courses for students/clients);

8) Technical Services: technical, laboratory, and workshop services provided to clients;

9) Social Services: services provided to society (education, health, leisure, dentistry, and disease prevention services).

The basic structure of the main database tables developed to hold the data marts is presented in Chart 3, with the relevant classification.

Chart 3: Description of the multidimensional tables designed. 

The information architecture is gradual and consists of three basic BI technology components: storage, analysis, and mining. With respect to storage components, the model includes dimension tables based on the concepts of facts and dimensions, using data marts and gradual data warehousing.

Information architecture allows for the use tools to enable navigation among information via OLAP applications. These act on data stored in the data marts, enabling tasks such as information analysis and cross-referencing, detailing and summarizing, issuing reports on the information analyzed, recording reports on the OLAP application server, generating graphs, and exporting information to electronic spreadsheets and files. Analyses can be performed at management and operational level (sales and customer profiles, for example), as well as the strategic level, by measuring the indicators defined in the balanced scorecard and included in the model.

In regard to mining tools, the information architecture system will include data mining applications enabling searches for relationships between the information stored on databases (DMs and DWs) and patterns discovered in information that supports business decision making. This component is not yet in use and, as such, a more extensive analysis is not possible.

Based on an assessment of the information architecture, and cross-referencing against interviewee responses, it is evident that the system satisfies the proposed theoretical requirements presented in the theoretical framework of this study, with most components of the framework found in the literature present in the system.

On the other hand, the information needs identified were only partially met. Although the organization has already partially implemented information architecture, the strategic use of information was considered low, a fact evident in the responses of interviewees. This indicates a need for greater development of the architecture in order to align the information obtained in the process with strategic organizational objectives. The outcome of this study is similar to that reported by Popovic and Jaklic in that a gap exists between the needs of executives and the information they receive, particularly from a strategic standpoint. It was observed that most of the information needed is present in the organization's transaction processing system, but it is not yet used analytically via OLAP tools. Moreover, the interviewees reported that not all the required information is delivered quickly and cohesively and not all the executives have a culture of using this information effectively to generate new opportunities.

The information architecture was found to be well-structured, but progress is needed with respect to meeting the existing information requirements. Furthermore, we believe that in addition to improvements in technological development and the information provided by the architecture, the cultural issue in relation to strategic use of this information should be addressed within the organization.