Lessons from BI in Public Institutions
The study in this article provides reasons why BI is not fully implemented in some organizations. The thematic approach to determining why the technological tools are or are not used by managers provides an actionable set of areas where improvements can be made. One aspect that may relate to our discussions on asking the right questions is, "do managers really need to know how to use BI tools?" In many organizations, managers have enough knowledge about specialized data and tools to know how to task their specialists (BI analysts, in this case) to use them to answer their requirements. This can give analysts too much power in organizations with poor systems, whose data quality is questionable, or with authoritarian cultures where analysts fear giving the "wrong" answer. But in a highly effective environment, managers manage, and analysts analyze.
Recommendations and conclusion
Conclusion
In conclusion, analytics is the enabler of success for the organisation under study. Managers need to make informed and timely decisions based on facts to stay abreast of competition, improve service delivery, have awareness of changing markets, and streamline processes. Analytics is a driver of achieving these objectives and ensuring success and sustainability for the organisation. It has been established that the usage of analytics is low within the organisation under study and there are specific factors that contribute to managers not using the analytical tools. Interviews and electronic survey questionnaires have highlighted the main causes of low usage. The key areas to address include establishing a process owner at an executive level and crafting an analytics innovation strategy that includes processes, technology, and people. The organisation has focussed on technology. However, it has neglected the people component. People are critical to the success of any technology as the value of the toolsets lies in the actual usage, which increases return on investment. To balance the people component, customised training must be implemented. To establish confidence in data quality, batch monitoring must be implemented with immediate effect. These initiatives could change the organisation and information culture over time and entrench analytics, creating a flourishing and successful organisation.