A Reference Architecture for Self-Service Analytics

By Wayne W. Eckerson.

Despite its promise to liberate users from reliance on the IT department, self-service analytics is not easy to achieve. Many companies that have deployed self-service analytics have become inundated by a tsunami of conflicting reports, spreadmarts, renegade reporting systems, and other data silos. These companies have learned that the goal of self-service is not unfettered liberation from IT, but rather a partnership that balances freedom and control, flexibility and standards, governance and self service.

To succeed with self-service analytics, organizations need a reference architecture that maps business users, technology, and developers to an information supply chain designed to turn data and insights into action. The architecture stitches self-service capabilities into the supply chain so that designated business users can source their own data and create or modify reports to answer immediate questions without waiting for IT to create custom data sets or reports.

Although the current self-service revolution wouldn’t be possible without technology, the keys to self-service success are organizational. In addition to a governed self-service architecture, companies need to establish governance committees and gateways, create federated organizations with co-located BI developers, and provide continuous education, training, and support.

In this report, you will learn:

1. The promise and perils of self-service analytics

2. The keys to self-service analytics success

3. Self-service workflows that balance agility and governance

4. How to create an information supply chain that supports analytics

5. How to map business roles, technology, and developers to the supply chain

Download the report here.