Introduction to Self-Service Business Intelligence
Self-Service Business Intelligence (SSBI) is a modern approach that allows end-users to analyze data and generate reports without the need to involve IT specialists or data analysts. It is designed for business team members who do not have advanced technical skills but need access to data to make informed business decisions. Read our article to find out what makes it different from the traditional approach, how to implement SSBI and what are the possible software solutions for your business.
- 1. Traditional BI and self-service BI – what is the difference?
- 2. Benefits of Self-Service BI
- 3. Risks of Self-Service Business Intelligence
- 4. Implementation of Self-Service Business Intelligence and BI best practices
- 5. Examples of Self-Service BI tools
- 6. The future of AI-powered BI and self-service BI
- 7. BI strategy for enhanced analytics
- 8. Summary
Traditional BI and self-service BI – what is the difference?
The traditional approach in reporting means that users order reports that the IT department creates. It’s engaging and quite time-consuming, especially if reports are needed right away.
Modern BI solutions allow you to gain insights from a variety of data sources, and access data for self-service analytics. Using self-service is a convenient way to ease the burden on business analyst departments. However – I advise against being over-enthusiastic. It’s worth bearing in mind that a self-service BI tool doesn’t do everything by itself. To prepare more advanced analyses and reports, you need to involve BI specialists or get training, for example, under the guidance of a solution provider.
What is Self-Service BI?
Self-Service Business Intelligence is a set of tools and technologies that enable business users to independently collect, process, and analyze data. With SSBI, one can create their own reports, dashboards, and data visualizations, which speeds up the decision-making process. These tools are typically user-friendly and offer intuitive interfaces, minimizing the need for technical support.
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Applications of Self-Service Business Intelligence
SSBI is used in many fields, such as:
- Marketing: Analyzing marketing campaigns, customer segmentation, monitoring ROI.
- Finance: Cost analysis, revenue forecasting, monitoring financial performance.
- Sales: Monitoring sales results, analyzing customer behaviors, predicting market trends.
- Operations: Optimizing processes, monitoring operational performance, analyzing supply chains.
- HR: Analyzing personal data, monitoring employment metrics, assessing employee performance.
Benefits of Self-Service BI
SSBI offers many benefits, including:
- Faster decision-making: Users have immediate access to the necessary data, allowing for quicker decisions.
- Cost reduction: Less involvement of IT teams in creating reports and analyzing data.
- Greater flexibility: Users can customize reports and analyses to meet their individual needs.
- Improved data quality: Users can continuously verify and correct data, which leads to higher-quality information.
- Increased innovation: Access to SSBI tools stimulates creativity and innovation in data analysis.
Risks of Self-Service Business Intelligence
Despite many benefits, SSBI also involves certain risks:
- Data security: Lack of proper security measures can lead to data leaks or unauthorized access.
- Data quality: Users may not have the necessary skills to correctly interpret data, leading to erroneous conclusions.
- Improper use of tools: Without proper training, users may use SSBI tools incorrectly.
- Information overload: Excessive data can lead to difficulties in analysis and interpretation.
Implementation of Self-Service Business Intelligence and BI best practices
The implementation process of SSBI requires a thoughtful approach, encompassing several key stages:
- Data preparation: Identifying and preparing data that will be easy to analyze is crucial. Data must be accurate, consistent, and up-to-date. The best solution is a central data repository that users can access. Popular tools like Power BI can use this prepared data, facilitating analysis.
- Selection of SSBI tools: Many SSBI tools are available on the market, such as Power BI, Tableau, or Qlik. It is important to choose a tool that best meets the organization’s needs and is easy for end-users to use.
- User training: To effectively use SSBI tools, users need to be trained. Training should cover the basics of using tools, creating reports and dashboards, and data interpretation. This way, they will be able to prepare reports and analyses themselves without waiting for further support.
- Monitoring and support: After implementing the SSBI tool, it is important to monitor its use and provide support to users. Regular data updates, training sessions, and technical support help maintain the high quality and efficiency of SSBI tools
Elevate Your Data Strategy
Our customized Data solutions align with your business objectives. Consult with Marek Czachorowski, Head of Data and AI Solutions, for expert guidance.
Schedule a meetingExamples of Self-Service BI tools
Some traditional BI tools include complex BI software that requires specialized knowledge to operate, while self-service BI platforms are designed to be easy to use for non-technical users. These self-service BI tools provide a way for users to access and analyze business data without engaging BI specialists. Below we present the list of popular Self-Service tools for data analytics – get to know those BI tools capabilities in detail to choose the best self-service tool.
Tableau
Tableau is a self-service tool with a drag-and-drop function that enables users to easily create and manage visualizations and dashboards. The system is popular thanks to its simple interphase and intuitiveness.
Microsoft Power BI
Microsoft Power BI is integrated with the Azure cloud platform. This solution can be easily handled by anyone. Power BI comes with modern reports and dashboards made available on all devices. Data for reports is collected from various sources to create multidimensional data models, making it possible to conduct analyses in real time.
Qlik
Qlik analytics engine allows users to explore data and easily create sharable reports. Qlik Sense is a powerful platform that, thanks to AI and ML capabilities, allows business users to use the full potential of the data.
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The future of AI-powered BI and self-service BI
The future of SSBI looks promising, especially in the context of integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. AI can significantly improve the functionality of SSBI tools by:
- Automation of analyses: AI can automatically analyze data and generate reports, further speeding up the decision-making process.
- Predictive analyses: AI can predict future trends and behaviors based on historical data, allowing for better planning and strategy.
- Personalization: AI can adapt SSBI tools to individual user needs, offering personalized ad hoc analysis and reports.
- Pattern recognition: AI can identify hidden patterns and correlations in data that are difficult for humans to detect.
Also read:
- What is Data Quality? Data Management Best Practices & More
- Data Mesh vs Data Fabric
- Data Warehouses management
BI strategy for enhanced analytics
Choosing the SSBI tool alone is not enough. To become a data-driven organization, you need a well-thought-out strategy. Which data will be analyzed? This is where the Master Data Management approach will help. Who will be responsible for the data project? Are you going to conduct it alone or in partnership with a Data Management services provider?
Implementation of the self-service bi strategy should include the following steps:
– Selecting a Chief Data Officer (CDO) to support the initiative.
– Choosing a platform – if you are not sure which tool will meet your expectations, decide to work with a partner company.
– Engaging users – representatives of different departments should support the implementation plan and be involved at every stage of the project.
– Creating a Business Intelligence team. Typically, a BI team consists of:
small teams: analyst, developer, tester. Larger project teams: Release manager, administrator, team manager.
Summary
Self-Service Business Intelligence is a powerful tool that allows end-users to independently collect, process, and analyze data. While SSBI involves certain risks, the benefits of its application are significant. The future of SSBI, combined with AI technologies, seems even more promising, opening new possibilities in data analysis and business decision-making.
Elevate Your Data Strategy
Our customized Data solutions align with your business objectives. Consult with Marek Czachorowski, Head of Data and AI Solutions, for expert guidance.
Schedule a meeting- 1. Traditional BI and self-service BI - what is the difference?
- 2. Benefits of Self-Service BI
- 3. Risks of Self-Service Business Intelligence
- 4. Implementation of Self-Service Business Intelligence and BI best practices
- 5. Examples of Self-Service BI tools
- 6. The future of AI-powered BI and self-service BI
- 7. BI strategy for enhanced analytics
- 8. Summary
Analyst with several years of experience in providing technological solutions aimed at increasing the business utility of data in an organization. University lecturer in the field of business analytics and data visualization.