Business Intelligence on a Shoe-String Budget

TDWI is hosting a timely webcast on how to implement BI in the face of the budget constraints that many organizations are facing. I think it is especially relevant to small and mid-sized companies. Unfortunately you have to wait until July to attend the webinar. Here’s the link:

http://tdwi.org/webcasts/2010/07/bi-on-a-limited-or-shrinking-budget-strategies-for-doing-more-with-less.aspx

In the meantime, here are my ideas for how to do it:

1. Look for low priced alternatives to the big powerhouse BI solutions. Many of the big vendors offer a full featured solution designed for smaller companies, at a reasonable price.
2. Demonstrate ROI. Start with a smaller project with clearly defined scope. If you work on solving a department’s mission critical problem, their budget will contribute. By diligently building the business case and demonstrating ROI, you’ll be able to proceed.
3. Outsource maintenance. It’s hard to keep the core competency in house, and you really want your team to spend their time delivering value, not maintaining a solution. Find a contractor for BI remote management services – applying updates, supporting end users, and liaising with the vendor. This way it costs you only a few hours per month, and no employee overhead.

-IainR
Sr. Marketing Manager – The BI Builders

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1. TDWI Report on Shoestring BI