The State department currently lacks a comprehensive and efficient system for creating, maintaining, and securing business intelligence reports and dashboards. This deficiency hampers the ability to provide timely and accurate information to stakeholders, comply with regulatory requirements, and support strategic initiatives.
The existing data management infrastructure is outdated and inefficient, leading to performance bottlenecks, limited data accessibility, and inadequate security measures. As a result, business users and report developers struggle to access relevant data, hindering their ability to make informed decisions and provide valuable insights. Additionally, the lack of integration between reporting tools and other applications further complicates the reporting process and limits automation capabilities.
To address these challenges, the department requires a solution that enhances its reporting capabilities, improves data management, and ensures data security. The solution must include the research, design, and implementation of appropriate Cognos data packages, development of reports, maintenance of data models, integration with external applications, and performance tuning. Additionally, it should provide education and knowledge transfer to users, manage software upgrades, and deliver regular status reports to management.
The proposed solution offered by Radian Solutions for the project includes the following components:
- Cognos Data Packages: Research, analyze, design, and implement appropriate Cognos data packages for business users based on outstanding or future requests.
- Report Development: Design and develop reports using Cognos, ensuring they meet the business requirements and are aligned with the data department’s models and data dictionary.
- Knowledge Maintenance: Maintain knowledge of data models and data dictionary for the purpose of maintaining Cognos packages and enhancing user awareness of business data.
- Documentation: Create and update documentation for Report Data column mapping to database tables and columns.
- Collaboration with Application Development: Collaborate with the Application Development team to develop SQL required for the reports.
- Cognos Integration: Integrate Cognos with batch processes using the Cognos SDK and external applications to trigger/run reports.
- Security Maintenance: Maintain the security of data assets through the administration of Cognos features and implement data level security on reports to restrict data visibility to users.
- Performance Tuning: Conduct performance tuning of Cognos BI/EP applications, focusing on reports, framework, and server/infrastructure aspects.
- Framework Manager Packages: Maintain existing Framework Manager packages and build new packages as per reporting needs.
- Education and Knowledge Transfer: Educate and provide knowledge transfer to report developers and business users on Cognos tools and best practices.
- OBIEE Dashboards: Design, develop, and implement dashboards, metrics, and scorecards using Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) and Repository (RPD).
- Collaboration with BI/DW Developers: Work with Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse developers to validate if the current report needs are being met and assist in redesigning the reports.
- Data Extracts: Design, develop, and deliver data extracts from state department databases and data warehouses.
- Performance Improvement: Work with the Application team to identify performance bottlenecks and suggest improvement plans.
- Vendor Support: Work with product vendors to provide application support and bug fixes as needed.
- Software Management: Manage software upgrades, patches, and backups as needed.
- Reporting and Communication: Provide weekly status reports to management and attend project and team meetings as requested.
Radian Solutions offered a comprehensive suite of benefits and impacts through this project, aimed at enhancing the efficiency, security, and effectiveness of data management and reporting systems.
- Improved Decision-Making: By designing and implementing appropriate Cognos data packages and developing insightful reports, Radian Solutions helped the State Department make more informed decisions based on accurate and up-to-date data.
- Enhanced Data Security: Maintaining the security of the data assets and implementing data-level security on reports ensured that sensitive information is protected and only accessible to authorized users.
- Increased Efficiency: Performance tuning of Cognos BI/EP applications and the integration of Cognos with batch processes and external applications streamlined reporting processes, saving time and resources.
- Better Data Awareness: Educating and providing knowledge transfer to report developers and business users enhanced their understanding of the Cognos tool and best practices, leading to more effective use of the system.
- Advanced Reporting Capabilities: Designing, developing, and implementing dashboards, metrics, and scorecards using Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) offered advanced visualization and analysis tools for better insight into business data.
- Collaboration and Integration: Collaborated with the Application Development team and integrated Cognos with other applications improved the coherence and consistency of reporting processes across different systems.
- Continuous Improvement: Regularly updated design and technical specification documents, maintained existing packages, and suggested improvements ensuring that the reporting system remains efficient and up-to-date.
- Proactive Problem-Solving: Worked with product vendors for application support and bug fixes, as well as identified performance bottlenecks and suggested improvement plans, helped in proactive problem-solving and system optimization.
Effective Project Management: Provided weekly status reports to management and attended project and team meetings ensured transparent communication and effective project management.