Main | Thinking that technology (really) matters »
February 10, 2010
Quitting before we start
Why does ROI only seem to matter during the budgeting phase?
Everyone considering a BI project is concerned with delivering value or ROI (Return on Investment) back to the business. Much time is spent creating business cases and ROI calculations to justify the project and gain support within the organization. Unfortunately, this focus on value rarely extends beyond the budgeting process. Perhaps this is because we all enjoy looking forward more than looking backward or, maybe we worry that the investment is returning less than we projected.
Too often project completion is mistaken for the end goal. Success lies in thinking beyond the goal of completing the BI system and striving to apply BI to achieve business goals and real value.
Extend the project plan to include value realization efforts required after the BI system is operational, spanning the entire timeframe of the corporate goal you aim to affect. Be sure to include processes for determining if the existing BI system is driving value and still aligns with current strategies; if not, modify focus of the project or retire the solution.
Posted by Kelly Lautt and John E West at February 10, 2010 1:45 PM
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