McMaster University completed the implementation of a PeopleSoft enterprise-wide system for Student, Finance, Research Administration, and Human Resources data in 2016. The PeopleSoft EPM/OBIEE software for business intelligence implementation was purchased by the University as part of the ERP system bundle at the start of the Mosaic Project. The University recognizes the importance of evidence-based decision making and it made a strategic and conscious decision to implement business intelligence after the completion of the PeopleSoft systems implementation so that University executives and managers can access pertinent university information with ease and at their convenience. This decision is supported by the inclusion within the budget for the Mosaic Project, a budget set aside for the implementation of PeopleSoft OBIEE for business intelligence to support institution-wide reporting and analysis led by the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis (IRA)

The BI Strategy was developed to enhance the ability of McMaster University to make evidence-based decisions through a centrally managed, standardized set of reporting dashboards and analytics based on a trusted data source accessible by the university community in accordance with policies of security and privacy. The OBIEE tool will facilitate enhanced user presentation with “slice and dice” and “drill down” options built by a core IRA team working collaboratively with UTS and business analysts from Finance, Human Resources, Research Administration, and Campus Solutions and in consultation with business users and stakeholders. Best practice encourage making data users the central BI stakeholders with the technologists playing a support role. This approach ensures that BI projects meet business requirements.

What is business intelligence?

The term “business intelligence” is used broadly and has evolved today to become an umbrella term including methodologies, processes, architectures and technologies to improve decision making by using fact-based support systems. The key components of business intelligence are: data, people, process, and enabling technology. Therefore the term encompasses not only supporting technology from the user presentation perspective but it also spans the data warehouse system that focuses on architected data for retention and usage. BI also spans people and processes involved in data capture, data organization, data definition, data retrieval and presentation of data as information in a specified context. To have a good BI system, data quality, integrity and consistency are essential. At the heart of business intelligence is the ability of an organization to collect and organize data, and access accurate and timely information (derived from the data) to make appropriate decisions that support its vision, mission and goals in an efficient manner.

In contrast to ERP systems that are primarily designed for processing operating transactions and focus on single subject area, BI systems are multi-dimensional and synthesize data from multiple subject areas to facilitate better decision making. Business intelligence is about providing better business insights from analysis based on data from multiple subject areas and is not just a tool that delivers nicer looking interfaces to operational or transactional data.

: Visit the BI Portal