BI product — Value and usage

What the product brings to those who use it.

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Use
Integration
Business process

Use#

Who uses the product, how, and with what help?

Level	Signature	Criteria to meet
0 · Handcrafted	Dashboards built by hand in local files, used only by their author.	Starting point: no criteria.
1 · Locally tooled	Local dashboards (Excel) shared by file or by email.	Dashboards are shared with people other than their author. The indicators tracked are grouped by theme in a single dashboard.
2 · Shared	Central publication: one place, one version, identified users.	Dashboards are published in a single central space. Users view the same up-to-date version, without receiving a file. We know who views what (usage report).
3 · Industrialized	Defined path: reference reports, common navigation and filters, guided onboarding.	Reference reports are designated and recognized as such. Navigation and filters follow common rules (template, style guide). Onboarding (training, guide, demonstration) is offered to new users.
4 · Integrated and governed	Supervised personalization and creation: views per user or group, creation and sharing by users.	A user or a group can personalize their views, filters and alerts. Users can create and share their own reports from certified data. User creations are visible and managed (owner, scope, lifecycle).
5 · Autonomous	Assisted experience: the product suggests, alerts and guides without the user having to search.	The product triggers alerts or recommendations based on usage and data. The user can query certified data in plain language or through an assistant. Measured usage continuously feeds the improvement of the product.

Effect on the user

The user no longer needs to know where the data is or which version is the right one: they focus on the decision.

Integration#

How does the product fit into daily work and into other tools?

Level	Signature	Criteria to meet
0 · Handcrafted	None: results are copied by hand from one tool to another.	Starting point: no criteria.
1 · Locally tooled	Manual exports (file, screenshot) to other tools.	Results can be exported in common formats.
2 · Shared	Scheduled exports and sharing links.	Scheduled exports or mailings exist. A report or a view can be shared through a direct link.
3 · Industrialized	Documented interfaces: standard connectors, API, single sign-on.	An API or standard connectors are documented and versioned. Single sign-on is in place. We know which consumers call which interfaces.
4 · Integrated and governed	Embedded integration in business tools, with the user's context.	Views of the product are embedded in business applications. The context (user, business object) is passed to the embedded view. The user's rights are enforced in the embedded view.
5 · Autonomous	Two-way, event-driven integration: the product triggers actions and reacts to events.	The product reacts to events emitted by other systems. An action decided in the product is carried out in the business system (write-back, trigger). Exchanges are monitored and replayable.

Effect on the user

The user no longer has to export or re-enter anything: the result arrives where they work.

Business process#

To what extent does the product support the decision and action process?

Level	Signature	Criteria to meet
0 · Handcrafted	Informal use: decisions are made elsewhere, with no trace.	Starting point: no criteria.
1 · Locally tooled	Decisions made from dashboards are noted by hand.	Important decisions made from the product are recorded, even outside the tool.
2 · Shared	Processes described: we know who decides what from which indicator.	The usage process (who, when, for which decision) is described. Each key indicator has an owner.
3 · Industrialized	Simple workflows in the tool: thresholds, alerts, approvals.	Threshold alerts are configured. An approval workflow exists in the product for at least one process. Triggered actions are traced.
4 · Integrated and governed	Workflows customizable by business line, role or group.	Workflows are configured without development. They vary by role or scope. Deviations and processing delays are measured.
5 · Autonomous	Business processes automated end to end, with human supervision by exception.	Common cases are handled without intervention. Exceptions are escalated to the right person with their context. Automatic rules are versioned, tested and auditable.

Effect on the user

The user handles only exceptions and decisions: the routine is taken care of.