CPM Roadmap Development
Avisen CPM Roadmap Overview
Many BI and Planning implementations are unsuccessful, due to the manner in which they are undertaken. The Avisen CPM Roadmap provides a structured approach for an effective BI and Planning implementation, considering an organisation’s 'blue sky' picture, as well as determining the best way to work towards it.
Many BI and Planning implementations are unsuccessful, due to the manner in which they are undertaken. The Avisen CPM Roadmap provides a structured approach for an effective BI and Planning implementation, considering an organisation’s 'blue sky' picture, as well as determining the best way to work towards it.
Activities
Gather high-level business requirements
This consists of starting off with a high-level session to understand the overall company BI and Planning requirements (normally the KPIs/ drivers per information area). Thereafter, individual sessions with key players from various functional areas will be arranged, to fine-tune these requirements.
Carry out high-level source analysis
Once the business requirements have been identified, it will be necessary to understand the source systems to be used to deliver the requirements. To this end, high-level sessions are held with those who know the source systems involved, as well as the technical architecture of the organisation.
Capture and understand all the business planning cycles
Again, following on from the business requirements session, a deeper dive is undertaken to map out the various business planning cycles and processes, identifying the inter-relationships, priorities and the flow from strategic to operational planning cycles.
Provide a BI Roadmap document
The findings of all sessions are documented and combined in such a way as to propose a way forward, including an indication of the various plateaus (short deliverables) required, estimated timeframes and associated costs. The order of priority is determined by a combination of the CPM readiness of a functional area, internal/external deadlines, where the business is within its planning cycles, the maturity of the source system providing the data, as well as the business value added by a specific deliverable.
Gather high-level business requirements
This consists of starting off with a high-level session to understand the overall company BI and Planning requirements (normally the KPIs/ drivers per information area). Thereafter, individual sessions with key players from various functional areas will be arranged, to fine-tune these requirements.
Carry out high-level source analysis
Once the business requirements have been identified, it will be necessary to understand the source systems to be used to deliver the requirements. To this end, high-level sessions are held with those who know the source systems involved, as well as the technical architecture of the organisation.
Capture and understand all the business planning cycles
Again, following on from the business requirements session, a deeper dive is undertaken to map out the various business planning cycles and processes, identifying the inter-relationships, priorities and the flow from strategic to operational planning cycles.
Provide a BI Roadmap document
The findings of all sessions are documented and combined in such a way as to propose a way forward, including an indication of the various plateaus (short deliverables) required, estimated timeframes and associated costs. The order of priority is determined by a combination of the CPM readiness of a functional area, internal/external deadlines, where the business is within its planning cycles, the maturity of the source system providing the data, as well as the business value added by a specific deliverable.
The Plateau Approach
Specifically around the BI component, the delivery of BI to an organisation is set out in 2- to 3-month plateaus. The advantages of this approach are as follows:
Avisen CPM Roadmap Advantages
Duration
The CPM Roadmap exercise is usually between 3 and 8 days of effort, depending on the complexity of the requirements and the environment. In terms of duration, this depends on the availability of all required resources.
Specifically around the BI component, the delivery of BI to an organisation is set out in 2- to 3-month plateaus. The advantages of this approach are as follows:
- Focus is maintained – contributors see tangible results of their input in a short time period;
- End-user commitment is maintained – end users are more willing to contribute to a process which will benefit them in the short-term;
- Issues are addressed effectively – any potential issues that may arise are known after a short period of time and can be avoided in the remainder of the implementation;
- Quick ROI – sponsors see the benefits of BI ; they get value for money quickly; BI starts to sell itself; and
- Requirement changes are avoided – the changing nature of BI can be dealt with more effectively in smaller sub-sections of work, which are delivered every few months than in an all-encompassing implementation.
Avisen CPM Roadmap Advantages
- Expectations are set up front and can be managed;
- Budgets are more realistic and can be kept to – the organisation gets value for money; and
- The organisation is being proactive in developing its BI environment – unique organisational challenges are encountered early on and can be faced before a project begins and it is too late to stop.
Duration
The CPM Roadmap exercise is usually between 3 and 8 days of effort, depending on the complexity of the requirements and the environment. In terms of duration, this depends on the availability of all required resources.