Representatives from Cell C and Telkom spoke about their experiences in implementing a business intelligence competency centre (BICC), at the ITWeb Business Intelligence Conference 2009.
A BICC is an organisational structure where people from the business and IT units, with knowledge and expertise, work together with the intention of sharing knowledge and optimising an organisation's BI.
Christoff Smit, BI specialist for Telkom SA, said a BICC “must drive the importance of BI in the organisation through value-adding” and not only sharing knowledge, but creating new knowledge as well.
Colleen James, senior manager of management information systems at Cell C, said before the BICC there was a difference between how the business team and the IT team operated, as well as a different mindset, which kept them from agreeing. The IT team tended to take less risks and the business team tended to work with a system of trial and error, rather than extensive planning.
These silos led to multiple versions of the truth and increased cost. “Now, we need to break those silos,” said James.
The maturation of Cell C as a business necessitated the need for a BICC to move on to the “adult” phase. She spoke of a “chasm” separating the company from the “teenage” phase, and to bridge that gap the company needed a renewed approach.
The advantages of such a centre are long-term, she explains, because it will lead to “one version of the truth”. If done correctly, it will help destroy the silos previously separating the different teams. There are disadvantages, mostly involving resistance to change and the lack of quick victories.
In a BICC, the BI analysts must not push their own agendas, or they will be regarded as unwanted costs, Smit said.
“BI is a culture, not a tool or system.” He said a BICC is different for each organisation and there are no rules about where to position it. “Every organisation has its own best place. You need to position a BICC where it will have the most impact.”
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