3 Steps to Improved IT Reporting

by John Manna

So you want to clean house of all the disconnected reporting tools that do little more than regurgitate questionable data elements into summary tables?  Are you finding that wrestling with multiple reporting platforms is inefficient?  Or that your process of reactive report design, while satisfying immediate user needs, has resulted in a duplication of effort and a reporting process that is unmanageable?  These issues, along with report deployment challenges, are common to many organizations, however the components necessary to bring about change can sometimes seem elusive.

Here are three important steps to a successful reporting overhaul:

1. Get Management Buy-in
   
   If the drive for smarter reporting capabilities is not coming from the top down, then the chance of deploying a truly effective reporting solution will likely have limited success.  Here, limited success may be defined as improving the tactical reporting capabilities for certain "in the trenches" managers and users which can still be very valuable to the organization.
   
   For some, winning these smaller battles and improving the process for select users is enough to move forward.  But if your goal is to improve processes and enable data-driven decision making at all levels of the organization, there needs to be clear buy-in from top management in order for the initiative to be truly successful.
    

2. Improve Data Quality
   
   Okay, so you knew this one was coming, but just the same, you cringed when you read it.  Tired of the "garbage in garbage out" metaphor?  Then how about looking at it this way: if you are not capturing the right data to begin with, then you should seriously consider putting your reporting project on hold and finding a more productive area to spend your time and money on.  It really is that simple.
   
   Of course the task of correcting data quality issues can appear to be a bit daunting.  It often requires the redesign of certain applications (such as your Help Desk tool) and retraining staff.  And in order to do this properly, you may need to reassess requirements, incorporate best practices and establish new procedures.  But while this step can be a bit complicated, it is not necessarily as difficult as it may appear.  Our clients are often surprised at how close they really are to capturing quality data and how minor changes in drop-down lists and screen design can make a major difference.  In any case, this task may be the most important component of the three, and must be addressed at some point in the process.
    

3. Leverage the Right Technology
   
   So management has bought into the project, your data has been scrubbed and the new processes will ensure that new data will be captured in a way that aligns with the organization's goals for reporting and decision making.  But without the proper technology for deploying the reports, the project may provide little value, zero visibility and a poor ROI.
   
   Web-based reporting can make a major difference over application-based reporting (requiring local application installations) by making it easier to assign access to reports and by providing a friendlier interface for less technical users.  And adding some ad-hoc capabilities for users will not only empower them to create their own queries, but it will also greatly reduce bottleneck and minimize the burden on IT to create custom reports.
   
   Our clients tell us that automatic report distribution, via email, is another high priority feature.  It adds a "push" element to reporting that increases the visibility of important reports and reduces the level of effort required to view critical information. 
   
   One final thought on technology: look in-house first to see what tools your organization already owns and assess them objectively.  If they do not fit the job, do not compromise.  There are plenty of low to moderately priced solutions available for consideration.  For example, many of SMA's projects leverage SQL Reporting Services, which is already owned by most organizations since it is included as part of Microsoft SQL Server.

So implementing a powerful new reporting solution is as easy as 1-2-3? 
Not quite, but if all three of these components are addressed, more often than not, an organization will have great success.  Of course, sometimes, the order of these steps needs to be switched around.  For example, if there is difficulty getting management buy-in, it may be due to the fact that there are other projects with perceived higher priority or that it is difficult to convey the benefits of a new reporting approach.  But if you can get management to attend a demonstration of powerful web-based reporting tools, with drill-down capabilities and email subscriptions, buy-in can be immediate.

SMA offers a free consultation call for organizations looking to discuss the challenges and goals of reporting projects.  We welcome the opportunity to share some ideas, real world examples and provide some recommendations on how to get started.  And if you would like assistance with any phase of your project, we can propose an approach that can be tailored to meet your needs and your budget.  Reach out to SMA today to schedule your call and let us help you deploy smarter reporting processes and tools to improve data-driven decision making across your organization (info@smasystems.com or 888.762.5989).