Data Warehouse Lifecycle Class at Kimble University

Overview

• Target audience: Project teams new to data warehousing and business intelligence design.
• Focus: Technical and managerial perspectives on deploying complex systems.

Course Structure

Planning Responsibilities

• Importance of a checklist for planning complicated systems.
• Three threads of different plans pursued in parallel.

Understanding Business Requirements

• Core responsibility: Identify business requirements of the target client.
• Skill development: Eliciting true needs from business users.
• Avoid asking: "What do you want in a data warehouse?"
  • Instead, ask: "How do you excel in your role?"
  • This technique fosters comfort for business users and encourages open discussion.

Gathering Data

• After obtaining business insights, students should:
  • Search for data that supports business requirements.

Dimensional Modeling Approach

• Dimensional Modeling: Kimbell Group's authoritative approach.
• Course includes roughly a day and a half on dimensional modeling.
• Serves as a springboard for further study in a full four-day class.

Technical Aspects

Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) Operations

• Discussed in the context of physical database design.

Business Intelligence (BI) Tools

• Designing BI tools to be user-friendly and accessible.

Deployment Criteria

• Assess readiness to deploy the system:
  • Training for users.
  • User expectations.
  • Data in final usable form (not just prototypes or demonstrations).
• Emphasis on not rushing designs until users are ready.

Planning for Growth

• Importance of planning for future growth and regular system checkups.

Alignment with Agile Methodology

• Course approach parallels agile development methodology:
  • Business-oriented focus.
  • Empowering business users to control projects.
  • Emphasis on short-term deliverables.
• Agile practitioners often find the Kimbell approach comfortable.

Conclusion

• Overall, the lifecycle class offers a comprehensive overview of the data warehouse design process, blending technical skills with business acumen.