Think Phased Implementation for Successful Data Warehousing

Abstract

Industry watchers have noted that the success rate of data warehouse (DW) implementations has not been exemplary. It is believed that over 50 percent of DW implementations fail to achieve their stated goals. However, there are things that executives can do to improve their chance of success. Like other forms of organizational change, the DW implementation process follows a three-phased pattern of evolution. Clear recognition by management of the phased logic of DW implementation, and the differing role of critical implementation factors (CIFs) in each of the phases, can enhance the probability of success. This article presents a framework that helps executives visualize how CIFs can be customized and embedded in each phase of the DW implementation process.