Why do BI implementations (and Fitness Programs) fail?



While thinking recently about why some BI implementations work well yet others fail, it occurred to me that Business Intelligence (BI) software and gym memberships have a lot in common. Let me illustrate with a few examples...

• People buy gym memberships for many reasons. To improve their fitness, to help reduce their weight or to build bigger biceps for example.
  
• Companies buy BI software for many reasons. To help improve their revenue, to help reduce their costs or to build market share for example.
  
• The gym provides exercise, which is essential for a healthy body and a long life.
  
• BI software provides reporting and analysis, which is essential for a company’s health and long term survival.
  
• Owning a gym membership is not enough. You need a fitness program tailored to your needs and you need to actually go to the gym regularly to work out!
  
• Buying BI software is not enough. You need an implementation that is tailored to your needs and you need to regularly consult your BI reports and analysis and act accordingly.
  

OK, I may have stretched the analogy a little for the sake of this article, but you get the idea. The final comparison that I want to highlight is this: just like many fitness programs, many BI implementations fail to meet their goals. Why you ask? Well that is exactly the question that I intend to discuss in following articles.

If the analogy holds true then it is likely we may work out why many fitness programs fail as well. Stay tuned...