Is your BI environment helping or hindering your analytics goals?
In healthcare, BI environments often evolve organically, creating complexity and blind spots. These five critical questions can help analytics leaders identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for acceleration.
1. How long does it take to deliver a new analytics request?
Why it matters: Long delivery times delay insights and frustrate users.
How to assess: Track time from request to delivery for simple tweaks, new builds, complex reports, and self-service tasks.
Watch for: Long or inconsistent delivery times.
Common culprits: Resource shortages, unclear requirements, or approval delays.
2. What percentage of your reports are actively used?
Why it matters: Unused reports waste resources and clutter the environment.
How to assess: Measure report usage across platforms—zero-use reports, single-user reports, and declining usage trends.
Watch for: Utilization below 60%.
Common culprits: Poor discoverability, outdated content, or irrelevant reports.
3. How do users find the analytics they need?
Why it matters: Poor discovery leads to duplication or decision-making without data.
How to assess: Conduct user testing—track search success, clicks, and time to find insights.
Watch for: Users relying on memory, bookmarks, or colleagues instead of systematic tools.
Common culprits: Fragmented report locations, poor metadata, or lack of context.
4. What percentage of analytics requests are fulfilled through self-service?
Why it matters: Effective self-service reduces backlogs and scales delivery.
How to assess: Measure adoption rates, quality issues, and support requests related to self-service tools.
Watch for: Low adoption or high abandonment rates.
Common culprits: Lack of training, data access, or tool complexity.
5. How do you balance governance with innovation?
Why it matters: Too much governance slows delivery; too little creates risk.
How to assess: Review approval timelines, standardization policies, and how flexible the system is for different user needs.
Watch for: Excessive control at the cost of progress.
Common culprits: Rigid rules, slow approval, or all-or-nothing governance models.
Interpreting the Results
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Long delivery + high usage = resource or technical issues
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Fast delivery + low usage = discoverability or quality concerns
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Low self-service = barriers in access, tools, or training
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User search struggles = need for unified discovery
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Governance bottlenecks = consider a progressive, enablement-focused approach
Move From Insight Delays to Insight at Scale
Understanding your current state is the first step. The iScale Methodology provides a practical, healthcare-specific framework to address these pain points—without starting from scratch.
Get access to our BI Acceleration Workshop recording and sliding deck to explore this methodology.