Introduction
In the incredibly complex and data-dense world of public sector organizations, business intelligence (BI) solutions are central to transforming data into actionable insights. They are increasingly evolving beyond dashboards to include full-fledged data and analytics (D&A) products that integrate visualizations, interactive interfaces and AI/ML applications. Each of these D&A products must be additionally supported by a best-fit solution and data architecture.
A well-designed BI solution empowers key stakeholders in public sector organizations to identify trends in a timely manner, uncover deep insights and drive improvements in the operational areas that matter.
This article shares three key learnings from Delineate’s experience in crafting full-fledged business intelligence solutions for public sector clients.
Empathize with the End User
A critical first step in creating an effective BI solution is to understand the needs, goals, motivations and pain points of your end users. In the public sector, there are typically a multitude of end users for D&A products - these users often include government employees, managers, directors, legislators, academic researchers, commissioners, the private sector, and the general public to name a few. Each group of users has different needs, perspectives and technical proficiency and yet, in most cases, all these users need to understand what the data is telling them in a way that is understandable and useful to them.
Conducting thorough user research is crucial to capture the diverse requirements of these stakeholders. This process often involves engaging with users through interviews, surveys and workshops to gather detailed information about their responsibilities and data needs. A government manager might need high-level dashboards to monitor departmental performance. Legislators, on the other hand, need clear and concise reports that highlight key insights and policy implications without overwhelming detail. Similarly, the general public benefits greatly from straightforward and accessible data presentations, such as the COVID dashboards developed under the leadership of our founder during his time in public service in association with Indiana Department of Health and various other state agencies. These public-facing dashboards helped people understand and track COVID in their communities and quickly became a trusted source of COVID-related information for many state residents.
By addressing the distinct requirements of different stakeholders, the BI solution can facilitate much more informed decision-making across the board.
Empower with Self-Service Analytics
While static dashboards provide valuable snapshots of data, they limit users to predefined views and analyses, restricting their ability to explore data dynamically and uncover deeper insights. Such rigidity also disempowers users in a way by limiting their agency over the insights derived from the data. Unfortunately, static dashboards are usually the norm.
Self-service analytics, however, enables users to interact with the data dynamically, empowering innovative thinking by enhancing data accessibility and explorability. This can be as simple as being able to select date ranges or toggle specific data dimensions. You can also give users the ability to drill down into data sets or generate tailored reports that address specific questions or users. It is important that these capabilities are easy to use with minimal training.
BI solutions designed to empower the user with agency over the data have the added benefit of improving agility and responsiveness within organizations. When users can independently explore data and generate insights, they can make informed designs quicker and more confidently. This also fosters a culture of data-driven decision-making within organizations, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
Continuously Iterate and Improve
The first iteration of a BI solution is rarely the final version. Due to the dynamic nature of data environments and the evolving real-world needs of users, it is very important that BI solutions are improved iteratively for them to remain relevant and effective. Without this important step, BI solutions eventually devolve into either an inconsequential part of a process or a burdensome system that fails to deliver meaningful and timely insights
Continuous improvement starts with regularly gathering user feedback to identify pain points and areas for enhancements. Engaging with the users through focus groups and direct interactions can provide valuable insights into how the BI tools are being used, if they are being used in the intended way and how they can be tweaked to align themselves to the organization’s process and business goals. It is also important to monitor the key performance indicators (KPIs) that were expected to be impacted by the deployment of these BI solutions. The ultimate test of whether a BI solution is effective or not is in their ability to improve these KPIs.
Training and support are also essential components of continuous improvement. In some cases, the BI solution is a well-designed, powerful tool but the users aren’t using it as intended or fully. Providing ongoing training for users ensures that they can get the best value out of it and maximizes the return on investment an organization makes into BI solutions.
Conclusion
Crafting effective business intelligence solutions is a multifaceted process that demands a deep understanding of user needs, the empowerment of users through dynamic interaction with data and a commitment to continuous improvement. In the intricate and data-rich environments of government, healthcare and public health, these solutions are critical for transforming raw data into actionable insights that drive informed decision-making.
At Delineate, we have deep expertise in designing and implementing BI solutions for public sector clients. We’ve helped numerous organizations like Indiana Department of Veteran Affairs and Indiana Department of Health leverage their data to achieve meaningful and impactful outcomes through effective BI solutions.
