Data is at the centre of business
Businesses have experienced a drastic transformation in the last two decades, shifting from paper-based job
books, journals, and cumbersome file cabinets to an electronic storage platform
with the aim of consolidating and integrating business data. At the centre of
this shift is the advance of database management systems – computer programs
used to create, maintain and use collections of logically related records and
files, otherwise known as databases.
Today, databases are commonplace in business and serve multiple purposes from
tracking simple customer records to storing mission-critical, enterprise-wide data. The rationale behind
databases is simple: they allow for a very effective and efficient way of
maintaining important facts about business that can be manipulated to retrieve
valuable information.
The creation of information from data is a significant advantage of databases.
By collating data across multiple time periods and business entities, we can learn previously
unknown facts: consumer behaviours, seasonal trends, highest-selling products, and
potential market niches – information that can enable organisations to outperform
their competitors, improve sales and survive in the long-run.
Essentially, business data is a gold mine that if explored and managed adequately can create significant
advantages: better performance, better intelligence, reduced administrative
overheads and increased profits. These are the reasons why leading companies
invest heavily in database development, transforming raw data into information
– an asset that can be used for the benefit of business.
Getting IT right
Considering a strong commercial case for databases, it is surprising that some organisations,
especially small companies, still resolve to manual, paper-based processes to handle potentially
mission-critical data. The reasons for such behavior are multiple:
- Fear of IT investment: IT investment is still an odd child in the corporate budget family for many organisations. Tarnished by bad press, a myriad of failed projects, misconceptions of unmanageable costs, and common complacency, information technology is viewed by many as a desirable, but a risky investment limiting its adoption, and electronic databases are not an exception.
- Difficulty in quantifying benefits and ROI: For all businesses, especially in today’s economy, the logic behind any investment is straightforward: what’s the size of the prize? With the benefits and ROI of database systems varying on a per company basis, it may be hard to commit to what seems to be a purely intangible asset with uncertain returns.
- Ineffective product delivery: Finding the right solution and the right technology partner can mean the world to the success of a database development project. Poor products and ineffective delivery can create a significant barrier to database investment.
A Business Guide To Database Investment
It is important to have a structured approach to database investment and to find
the right technology partner to deliver an effective, cost-appropriate solution:
- Define the project: Database development may involve the implementation of new databases,
extension of existing legacy systems, and integration with other IT assets,
such as external databases, desktop and online applications. Understanding
the type of database solution your business requires will help you shape
the vision of the end-product and give you a rough estimate of the
required investment.
- Identify
stakeholders: Consider your organisation and the users of the system. Who
will use the database? How will it be used? Conducting a stakeholder
analysis and involving various individuals across or outside your
organisation in the discussion will clarify user requirements. Potential
conflicts of interest will surface allowing you to document access
restrictions, data requirements and to start documenting functionality.
- Create
a comprehensive requirements document: By interacting with various
stakeholders, you will be able to list the functionality that the system
will have. This step should not be restricted by budget constraints -
outline all system requirements, those that are absolutely critical and
those that are auxiliary. Try to document various business processes and
work flows that will use the database: What are the steps? What logic is
needed?
- Prioritize:
Once you have documented the potential system requirements, you should
prioritise the list based on importance, cost, and value-added. While
obtaining price estimates may prove difficult, the functionality can be
evaluated against internally-generated metrics, such as time saved due to
availability of data.
- Select
the solution: Your business requirements may be completely satisfied by an
off-the-shelf database system that matches the criteria identified in the
previous step. Alternatively, if you require a product that is not readily
available on the market or the proposed system will need extensive
customization, you should consider investing in a bespoke solution. Before
committing to a particular database system, ensure that you consider the
technology behind the database and that it will match your existing IT
infrastructure.
While most of the above steps can be completed internally, getting a technology
partner early in the process can improve the chances of the project’s success and
will set clear expectations about the solutions available and the required investment.
Database Solutions and You
Developing a new database systems can be a labour intensive process and requires a
strong foundation in database concepts including normalisation, integrity and
optimisation. Getting the balance between these factors is essential for minimizing problems, maximizing
the value from time invested, and creating maintainable and scalable systems
while providing effective and responsive support for application systems.
You should consider investing in a database system, if:
- You
want to reduce the amount of information you store on paper reducing error
rates and risks of lost information
- You
want to cut down administrative overheads and time you spend searching and
managing data
- You
want to have an ability to analyse your data across a range of parameters
to identify valuable information
- You
want to consolidate a variety of data resources together giving you a
unified view of your organisation
- You
want to improve the timeliness, quality and consistency of data used
in decision making
Canary Database Solutions
The team at Canary has a solid foundation in database design and implementation.
We specialise in developing systems using Microsoft SQL Server and have a strong experience
with a number of open source and commercial database packages.
We offer a variety of database development services:
- Bespoke
database solutions: Design, development, implementation and support of new
database systems based on exact business requirements.
- Legacy
system upgrades: Redevelopment and extension of legacy databases, including
migration to alternative platforms and technologies.
- Database
optimisation: Improvement of database performance, data structures and
data integrity through proven methodologies and techniques.
- Database
maintenance: Ongoing support, administration and maintenance of database
systems, including regular back-ups, consistency checks, data tests and
disaster recovery planning.
- Data
analysis and reporting: Design, development and implementation of business
intelligence systems, advanced reporting and data analysis tools.
- Data
integration: Integration of business databases with other systems,
applications and data sources
- Data
security: Design and implementation of industry-grade data security
measures, including role-based data access restrictions and data
encryption
- Database
hosting: Effective and secure hosting of databases ranging from small
business data sources to data warehouses
Key types of database systems we have delivered:
- E-commerce
systems for improved sales management
- Industrial
automation systems
- Business
management solutions for small-and-medium enterprises
- Chronic
disease administration and patient management solutions
- Asset
tracking systems for vehicle management
- Employee
performance evaluation systems
- Online
values assessment systems
- Centralised
information stores
|
Spotlight: AppraisalSmart
Leveraging the power of SQL Server in performance evaluation
Appraisal Smart saw a market opportunity to replace manual, paper-based appraisal systems with an automated online solution. the desired solution had to extend beyond employee appraisal by offering a comprehensive performance management solution.
More...
|
Contact us to see what we can do
for your organisation with our bespoke database solutions or click here to read about some of our
clients’ success stories.