Implementing Cognos ReportNet at Agriculture

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Implementing Cognos ReportNet at Agriculture
Agri-Food Canada

• An Analysis of the Road Ahead

Jon-Michael Falconer 3B Math/Business, Former
Co-op Student with Integrated Business Solutions
Team, AAFC
Nov. 16, 2005
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Objectives

• To provide an overview of Agriculture and
  Agri-Food Canadas (AAFC) purchase of a reporting
  tool to improve end-user reporting capability
• To provide insight into information systems
  development issues in the public sector

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Outline

• History
• Overview of ReportNet
• Expected Benefits
• Challenges ahead

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History

• AAFC Integrated Business Delivery Strategy (IBDS)
• AAFC delivers over 50 programs and services to
  producers
• Transaction-based programs
• Proposal-based programs
• other programs...
• Most programs had their own separate information
  system
• Data redundancy issues
• Data existed in silos
• Little to no existing reporting capability

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History (contd)

• IBDS is being implemented to address
• front-end processes
• back-end processes
• Some IT projects covered by the IBDS include
• Web site renovation
• Call centre consolidation
• Data management strategy
• Decision Support initiatives
• Common Producer Database (CPD)

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Common Producer Database

• A data warehouse
• A single, enterprise-wide repository of data on
  farmers
• Keeps track of
• Tombstone information
• Program application data
• Other data

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History (contd)

• Modern Comptrollership
• Broader Government of Canada initiative
• Modern comptrollership supports the effective
  stewardship of resources of all types throughout
  the federal governmentIt is about working
  smarter for better results better informed
  decisions, better public policies and better
  service delivery.
• -Treasury Board Secretariat

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History (contd)

• How can we easily access financial, HR, and
  performance data to aid in decision making?
• Reporting software!

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Cognos ReportNet

• Highlights
• Web services-based architecture
• Incorporates dashboards
• Multilingual
• 2 main modules
• Query Studio
• Simple, ad hoc queries
• Ideal for business users
• Report Studio
• More powerful, sophisticated reporting
• Ideal for report authors

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Expected Benefits

• Quick access to data
• User-friendly access to data
• Access to consistent data
• All to enhance Decision Support capabilities

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Challenges Ahead

• Data Issues
• Data redundancy
• Refining data definitions
• Data cleansing
• Establishing a Data Management Strategy
• Complying with Access to Information and Privacy
  Act (ATIP)

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Challenges Ahead (contd)

• Organizational issues
• Getting full support from senior management
• Avoiding excessive consulting costs
• Excessive client consultation vs. inadequate
  consultation
• Overcoming bureaucracy

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Challenges Ahead (contd)
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References

• From Cognos
• http//www.cognos.com/products/business_intelligen
  ce/reporting/
• http//www.cognos.com/products/cognos8businessinte
  lligence/dashboards.html
• From Government of Canada
• http//www.agr.gc.ca/csb/dpr-rsr/2004/index_e.php?
  page11
• http//www.agr.gc.ca/csb/sm-gs/mafc_e.php
• http//www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/cmo_mfc/Intro2/intro_e.as
  p
• Other resources
• http//www.dmreview.com/article_sub.cfm?articleId
  1035317