For the majority of my career I have railed against “Out-of-the-Box” BI solutions because businesses don’t come out of a box, processes don’t come out of a box, and innovation doesn’t come out of a box. I’ve prided myself on being able to re-engineer OOTB solutions and achieve better performance, extra metrics, and better analytics. Today, I’m eating a few of those words. Do I still believe in the custom solution, absolutely, but I now have a better understanding the right time, place and situation. In the end, every company needs to pick a strategic that is right for them, and unless Babylon is burning, they need to stick with it and support it since data is the most valuable asset.
- Standard Data Models and ETL processes
- Standard Reporting Platform
- Extendability (modifying ETL/Data Model to meets needs)
- Quick to user deployment when compared to custom warehouse
The biggest concern with the out of the box solution is generally how much customization will be needed? Or conversely, how much will my business processes need to change to fit in the box?
- Tailored solution for the business
- Freedom to select “Best of Breed” tools that fit your budget
- No concern over updates and upgrades from the OOTB Vendor