Unit 47: Business Intelligence
Unit code M/615/1641
Unit type Core
Unit level 5
Credit value 15
Introduction
·
Data
and information is core to any organisation and business process. The necessity
of having meaningful information is the key driver for effective decision-making
and problem-solving. Business intelligence has evolved from technologies such
as decision support systems (DSS) to include tools and methods associated with
data mining, data integration, data quality and data warehousing in conjunction
with other information management systems and applications.
·
This
unit introduces students to a range of tools, techniques and technologies for
acquiring data and processing this into meaningful information that can be used
to support business functions and processes.
·
Within
this unit students will examine the concept of business processing in terms of
data capture, conversion and information output. Students will also be required
to define the tools and technologies associated with business intelligence
functionality. The use of a business intelligence tool/s and techniques is also
required to demonstrate an understanding of a given problem. Finally, students
will be expected to evaluate the impact of business intelligence for effective
decision-making.
·
On
successful completion of this unit students will be able to appreciate the
importance of business intelligence in terms of optimising decision-making and
performance. By exploring the tools, techniques and systems that support
business intelligence students will have an awareness of the role and
contribution that these technologies and methodologies have and their
importance to organisations.
·
As
a result students will develop skills such as communication literacy, critical
thinking, analysis, reasoning and interpretation, which are crucial for gaining
employment and developing academic competence.
Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria
Pass | Merit | Distinction |
LO1 Discuss business processes and the mechanisms | D1 Evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of using application software as a mechanism for business processing. |
used to support business decision-making |
P1 Examine, using | M1 Differentiate between |
examples, the terms | unstructured and semi- |
‘Business Process’ and | structured data within an |
‘Supporting Processes’. | organisation. |
LO2 Compare the tools and technologies associated with | |
business intelligence functionality | |
P2 Compare the types of support available for business decision-making at varying levels within an organisation. | M2 Justify, with specific examples, the key features of business intelligence functionality. | D2 Compare and contrast a range of information systems and technologies that can be used to support organisations |
| | at operational, tactical |
| | and strategic levels. |
LO3 Demonstrate the use of business intelligence tools and technologies | |
P3 Determine, with examples, what business intelligence is and the tools and techniques associated with it. P4 Design a business intelligence tool, application or interface that can perform a | M3 Customise the design to ensure that it is user- friendly and has a functional interface. | D3 Provide a critical review of the design in terms of how it meets a specific user or business requirement and identify what customisation has been integrated into the design. |
specific task to support problem-solving or decision-making at an advanced level. | | |
Pass | Merit | Distinction |
LO4 Discuss the impact of business intelligence tools and technologies for effective decision-making purposes and the legal/regulatory context in which they are used | D4 Evaluate how organisations could use business intelligence to extend their target audience and make them more competitive within the market, taking security legislation into consideration. |
P5 Discuss how business intelligence tools can contribute to effective decision-making. P6 Explore the legal issues involved in the secure exploitation of business intelligence tools. | M4 Conduct research to identify specific examples of organisations that have used business intelligence tools to enhance or improve operations. |
Learning
Outcomes
By the end
of this unit students will be able to:
1. Discuss business processes and the
mechanisms used to support business decision-making.
2. Compare the tools and technologies
associated with business intelligence functionality.
3. Demonstrate the use of business
intelligence tools and technologies.
4. Discuss the impact of business
intelligence tools and technologies for effective decision-making purposes and
the legal/regulatory context in which they are used.
Essential
Content
LO1 Discuss
business processes and the mechanisms used to support business decision-making
Business
process model:
·
Data
input and capture, data processing/conversion and information output, security
considerations; unstructured and semi-structured data.
·
Tactical
and operational decisions, the business process model, business intelligence
functionality.
·
Analyse
and compare the systems and technologies associated with business intelligence.
Mechanisms:
·
Application
software, databases, which are used to collect and store intelligence.
·
Systems
that are used to manage, analyse and display business intelligence to support
the decision-making process; the importance of reliable data; impacts of
reliable data in businesses.
Business
processes:
·
Management
e.g. supporting decision-making, problem-solving; operational e.g. sales,
purchasing and marketing; support e.g. accounting, technical supporting
processes; improving the efficiency of a business process e.g. forecasting,
decision-making, predictive reasoning; automating processes e.g. print runs,
salary slips etc.
LO2 Compare
the tools and technologies associated with business intelligence functionality
Support for
business decisions:
·
Operational
tactical and strategic. Operational examples could include product positioning
or pricing. Tactical decisions could include financial outlays to gain
competitive advantage. Strategic business decisions could include priorities,
goals setting and forecasting for the future, global diversification etc.
Business
intelligence functionality:
·
Analysing
data, decision-making, problem-solving, designing more intuitive/innovative
systems.
Systems and
technologies:
·
Information
systems at an operational, tactical and strategic level. Transaction
processing, management information systems, decision support systems, expert
systems.
LO3 Demonstrate
the use of business intelligence tools and technologies
Tools and
techniques:
·
Descriptive
and predictive analysis, predictive modelling e.g. forecasting, use of
statistical models to predict and identify trends. Data mining techniques to
find anomalies, cluster patterns and/or relationships between data sets.
Converting data into visual information using charts, graphs, histograms and
other visual mediums.
Solutions:
·
Supporting
a business process e.g. end user requirements, systems requirement, application
to automate procedures. Designing a tool, program or package that can perform a
specific task to support problem-solving or decision-making at an advanced
level.
Uses:
·
For
example, designing an application to solve a specific user need or system
requirement. Create an e-commerce function for a website to support a specific
business process, design a program for a specific end user that will support
another application or process.
Design
considerations:
·
Addressing
a user or system requirement; designing a user-friendly and functional
interface; considering user engagement and interaction with the designed
solution; customisation of the solution to satisfy the user and system
requirements.
LO4 Discuss
the impact of business intelligence tools and technologies for effective
decision-making purposes
and the legal/regulatory context in which they are used
·
Recognise
the legal, social, ethical and professional issues involved in the exploitation
of computer technology.
Cybersecurity
management:
·
Understanding
the personal, organisational and legal/regulatory context in which these tools
could be used, the risks of such use and the constraints (such as time, finance
and people) that may affect how cybersecurity is implemented.
Evaluation
criteria:
·
Enhanced
or improved operations e.g. more efficient, faster results, more user-
friendly, higher productivity, extended target audience, more competitive, more
profitable, improved customer service.