Using Open Source Platforms for Business Intelligence Avoid Pitfalls and Maximize ROI

In a 2011 study of 163 companies by Project Management Solutions,1 it was estimated that 37% of general projects are at risk of failure. Within IT related projects specifically, this number is much larger. In a 2010/2011 interview study by Geneca,2 they found that 75% of participants lacked the confidence to achieve project success from the start, with 80% of professionals admitting that much of their time is spent on project rework. In essence, organizations are embarking on projects they may not be ready to tackle. Project failures, reworks, missing timelines, and going over budget are all signs of mismanagement, a lack of processes and best practices, and a misunderstanding of the requirements and end goal. Unfortunately, business intelligence (BI) is no different. And adding open source (OS) to the mix doesn’t make things easier. In many cases, it is the opposite because of the promise of “free” and what that really means.