Data Warehouse Business Requirements Template

A data warehouse is a central repository of data that is used for reporting and analysis. It is designed to support the decision-making process by providing accurate and timely information. However, before a data warehouse can be built, it is important to gather the business requirements. These requirements define the goals and objectives of the data warehouse and serve as a roadmap for its development.

Why are business requirements important?

Business requirements are important because they ensure that the data warehouse meets the needs of the business. By gathering and documenting these requirements, the development team can understand what data needs to be included in the warehouse, how it should be organized, and how it should be presented to users. Without clear requirements, the data warehouse may not deliver the expected value to the organization.

Sample Data Warehouse Business Requirements Template

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary provides an overview of the business requirements. It should include a brief description of the organization, its goals, and the purpose of the data warehouse.

2. Business Objectives

This section outlines the specific objectives that the data warehouse should help the organization achieve. It may include goals such as improving decision-making, increasing operational efficiency, or enhancing customer satisfaction.

3. Data Sources

In this section, identify the sources of data that will be integrated into the data warehouse. This may include internal systems, external databases, or third-party data providers.

4. Data Integration

Define the process for integrating the data from different sources into the data warehouse. This may involve data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes, as well as data cleansing and validation.

5. Data Model

Specify the structure and organization of the data within the data warehouse. This may include defining the entities, attributes, and relationships that will be represented in the data model.

6. Data Governance

Describe the policies and procedures that will be implemented to ensure the quality and integrity of the data in the data warehouse. This may include data validation rules, data security measures, and data stewardship responsibilities.

7. Reporting and Analysis

Define the reporting and analysis requirements for the data warehouse. This may include the types of reports and dashboards that will be generated, as well as the tools and technologies that will be used to analyze the data.

8. Performance and Scalability

Specify the performance and scalability requirements for the data warehouse. This may include the expected response times for queries and reports, as well as the anticipated growth in data volume over time.

9. User Access and Security

Define the user access and security requirements for the data warehouse. This may include user roles and permissions, as well as authentication and authorization mechanisms.

10. Data Retention and Archiving

Specify the data retention and archiving policies for the data warehouse. This may include the length of time that data will be retained, as well as the procedures for archiving and purging data that is no longer needed.

Sample Data Warehouse Business Requirements Templates

1. Template 1: Retail Business

Executive Summary:

The retail business requires a data warehouse to consolidate data from various sources such as sales transactions, inventory management, and customer interactions. The goal is to improve inventory management, optimize product pricing, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Business Objectives:

– Increase sales revenue by identifying cross-selling opportunities – Reduce inventory holding costs by optimizing stock levels – Improve customer loyalty and retention through targeted marketing campaigns

Data Sources:

– Point of sale systems – Inventory management systems – Customer relationship management (CRM) software

Data Integration:

– Extract sales transaction data from point of sale systems – Transform and cleanse data to ensure accuracy and consistency – Load data into the data warehouse on a daily basis

Data Model:

– Entities: Products, customers, sales transactions – Attributes: Product name, SKU, customer ID, date of purchase – Relationships: Products purchased by customers

Data Governance:

– Implement data validation rules to ensure data integrity – Restrict access to sensitive customer information – Assign data stewardship responsibilities to ensure data quality

Reporting and Analysis:

– Generate sales reports by product category, region, and time period – Analyze customer behavior to identify trends and preferences – Create dashboards to monitor inventory levels and sales performance

Performance and Scalability:

– Response time for queries should be less than 1 second – Data volume is expected to grow by 10% annually

User Access and Security:

– Different user roles: sales managers, marketing analysts, inventory managers – Role-based access control to restrict user access to sensitive data

Data Retention and Archiving:

– Retain sales transaction data for 5 years – Archive data older than 5 years to reduce storage costs

2. Template 2: Healthcare Industry

Executive Summary:

The healthcare industry requires a data warehouse to consolidate data from electronic health records, billing systems, and patient satisfaction surveys. The goal is to improve patient care, optimize resource allocation, and reduce healthcare costs.

Business Objectives:

– Enhance patient safety through real-time monitoring of vital signs – Reduce hospital readmission rates by identifying high-risk patients – Improve revenue cycle management through accurate and timely billing

Data Sources:

– Electronic health records (EHR) – Billing systems – Patient satisfaction surveys

Data Integration:

– Extract patient demographic and clinical data from EHR systems – Transform and standardize data formats for consistency – Load data into the data warehouse on a daily basis

Data Model:

– Entities: Patients, healthcare providers, medical procedures – Attributes: Patient ID, diagnosis codes, procedure codes, billing codes – Relationships: Patients treated by healthcare providers

Data Governance:

– Implement data validation rules to ensure data accuracy and completeness – Encrypt sensitive patient information to protect patient privacy – Assign data stewardship responsibilities to ensure data quality

Reporting and Analysis:

– Generate clinical quality reports by diagnosis, procedure, and provider – Analyze patient satisfaction survey data to identify areas for improvement – Create dashboards to monitor resource utilization and financial performance

Performance and Scalability:

– Response time for queries should be less than 2 seconds – Data volume is expected to grow by 20% annually

User Access and Security:

– Different user roles: physicians, nurses, administrators – Role-based access control to restrict user access to patient data

Data Retention and Archiving:

– Retain patient data for the duration required by regulatory guidelines – Archive data older than 10 years to reduce storage costs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Data Warehouse Business Requirements Template

1. What is a data warehouse business requirements template?

A data warehouse business requirements template is a document that outlines the goals and objectives of a data warehouse project. It defines the data sources, data integration processes, data model, data governance policies, reporting and analysis requirements, performance and scalability needs, user access and security requirements, and data retention and archiving policies.

2. Why do I need a data warehouse business requirements template?

A data warehouse business requirements template is important because it helps ensure that the data warehouse meets the needs of the business. It provides a clear roadmap for the development team and helps align the project with the organization’s goals and objectives. Without clear requirements, the data warehouse may not deliver the expected value to the organization.

3. How do I create a data warehouse business requirements template?

You can create a data warehouse business requirements template by following these steps:

– Start with an executive summary that provides an overview of the business requirements. – Define the business objectives that the data warehouse should help achieve. – Identify the data sources that will be integrated into the data warehouse. – Specify the data integration processes, including data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes. – Define the data model, including entities, attributes, and relationships. – Describe the data governance policies and procedures that will be implemented. – Define the reporting and analysis requirements for the data warehouse. – Specify the performance and scalability needs. – Define the user access and security requirements. – Specify the data retention and archiving policies.

4. Can I use a data warehouse business requirements template for any industry?

Yes, a data warehouse business requirements template can be used for any industry. However, the specific requirements may vary depending on the industry and the organization’s goals and objectives. It is important to tailor the template to meet the specific needs of the business.

5. How often should I update the data warehouse business requirements