DATA WAREHOUSING FUNDAMENTALS: A Comprehensive Guide for IT Professionals

4.1. CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

• Review the essentials of planning for a data warehouse

• Distinguish between data warehouse projects and OLTP system projects

• Learn how to adapt the life cycle approach for a data warehouse project

• Discuss project team organization, roles, and responsibilities

• Consider the warning signs and success factors

As soon as you read the title of this chapter, you might hasten to conclude that this is a chapter intended for the project manager or the project coordinator. If you are not already a project manager or planning to be one in the near future, you might be inclined to just skim through the chapter. That would be a mistake. This chapter is very much designed for all IT professionals irrespective of their roles in data warehousing projects. It will show you how best you can fit into your specific role in a project. If you want to be part of a team that is passionate about building a successful data warehouse, you need the details presented in this chapter. So please read on.

First read the following confession.

Consultant:	So, your company is into data warehousing? How many data marts do you have?
Project Manager:	Eleven.
Consultant:	That's great. But why so many?
Project Manager:	Ten mistakes.

Although this conversation is a bit exaggerated, according to industry experts, more than 50% of data warehouse projects are considered failures. In many cases, the project is not completed and the system is not delivered. In a few cases, the project somehow gets completed but ...