Customer Reviews

Data Warehousing Advice for Managers

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Data Warehousing Advice for Managers is the first book I have found that really offered management an insightful look at the data warehousing process. While everyone in middle management in a company may "know" that they need a data warehouse, selling the concept to upper management can be nearly impossible; data warehouses are very expensive, can tie-up valuable personal for long periods of time, and are notoriously difficult to manage. Upper management is aware of these issues, and resistive to undertaking the project. This book offers a clear-cut blueprint for estimating warehousing costs and for selling the application to top management.

While it is not a "how to" book, it does take the reader through the process of constructing a warehouse and show him how to plan and facilitate the design, implementation and installation. It gives the manager the information he needs to help him control what could otherwise be an unmanageable project. It illustrates via example how to make the best choices at key points throughout the project's life cycle. At all times, the author keeps a sharp eye on the "bottom line", enabling the manager to maximize the return for every dollar spent. In short, the author has produced a book that delivers what the title promises - good, sound advice for managers undertaking a warehousing project.

ALONG WITH EXPLAINING the basics; from what a data warehouse is, to determining if the enterprise needs one, how to build it and what to do with it once it's built;Patricia L. Ferdinandi's readable and meaty Data Warehousing Advice for Managers also explores what a data warehouse will not do like automatically transform information into knowledge. Furthermore, she describes how business managers can eliminate unnecessary manipulation of facts and figures, combine a data warehouse with the Internet and achieve the maximum return on their investment.

Although this book is not aimed specifically at IT folk, its case studies of successful data warehousing efforts are certainly valuable, as is its glossary, designed to help business people communicate with IT. And attentive IT executives will find excellent strategies for describing the benefits of data warehouse technology in purely business terms. Read this book yourself or give it to a business colleague you love.

David Pearson:

I purchased this book based on a good review in Upside Magazine, but I have to confess to being rather disappointed. Ms. Ferdinaldi never really describes data warehousing per se; the book is more of an instruction manual aimed at novice managers to help them figure out how to ask for a data warehouse. I was anticipating a review of warehouse types and technological issues, but instead got a primer for B-school freshmen about how to suck up to upper management and make nice to the "technicians". Further, it is written for an audience of Fortune 1000 type managers - she spends far too much time on dealing with bureaucracy issues that just wouldn't exist at smaller companies, where data warehousing is just as critical an issue. About 10% of the text is educational, the rest is pretty much "duh". And the writing style is repetitive redundancy - the author states the same thing numerous times. In short, if you are a businessman (read - non-techie) who wants to learn about data warehouses without getting a computer science degree, then look elsewhere.