Business Intelligence (BI) plays a vital role in supporting organizations by organizing data and delivering key insights that can optimize existing processes or reveal new business opportunities. We collaborate with various teams to create financial reports, operational KPIs, and support performance improvements through strategic, data-driven management.
Often, we work alongside data engineers, data scientists, and data warehouse teams. When those resources aren’t available, we step in to build certified data models and automation tools ourselves. After more than five years in BI across both Finance and IT, here are the top 5 takeaways from my experience building reports and developing business strategies.
1. Have a Deep Understanding of the Entire Business
This may sound obvious, but it’s essential: truly understand how the business works from end to end. Learn how every department operates, what data is collected, and where it flows. This is especially challenging in larger organizations, but it’s worth the effort. With a comprehensive view, you’ll often uncover inefficiencies, redundant processes, and missed opportunities. Knowing the full picture makes you far more effective in solving problems and contributing new ideas.
2. Never Be Afraid to Reach Out and Ask Questions
When I was starting out, this was one of the hardest things to overcome. No one wants to feel embarrassed or ask a “dumb” question. But asking questions is critical, especially when every department may define the same term differently or follow different rules. Miscommunication and hidden acronyms are common, and without clarification, you’re likely missing key details.
Good questioning is a valuable BI skill. It not only helps complete your tasks, but also builds your internal network so you know who to go to in the future. Most importantly, it helps uncover the real cause of business problems, which often stem from something behaving differently than expected.
3. Always Solve Problems at the Source
Many times, we get requests from people who are trying to fix a symptom without addressing the root cause. Sometimes these are trick questions in disguise. You may be asked to do something that doesn’t actually solve the underlying problem. People often don’t realize exactly what they need or may be trying to work around something broken.
In these situations, always ask why the problem is happening and where they believe it started. If you only treat the symptom, the issue will likely come back—often worse. Fixing the root cause will almost always save you time and effort in the long run.
4. Keep It Simple and Easy to Understand
A picture is worth a thousand words, and that’s what we aim for in data visualization. But simplicity is key. The higher you go up in the organization, the more concise your reporting needs to be. Overloading stakeholders with too much detail creates confusion and stalls decision-making.
Make your reports, processes, and documentation readable and efficient. Clear, focused insights are far more valuable than overly complex solutions that no one can follow.
5. Empower People with Data and Knowledge Management
One of the most important goals in BI is to enable others. This means building tools that support self-service BI, making data accessible, and maintaining clear, updated documentation. Without knowledge sharing, misinformation spreads easily.
When data is transparent and knowledge is actively maintained, people can catch mistakes, find opportunities, and make better decisions. Empowering others with the right information creates a stronger, more agile organization.