When a user of a BI application complains about the application not being useful - something that I hear way too often - what does that really mean? I can count at least 11 possible meanings, and potential reasons:

1. The data is not there, because

• It's not in any operational sources, in which case the organization needs to implement a new app, a new process or get that data from an outside source
• It is in an operational source, but not accessible via the BI application.

The data is there, but

2. It's not usable as is, because

• There are no common definitions, common metadata
• The data is of poor quality
• The data model is wrong, or out of date

3. I can't find it, because I

• Can't find the right report
• Can't find the right metadata
• Can't find the data
• I don't have access rights to the data I am looking for

4. I don't know how to use my application, because I

• Was not trained
• Was trained, but the application is not intuitive, user friendly enough

5. I can't/don't have time do it myself - because I just need to run my business, not do BI !!! - and

• I don't have support staff
• I am low on IT priority list

6. It takes too long to

• Create a report/query
• Run/execute a report/query

7. I need to report/analyze on something that SQL can't do, such as

• Faceted search
• SQL on data with uneven, unbalanced, ragged, recursive hierarchies

8. It's a wrong BI application

• I have strategic decisions to make, but the app is designed for operational decisions, or
• I have operational decisions to make, but the app is designed for strategic decisions

9. The app is not integrated with other applications, processes or desktop so

• I loose context
• Have to switch apps, cut & paste
• Don't know how to act on the info that I find

And my personal favorites

10. I don’t know what I am looking for, but my application is asking to

• Run a specific report
• Pick specific facts and dimensions

so I don't know where to start.

11. The app stops short of helping me, directing me to make the actual decision, even if I know how to use the app, have access to the right data, and can find what I am looking for. It's a loooooong way between finding the right info and actually make a decision based on the info.

What did I miss?