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Data & Intelligence

Cognos TM1 Models – focusing on the “value add”

TM1 Models will all consist of 4 functional components. These will be Absorb, Configure, Calculate/Consolidate and Consume.

Remember:

  • Each component must be kept distinct!
  • Components are purpose based not technology based!
  • Focus on which components add value to the business not ones that are generic to any business! 

Now let’s have a look at each of the components.

Absorb

All models must absorb foundation information. Foundation information is the basic information that a model is trained upon; this might include sales performance results, conversion rates, business expenses, etc. Some key points:

  • “Absorption” is generic and most likely will not be the “value add” to the business.
  • Foundation information data sources may change in the future.

IBM Cognos TM1 provides us with TurboIntegrator (TI) to load prepared foundation information into a model.  It is recommended that TI be used to load data into support or “friend” cubes. These Friend cubes exist to provide support to the model removing any complexity of the foundation data from the complexity of the business problem being solved. Retrieving and preparing the data should be the responsibly of an ETL team and not part of the model architecture.

Configure

All models will require certain foundation information assumptions be configured (or” placed in context”).  In addition, the model must also allow users to make foundation information adjustments (to the support various scenarios). Configuring assumptions and adjusting foundation information are generic operations and are not the business value-add. Consider using TM1 “Websheets” to set assumption parameters and make adjustments to foundation information. Most likely, a series of simple lookup cubes (LK) will be used to store the assumption configurations and track user adjustments.

Calculate and Consolidate

Training the model on foundation data (configured based on specific assumptions), is usually what is unique and will be the value add to the business. This should be the leverage-able component of the model. The model should use the Cognos TM1 Rules Engine as the real-time “engine” to do the calculation or consolidation.

Consume

Consuming the results of training the model on the calculated and/or consolidated foundation information should be considered a generic process and not really the “value add” of the model. The model should use industry standard Cognos TM1 virtual cubes to emphasize the trained information for specific user purposes and the organizations standard interface to access the compiled views.

Wrap Up

Always focus on the business “value add” and not the generic functions during model design and you’ll be a successful architect.

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Jim Miller

Mr. Miller is an IBM certified and accomplished Senior Project Leader and Application/System Architect-Developer with over 30 years of extensive applications and system design and development experience. His current role is National FPM Practice Leader. His experience includes BI, Web architecture & design, systems analysis, GUI design and testing, Database modeling and systems analysis, design, and development of Client/Server, Web and Mainframe applications and systems utilizing: Applix TM1 (including TM1 rules, TI, TM1Web and Planning Manager), dynaSight - ArcPlan, ASP, DHTML, XML, IIS, MS Visual Basic and VBA, Visual Studio, PERL, Websuite, MS SQL Server, ORACLE, SYBASE SQL Server, etc. His Responsibilities have included all aspects of Windows and SQL solution development and design including: analysis; GUI (and Web site) design; data modeling; table, screen/form and script development; SQL (and remote stored procedures and triggers) development and testing; test preparation and management and training of programming staff. Other experience includes development of ETL infrastructure such as data transfer automation between mainframe (DB2, Lawson, Great Plains, etc.) systems and client/server SQL server and Web based applications and integration of enterprise applications and data sources. In addition, Mr. Miller has acted as Internet Applications Development Manager responsible for the design, development, QA and delivery of multiple Web Sites including online trading applications, warehouse process control and scheduling systems and administrative and control applications. Mr. Miller also was responsible for the design, development and administration of a Web based financial reporting system for a 450 million dollar organization, reporting directly to the CFO and his executive team. Mr. Miller has also been responsible for managing and directing multiple resources in various management roles including project and team leader, lead developer and applications development director. Specialties Include: Cognos/TM1 Design and Development, Cognos Planning, IBM SPSS and Modeler, OLAP, Visual Basic, SQL Server, Forecasting and Planning; International Application Development, Business Intelligence, Project Development. IBM Certified Developer - Cognos TM1 (perfect score 100% on exam) IBM Certified Business Analyst - Cognos TM1

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