ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with brief introduction, then it launches into a brief history. There are so many different ways to categorize the subject based on functionality and uses. However, it provides three broad strokes: basic reporting, a view inside the data warehouse and interactive Business Intelligence (BI) and Beyond the data warehouse and enhanced interactive—visual BI and more. The digital revolution started in the 1950s and reporting was there along its side. At the time, we are sure it was impressive. It continued to evolve and the first BI appeared on the scene in the 1970s. Then in the 1980s, the data warehouse began to arrive on the scene. While BI officially predates the data warehouse, the data warehouse was necessary to get “buy-in” because of the “multiple versions of the truth” problem. visual dashboards can offer a great deal of transparency, because there are no complex mathematical models to explain. If designed properly the dashboard speaks for itself.
