2033 Management Information Systems
Assignment 3 – Business Intelligence
IMB Cognos Insight is a personal analytics solution that empowers users to independently explore, analyze, visualize and share data without relying on IT for assistance. IBM Cognos
Insight delivers data interactivity, analysis and visualization capabilities to individual desktop users. You may use IBM Cognos Insight in the ATAC lab or install a fully functional version on your computer from their website https://www.analyticszone.com/homepage/web/displayHomePage.action . For this, you need to register with Analytics Zone. Note that it may take several days or more for the company to verify your identity and give you access to the software.
A number of online tutorials are available at http://ibmtvdemo.edgesuite.net/software/analytics/cognos/videos/HTVs/ci102/index.html Part 1. Getting started.
Download the file “Sample - Superstore Subset (Excel).xlsx” from D2L on your computer.
Unzip it if necessary (i.e., extract the files from the zip archive). Put it into the folder where you will store all the files for this assignment. I recommend using a special folder on a memory key or a folder on your laptop. If you start moving your files later, you may have a problem connecting to this data source.
In BI, dimensions are categorical fields that are used to slice the data. Those are non-numerical data types. You cannot do calculations (e.g., add, subtract, etc.) on these data types. In contrast, measures are metrics, which are numerical data types that may be used for calculations (numbers that will be visualized in a BI application).
Open Cognos. Get Data – Import Data. Locate and open the file Sample - Superstore Subset
(Excel).xlsx. Specify measures by making sure all measures are checked. In contrast, leave all dimensions unchecked. Finish.

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When you see the main interface, save the file as studentnumber_lastname_section_Assign3.cdd,
e.g., 012345_yourlastname_Assign3.cdd. You will lose 5% out of 100% if you fail to do so. As you work, save your work-in-progress periodically (click the Save button). (note: the IMB
Cognos file has an extension cdd)

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Style menu, apply the workplace theme. Select any (focus is a good one).

Explore – view the explore pane. To hide it, click word “explore”, hide explore pane. To select a dimension, select it in the left part. Clear all – Explore – Clear.

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If you want to reset the view to the initial one (the view that was created when you just connected to the dataset), click the “Widgets action” button and select Reset view.

Part 2. Region / Category Sales Analysis.
The purpose is to understand in what regions what product categories are sold well or are undersold. Create a similar interface.

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Next, select Sales from the column measures.

To improve the view, click the “Change display” button and select Chart. To switch back later, click the “Change display” button and select Split view, Crosstab on top.
Copy and paste the screenshot into your MS Word report.
Review the results. Answer these questions:
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1. What product categories are sold well and where?
2. What product categories are inadequately sold and where?
3. How consistent are the regions in terms of sales? (e.g., are the same product categories sold well/poorly in different regions?)
Make sure to support your arguments with facts, names, and numbers. This applies to all questions in this assignment!

Part 3. Sales vs. Profit Analysis.
The purpose of this analysis is to understand the relationship between sales and profits. Create a similar interface. For this, you need to hide all not applicable columns (right-click the column, hide). To unhide them later, right-click the existing columns, unhide.

To improve visual representation of the data, swap rows and columns.

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After that, remove all totals from the columns (right-click, hide). Display results as a chart:

Paste the image into your report.
Review the results. Answer these questions:

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1. Sales managers usually assume that product categories that are sold well are always very profitable. In contrast, if sales of a particular product category are low, it does not generate profit. Is this true in the case of this organization? Explain.
2. For each region separately, identify product categories that need to be discontinued. Make clear recommendations what product categories should this organization remove and in what regions. Part 4. Further Sales vs. Profit Analysis.
The purpose of this analysis is to identify the product categories that the organization needs to discontinue or re-allocate. This is somewhat similar to your previous analysis, but here you will use a different visualization approach.
Reset the view. Click the “Widgets action” button and select Reset view. Create a similar interface. In the Explore pane, select only Sales and Profit. Swap the dimensions if needed.

Select the Chart view. Copy and paste the screenshot into your report.

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To analyze the results by regions, select Total of Postal Code – Region, and analyze one region at a time.

Review the results. Answer these questions:

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1. List product categories that you should eliminate or reallocate to other regions to maximize the profit of the entire organization.
2. If you wish to reallocate the stock (that you identified in the previous question) from several underperforming regions, where should you send it? In other words, how can you reallocate the stock to improve the profit of the entire organization? In contrast, should you simply eliminate some product categories? If so, list them.

Save the Cognos file. Save your report as an MS Word file (that has screenshots and your answers to the questions) as studentnumber_yourlastname_Assign3. E.g.,
012345_serenko_Assign3. You will lose 5% out of 100% if you fail to do so.
Submission Instructions:
You need to submit two files: the Cognos file and the MS Word file (that contains screenshots and your answers to the questions). No hard copies are required. The submission is done online.
Login to D2L, find 2033, click “Assignments,” “Dropbox,” and upload your files under
“Assignment 3 - BI.” Do NOT email this assignment to your instructor directly – it will NOT be accepted. Multiple Submission Policy:
If you uploaded a file and want to make changes, you may simply upload another file. The system will override the previous file. There is no penalty for this as long as you do so by the deadline. 11