Datasheet

23
Chapter 1: What’s in a Data Warehouse?
Figure 1-4 shows one possible environment for your data warehouse if you
pursue the philosophy of “Go get everything you possibly can,” or what I call
the data dump approach.
By having the information shown in Figure 1-4 in your data warehouse, you —
and every other person who uses the warehouse — can ask questions and
make report requests, such as “What’s the average number of room-service
vegetarian meals ordered by passengers who were on their third cruise with
Captain Grumby in command and in which a half-day stop was made in Grand
Cayman when its temperature was between 75 and 80 degrees?”
Asking this type of question doesn’t have any real business value, however.
Assuming that you receive an answer to the question, what can you do with
that information to have a positive business effect?
For some types of data, you can analyze, analyze, and analyze some more —
and still find out little of value that could positively affect your business.
Although you can put this data in your warehouse, you probably won’t get
much for your trouble. Other types of data, though, have significant value
unavailable until placed in the data warehouse. Concentrate on the latter,
and ignore the former!
Figure 1-4:
What your
data dump
can look
like.
Reservations
and cancellations
U.S. sales
and marketing
The Data Dump
Contracts
Crew employee
training
Food and
beverage
Trip itinerary
and events
Accounts
payables
Onboard
sports
Competitor
cruise line
sales
Payroll
European
sales and
marketing
Crew
assignments
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