Once you have developed your analytics strategy, your leadership team is responsible for turning that perfect-on-paper strategy into a reality by carrying out: installation, software management, training, and follow up. Their buy-in and day-to-day follow up is what will ensure that your Tableau Dashboards are truly being used and considered a most valuable resource throughout every level your organization.
Taking the time to define roles and responsibilities for your transformation through the establishment of an Executive Advocacy and Project Team will reduce confusion from the beginning about exactly what needs to happen and who needs to accomplish it. With clearly defined responsibilities and manageable deadlines for every step of your transformation, you’ll have the necessary systems of support, education, and accountability in place to ensure your employees know how to continually evolve their Tableau skillset.
Executive advocacy and project team roles:
Executive advocacy
These executives will largely be responsible for identifying employees who should be involved in your project team and setting milestones for installation, training, and day-to-day use of Tableau. Executive Advocacy roles include:
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Executive Sponsor: Main source of accountability and drives the team toward KPIs
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IT Sponsor: Oversees installation and security
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Analytics Sponsor: Develops learning paths, systems for user communication, and contact point for user proficiency KPIs
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Line-of-Business Sponsors: Promote use of data visualization to their own teams
Project team
Under the oversight of Executive Advocacy, the project teams will accomplish installation, server management, and assign employees who will be responsible for stewarding and creating data in Tableau. Project Team roles include:
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Analytics Director: Ensures Tableau usage accomplishes company-wide goals
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Enterprise Architect: Oversees technical requirements for Tableau
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Security Administrator: Oversees adherence to internal and external security policies/regulation
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Database Administrator: Manages all data sources connected to Tableau
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Systems Administrator: Manages hardware required for Tableau
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Desktop Administrator: Installs and configures client software
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Network Administrator: Maintains network communications and connectivity
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Project Manager: Oversees budget, timeline, and fulfillment of responsibilities
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Community Leader: Fosters community excitement around data visualization and Tableau
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Tableau Server/Site Administrators: Oversees operation of Tableau servers and sites
The actual number of people who cover these responsibilities will vary for every organization, and many of these roles could overlap in smaller organizations.
As you are assigning roles, ensure that each person knows the amount of time they will need to set aside for their role each week so that transformation efforts aren’t thwarted by overloaded schedules. Most of the people on your Executive Advocacy and Project Team already have a full set of responsibilities, so assign roles and goals that are realistic. This could also include helping leadership redefining priorities during initial installation and training in order to create the time needed for successful transformation.
A final CSG pro tip-
Set regular meetings to ensure accountability from week to week as you’re carrying out your analytics strategy. Meetings should initially be held weekly or bi-weekly and then can become less frequent after the completion of Tableau installation and training. This will give your team the opportunity to discuss progress, follow up on KPIs, respond to any questions or hurdles, and to keep fostering a data driven culture among leadership.
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