Dimensional data is a core component of modern business intelligence and data warehouse implementations. Dimensionally organized data offers a more effective and adaptable solution to business analytics needs than can be achieved with relational data structures. Virtually anyone involved in business intelligence and data warehousing projects needs to have fundamental knowledge of the pathway from business questions to business analytics. This course traces that pathway.

The course begins with a comparison of relational and dimensional data organization and provides an example of business questions not readily answered using more traditional data structures of relational modeling. It then illustrates the steps to design analytics solutions, starting from business questions and concluding by demonstrating an OLAP solution. These steps encompass techniques to capture business questions, represent them as a business solution, translate them into a technology solution, and deliver them to those who need information.

In the era of big data, dimensional models serve a wide range of functions—from traditional OLAP consumption to resource provisioning for analytics to information distribution for self-service. This intensive course immerses you in the principles, processes, and deliverables of dimensional modeling.

You will learn must-have skills—from the design of multi-star solutions to bridge tables to advanced slow change processing. You will understand how these techniques apply to three worlds: data mart development, production data sets for the data science community, and tabular views for the self-service community.

Traditional dimensional modeling techniques are destined to fail in modern BI and analytics programs. The best practices of dimensional modeling were established in the 1990s, before the advent of analytics, self-service, nonrelational data, agile methods, and data governance. The instructor will demonstrate how these expanded interests conflict with classic dimensional approaches and provide you with new techniques for scoping, requirements, design, and refactoring. Nothing is sacred, not even conformed dimensions!