You are a business intelligence consultant hired by a small start-up company that produces online games for mobile devices. The company is evaluating the construction of a data warehouse. The company’s operational databases contain information on each game, including the game title, the game genre (action, puzzle game, word game, etc.), the game rating (Everyone, Teen, Mature, etc.), and the price. They also store information on customers, including customer names, addresses, ages, and genders; on game downloads, including date, time, and amount paid; and on the devices where games are installed, including the device type (phone or tablet), operating system platform (iOS, Android, etc.), manufacturer (Apple, Samsung, etc.), and model (iPhone 5, Galaxy S4, etc.).
(a) A senior executive objects to the cost of the data warehouse, given that the company already has operational databases. Briefly describe two major advantages of the data warehouse over an operational database for decision support.
(b) The company is also considering the purchase of OLAP software to analyze data from the data warehouse. Suggest three dimensions that could be used to construct an OLAP cube.
(c) Describe one example of a sales analysis that could be performed by slicing and dicing the OLAP cube, explaining the dimensions involved and how the company could use the analysis for strategic decision making.