Business Intelligence Translator: The indispensable translation of data to dashboard

In a team consisting of developers, architects, business intelligence translators, a product owner, and a scrum master, Robbert, as BI Translator, converts raw data into clear insights for the bank's management. Specifically when it comes to operations, Robbert explains: “Business Intelligence as a field delivers concrete information about how Rabobank is operating as an organization.”

A visual translation

Robbert works for the Financial Economic Crime (FEC) domain, specifically for the department that handles fraud. “Fraud gets reported by customers or picked up by our detection systems. It's up to us to turn this raw data into insights about how much work it will generate for the teams. We present this data visually, with charts and dashboards, so that management can see how much work the teams have, the level of backlog, and ultimately, whether KPI targets are being met.”

Two-way traffic

Robbert's translation goes both ways. With data as the focal point, he maneuvers from one side to the other: from the source (the FEC department) to management and back. He determines what data is needed depending on what management requires. With the right data in hand, a dashboard is set up and the data is communicated to management. “Besides offering insight, we are in touch with both sides: the department the data comes from as well as management,” he says.

Conscious use of resources

Processing, storing, scaling, and sharing data – that’s what happens in the cloud. Robbert's team is committed to sustainable data processing. “With the cloud, you get to operate the knobs yourself and decide how hard it should work. Small resources do not require much energy for data processing. So we turn the knobs down a bit to be ready on time for customers, but we don't use energy unnecessarily.”

The team applies this approach by scaling down data processing after 7:00 a.m. “Outside peak or office hours, we don't need to process data, so we make more efficient and careful use of our resources. After 7:00, the focus is on dashboard availability.” This is how Robbert's team contributes to sustainability: “Using our resources consciously, that's what it's all about.”

Keep developing

Robbert is also working on his personal development. “You get a lot of freedom to shape your role and development as you think best. You can take courses and trainings both internally and externally. To get started, you can take a personal development test, for example.” Robbert points out that proactivity is important. “It doesn’t just fall into your lap, you have to go and get it. That's how I trained as a Product Owner.”

Value creation

What gives Robbert the most satisfaction in his work is clear: “Delivering value to customers, the freedom to translate a need into a solution, the realization that this solution can help others move forward. In fact, we provide the insights that allow others to do their jobs better. At FEC, our job is to keep money on the right path. Contributing in that way to the team and the environment is energizing!”