Joe McKendrick
Evolving from Chaos to Competitiveness: The Emerging Architecture of Next-Generation Data Integration
To compete on Big Data and analytics, today’s always-on enterprise needs a well-designed evolving high-level architecture that continuously provides trusted data originating from a vast and fast-changing range of sources, often with different formats, and within different contexts.
To meet this challenge, the art and science of data integration is evolving, from duplicative, project-based silos that have consumed organizations’ time and resources to an architectural approach, in which data integration is based on sustainable and repeatable data integration practices – delivering data integration automatically anytime the business requires it. (more…)
Vegetarians Miss Fewer Flights, and Other Surprising Insights from Data
Last fall, The New York Times resident numbers geek Nate Silver provided a lesson in predictive analytics for the whole world to see – crunching big data to predict, with almost pinpoint accuracy – the winner of the U.S. presidential election.
The success of this high-profile project thrust big data analytics into the limelight, but there are many, somewhat more mundane applications, but with even more unforeseen revelations. (more…)
Many Working Data Professionals are Already De Facto ‘Data Scientists,’ Survey Finds
Data scientist may be the hot job of 2013, but many data professionals report they are already doing much of the work that would be defined as the data scientist role. They just aren’t calling themselves data scientists – at least not yet.
In a new survey of 199 data managers I conducted as part of my work with Unisphere Research and Information Today, Inc., we found that the traits of data scientists – individuals whose backgrounds include IT and programming; math and statistics; and a willingness to look at things differently—are already seen within today’s organizations, in the day to day work performed by database administrators, analysts, managers and consultants. The survey was conducted among members of the Independent Oracle Users Group. (more…)
The Data is In: Analytics Does Get You Ahead in Business
Finally, there is now evidence of a clear link between financial performance and the broad use of data by employees. Specifically, organizations that take the lead in data analytics are more than three times more likely to be leaders within their industry groups than companies with standard analytics environments.
That’s the finding of a new survey of 530 senior executives, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit. There is little disagreement that the ability to make data available across the entire enterprise means greater productivity and performance. More than 80 percent of respondents believe that employees across their organizations “can and should be using data to do their jobs.” (more…)
Enabling Big Data to Live Up to Its Big Promises
Many organizations are rushing into big data efforts before it’s clear what business benefits will come from this new paradigm. And this is creating problems for big data analytics proponents. “At one very large financial services firm, we’ve heard that the next executive that uses the word ‘big data’ without a very precise explanation of how it will be used for the organization will be fired,” says Randy Bean, co founder of NewVantage Partners, quoted in MIT Sloan Management Review.
“The point is that there’s been so much overuse and misuse of the term that organizations need and want to understand precisely how big data capabilities and big data initiatives will help them,” he explains. (more…)
‘Cute Little Apps’ are Starting to Open Up Analytics
From the “it’s-About-Time” Department: More enterprises are embracing – or will soon be embracing – access to data analytics via mobile apps.
Having analytics available in a simple app fashion could be a major boost for efforts to “democratize” analytics in organizations. I once heard Competing on Analytics guru and best-selling author Tom Davenport wonder out loud at a conference why there weren’t more analytics being made available as a “cute little app.” By offering analytics through simple, single-purpose mobile apps, decision-making can be brought into a whole new realm. “I’ve heard of 50 analytical apps for the iPhone so far,” he points out. Examples include a nursing-productivity app, a truck-loading analysis app, and a social sentiment analysis app. (more…)
The Year Ahead: Big Data Reveals its Secrets to Both Data Providers and Consumers
In 2012, we began to recognize the presence of Big Data. In 2013, we will act on Big Data in deep and meaningful ways. This is good news for both data providers and consumers, who are no doubt anxious to begin the process of discovery of the new world opening up to them.
Over the coming year, those organizations who take the lead will be those who have people who understand how Big Data insights can be harvested. Outsmarting the competition means attracting and retaining skilled professionals who know how to manage, mine and draw actionable insights from data streaming into their organizations. That means rising demand for not only technical people who know how to manage Big Data sets, but also for people who can translate Big Data insights into business opportunities. Demand will intensify for professionals who understand the power of Big Data – from either the technical or the business side of data management. (more…)
Nine Forms of Analytics Data That Matter the Most
Big Data takes a lot of forms and shapes, and flows in from all over the place – from the Internet, from devices, from machines, and even from cars. In all the data being generated are valuable nuggets of information.
The challenge is being able to find the right data needed, and being able to employ that data to solve a business challenge. What types of data are worthwhile for organizations to capture?
In his new book, Taming the Big Data Tidal Wave: Finding Opportunities in Huge Data Streams With Advanced Analytics, Bill Franks provides an wide array of examples of the types of data that can best meet the needs of business today. Franks, chief analytics officer with Teradata, points out that his list is not exhaustive, as there is almost an unlimited number of sources that will only keep growing as users discover new ways to apply the data. (more…)
Data is Not ‘Information,’ But It is Loaded With Potential
I ran across an interesting post by Dr. Michael Wu, principal scientist of analytics at Lithium, a social media strategy firm, about the value of Big Data, suggesting that too many people think the data itself is a valuable commodity. However, it is not the same as “information.”
As he describes it, “the promise of Big Data is that one could glean lots of information and gain many valuable insights. However, people often don’t realize that data and information are not the same. Even if you are able to extract information from your Big Data, not all of it will be insightful and valuable.” (more…)
It’s Not Yet Clear Who is Leading the Big Data Charge
Make no mistake about it, executives are hungry for Big Data and the insights new forms of machine-generated and user-generated data can offer. However, Big Data analytics skills are hard to find, and even when they are available, hard to finance. As a result, the handling of Big Data analysis is defaulting to business users.
That’s one of the conclusions of a recent survey of 241 executives from across the globe, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The survey confirms that data democracy is a positive force – the vast majority of respondents, 77%, favor enabling more of their employees with better access to Big Data and the ability to analyze it in the context of other relevant data. There may be inertia at the top, but a grassroots movement within organizations is forcing the revolution into a reality. (more…)
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