Tom Nolle: Is Big-Data Too Big for Its Britches?

We may be taking the idea too far that big-data analytics solves our business problems. Making good decisions is only part of the story; we still have to apply technology to acting on those decisions. We have a chance with the cloud and mobile to do that.
10/26/2012 | 4 comments
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Tom Nolle   Is Big-Data Too Big for Its Britches?   11/1/2012 7:38:19 AM
Re: Thank you!
It depends on the nature of the big-data project,, Sara.  If you're targeting a specific type of information (on customer emails, for example, looking for negative product comments to foster a redesign) then you have to first set parameters on how much product change you are prepared to make and preferably even suggest a couple of options that mining could help you pick between.  If you're just browsing for insights, you have to run a pilot test to establish what kind of insights you might pick up and insure that they are actionable.

My preliminary survey data suggests that projects that grow out of big-data analysis are about fifteen percent less likely to get approved than normal ones, and the reason is that they can't make the benefit threshold.  That might mean that companies are pushing the envelope of approvals when they find something, to justify the cost of having looked.

Tom
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Sara Peters   Is Big-Data Too Big for Its Britches?   10/31/2012 11:54:49 PM
Re: Thank you!
@Tom  "I think big data enthusiasts should first have to validate the ability of the company to exploit what they learn and then ask for project funding to learn it." Okay, but how does one do that? Is it just a matter of doing thorough testing of a big data application before purchasing it?
Tom Nolle   Is Big-Data Too Big for Its Britches?   10/26/2012 6:56:01 PM
Re: Thank you!
I think there's a fundamental tension between the classic vision that "knowledge is power" and the reality that "ACTIONABLE knowledge is power!"  If you can't do anything with your insight then it's a science project.  I think big data enthusiasts should first have to validate the ability of the company to exploit what they learn and then ask for project funding to learn it.

 

Tom
User Ranking: Blogger
Sara Peters   Is Big-Data Too Big for Its Britches?   10/26/2012 4:57:50 PM
Thank you!
Thank you Tom, for standing up to "Big-Data"! I imagine that there would be many great insights that could be divined if we could analyze huge amounts of data, but perhaps you're right, that we look at the promises of big data analysis with rose-tinted glasses. We assume that it will take us to the promised land if only we can make it work. But maybe those assumptions are off-base.

 

 

okay how many metaphors did I mix together there...
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