How Big Data Can Get You In Trouble
posted by John Spacey, November 26, 2012Big data is information that's too large to process with conventional architectural approaches and tools.
Technology and business trends such as social software, data integration and internet of things have the ability to generate massive amounts of data that's potentially valuable.
New tools and architectural techniques allow all that data to be processed and analyzed. There's intense business interest in the potential to leverage these large data sources to build competitive advantage.
In other words, everyone is excited about big data. In this boom-like environment it's common for organizations to make strategy mistakes. Common pitfalls include:
1. Solution in Search of a Problem
Boom, crush. Night, losers. Winning, duh.You can't pay the rent with big data. Big data can translate to business results but it isn't a business result in itself.
~ Charlie Sheen
Instead of using data to solve business problems, many organizations start with the idea that they need big data. This is a recipe for non-productive investment.
2. Offending Customers
Privacy is not something that I'm merely entitled to, it's an absolute prerequisite.The brief history of social media marketing is already full of customer backlashes fueled by perceived privacy violations.
~ Marlon Brando
If you're planning to use people's social interactions to sell them products you need to tread carefully.
3. Future Legal Compliance Costs
Every man should know that his conversations, his correspondence, and his personal life are private.Future privacy laws may have hefty compliance costs. Significant regulations are already in the works in many jurisdictions.
~ Lyndon B. Johnson
Building your decision support and business processes on top of large repositories of aggregated data (especially social data) may increase your future exposure to privacy compliance costs.
Getting Big Data Right
Investment in big data should be driven by business goals and strategy (not vice versa).A little foresight in governing data privacy may save you future compliance costs. It might also prevent a public relations misstep.
Recently on Simplicable
10 Big Data Definitions: Take Your Pickposted by John SpaceyAs with any emerging field, the definition of big data is always in flex. |
9 ITIL Implementation Challengesposted by Anna MarITIL implementation is no cakewalk. ITIL impacts your entire organization — your business, your IT department and your inflight projects. |
The 9 Principles Of Soa Designposted by Anna MarService-oriented Architecture (SOA) is as simple as can be — it can all be boiled down to these 9 principles. |
What Big Data Really Meansposted by John SpaceyThe 3 things you need to know to cut through the big data hype. |