Big Data is Simply Another Name for Complicated Business Intelligence

Big Data is Simply Another Name for Complicated Business Intelligence

The focus of this article from InfoWorld by Matt Asay, “Big Data is simply another name for complicated business intelligence”, is on the democratization of big data.  In a sense, the focus of this article is on how the accessibility of big data is currently limited to “data science priests and priestesses” (1), and how the emergence of companies such as Tableau, Clearstory, and Domo are looking to “create entirely new businesses or disrupt legacy businesses” (1) that will allow both large and small businesses access to information that can allow them to gain competitive advantages in every aspect of their business markets. 

After reading this article, I think that the argument made throughout the entirety of this article, the lack of access to pertinent big data analytics in most small businesses, is accurate.  It is my belief that the reason for this lack of access is the fact that the majority of people simply do not know the first thing about big data, whether it be the collecting of this data, or even understanding what the compiled data can unlock for businesses in their respective markets.  With regards to this lack of knowledge on the part of everyday users, I think that the only solution to this problem would be for a sweeping educational movement that teaches people; first by explaining how big data can benefit them, followed by teaching these businesses how to extract the useful information and implement it in a way that is most effective.  It is because of this way of thinking that I believe that the companies that can provide the everyday user with access to big data that hold ultimately hold the competitive advantage in what I think will be a massive market in the coming years.  This sentiment is further supported by an article from Management Briefing which points to both the glaring challenges that businesses face today with regards to the mining and analyzing big data; while also pointing out that if these issues are handled properly, the benefits for these businesses would manifest itself in “the next frontier of innovation and productivity” (2).  The way in which I see this new frontier of innovation and productivity is that these companies will not only be able to use old information to analyze and see old trends, but use this abundance of information to predict future trends, with regards to whatever markets the information is pertinent.

In conclusion, I think that the democratization, or increased accessibility, of big data is going to be a massive movement in the coming years, as the possible benefits of big data analysis and implementation spread throughout the business world and that the companies that service this emerging industry will reap incredible benefits, both through increased revenues and compilation of enormous amounts of information.                  

(1) http://www.infoworld.com/article/2868007/big-data/big-data-is-just-another-name-for-complicated-business-intelligence.html

(2) http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/management-briefing/realising-benefits-of-big-datas-promise-3594641/