Over the last few years, big data has evolved from near-science fiction status to a critical part of business operations in almost every industry. Nearly every functional area of a business can make better use of the data available to it, whether it's a marketing team trying to decipher patterns of consumer behavior on the company website or an operations team looking to identify bottlenecks in the supply chain.
As vendors continue to bring new and innovative big data tools to enterprises and small-to-midsize businesses, the impact these technologies are having on companies is changing as well. Throughout 2016, we'll see new big data capabilities as vendors improve their offerings, and that means businesses will have to adapt as well. In this two-part series, we'll look at four major big data trends and what they mean for companies.
1. Continuous vs. Rear-view Data
According to VentureBeat, one of the biggest shifts we'll see in the world of big data throughout 2016 is the move from "rear-view" data analysis to real-time Business Intelligence. With the move to Web-based big data solutions, managers and employees alike have come to expect up-to-the-minute access to vital data that drives decision-making, rather than the lagging metrics that traditional tools offer.
Everyone wants to be more agile when it comes to using data to improve operations, and this will help leaders make more informed decisions based on what the business is doing here and now.
2. Analysts In The Boardroom
Data is the lifeblood of business today—everyone must know how to turn raw data into actionable insights that drive better decisions, rather than relying on intuition. Deal Street Asia expounded on this point further, stating that it's not enough for analysts to provide information to business leaders and then leave the decision-making to them.
The world of analytics is complicated, and those who aren't well-versed in these practices should not be left to draw conclusions from data without the help of a skilled analyst.
In part 2, we'll look at two more trends and examine how they will affect businesses in 2016.