The presence of big data analytics and the number of students who are pursuing a big data analytics degree has grown exponentially with the emergence of digital technology and the advancement of other high-tech fields. With the incredible amount of data that is created and stored on a daily basis, researchers are now able to identify patterns, correlations and trends in an effort to help various stakeholders make informative decisions that impact our day-to-day lives.
Over the past decade within the field of big data analytics, several trends have emerged. The top five are outlined below:
- Consolidating Data
Companies today are collecting more information than ever before. It is important for companies to analyze this data and output useable insights in order to effectively drive results. Data today is multifaceted and dynamic, blending technology, storytelling and insight.
- Data Visualizations
Companies that use visualizations to interpret multi-dimensional data sets are able to identify trends and patterns more easily than those that comb through raw data. Data that is visual and interactive allows users to understand the information directly and identify business intelligence solutions easily.
- Simplify Analysis
When data is easier to understand and digest, business users are able to hone in on key data points. For example, a visualization of a factory workflow can help managers identify bottlenecks both in the process and location on the factory floor.
- Extending the Use of Data
Many mid and small-sized companies do not have the luxury or budget to hire dedicated analysts. Data visualization can help companies, regardless of size, extend the reach and influence of data by empowering executives to easily comb through data points in an interactive way, rather than receiving prepared reports.
- Faster Reactions
Empowering decision makers with digestible data visualizations allows companies to react faster to trends and patterns. As an example, logistics managers can solve bottleneck issues in delivery schedules, and city officials can reallocate funds to reduce crime in problematic areas.
Big data analytics continues to advance, and many trends are currently being evaluated, tested and introduced into the business world. As the field continues to grow, data scientists will continue to use their expertise, entrepreneurial thinking and innovation to spur scientific breakthroughs and develop models to predict behaviors, trends and outcomes.
About the Author
Tom Hull
Tom Hull is the Vice President & CIO of Florida Polytechnic University. His extensive background includes strategic technology planning for IBM, where he was executive director for IBM Global Services. He held a similar post at the U.S. Defense Department, where he worked on a Strategic Technology Plan for the Pentagon. He has also consulted at Cornell Theory Center, Penn State, Columbia and MIT Cambridge Technology Partners and OEC.