Big Data
4. Get rid of all the data you dont need. If #3 was hard, this step is even harder. The reason that Big Data is such a hot topic is that we are, by nature, hoarders. Data is just our most recent obsession. Ask yourself, do you need to keep all the emails youve sent for the past two years?
Only those in the legal profession or those dealing with regulatory bodies may answer yes to that question. Do a careful inventory of the data stores in your company and create a cleanup plan. Just as if you were cleaning your garagetoss or save. For data managers, toss is equivalent to purge, and save is archiving or storing in a more condensed form that could be retrieved if needed.
5. Retain professional data analysts. To get the most from the data you do collect and save, you need to engage some modern day archeologists, people who can dig into the data and discover correlations, trends or insights that will help you better manage and grow your business. A host of local consultancies can provide this expertise if you dont want to hire for it and manage it yourself. Whether these analysts work inside or outside your company, accept that the quality of data they may analyze will not be perfect. Decide up front what level of data quality will be acceptable for their analyses.
Managing big data effectively not only gives you insight into your business, it also helps you manage the costs of data storage and management. Your data vendors should be able to help you make sense of what you have and help orchestrate a plan to make it accessible to those within your company who can make the most use of it.
Done right, managing big data can help you expand your business just like emptying your garage can give you extra space for that new car.
