Big Data Trends For 2015
The beauty of Big Data is that it’s an ever-growing, ever-changing entity that offers new opportunities and benefits with every change it undergoes. In fact, the concept of Big Data has actually been around for decades. The term itself was bandied about as early as 1987, even though the actual concept was in existence for years before. It’s a safe bet that someone who used the term in the 80’s would be blown away by how far the technology has come.
According to the article “2014 Big Data Trends and Industry News: A Wrap-Up”, last year saw, among other things, more people using Hadoop, more businesses seeing a profit from the use of Big Data, and more companies tackling the Big Data learning curve. So what sort of Big Data trends are on deck for 2015?
The Internet Of Things Gets Bigger
For those not familiar with the term, the Internet of Things is a concept where everyday objects – including appliances, vehicles, and even pet collars – are each equipped with their own IP address and means to access wireless networks, and can send data without the need of human intervention. Yes, someday your bathroom scale may rat you out to Jenny Craig, and you’ll start getting automatically bombarded with email and text ads promising weight loss results!
In any case, information gathered via the Internet of Things is poised to take that fire hose of information known as Big Data and transform it into a geyser. Also called sensor-driven data, people will be hearing more about and from it in the months to come.
Human Resources Analytics
Hiring the wrong person for a position, not promoting the right person from within, or neglecting sinking employee morale are all costly mistakes any business would be happy to avoid. All of these issues can be mitigated with the help of HR analytics, which can spot trends and patterns in employee performance or forecast the likelihood that a particular candidate is a good fit. Look for more HR departments adopting analytics with the intent of creating a better roster of skilled professionals, thereby improving their companies’ overall health.
Anyone Can Do This!
The problem with Big Data is that it requires the right tools and people with the right skill sets in order to take that information and present it in a form that is useful for today’s businesses. Once the province of specially-trained professionals, as Big Data expands its influence more companies will turn to in-house solutions. Look for increasingly automated platforms that can be used by just about anyone in the company to collect and analyze actionable data. Perhaps a company’s Content Management System staff will find itself with the additional task of handling Big Data. Yes, we’re approaching the age of self-service Big Data.
We Know Everything About You
When you consider technology’s continued innovations that allow greater metrics tracking, coupled with the previously-mentioned sensor-driven data and an overall increase in trackable actions, the result can’t help but be a deeper insight into customers and their habits. This is the kind of information that a business needs to effectively plan everything from the timing of various promotions and sales to minutiae like which shelf a particular product should be stored on. Even if the average person would be freaked out upon realizing how much of their activities are trackable, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s happening with increasing frequency; and it’s an ideal tool for any business that wants to get a leg up on the competition.
Better Privacy
Since the average person may be ill at ease about how much of their information is out there, you can expect to see advances made in data privacy. Recent high-profile incidents of data hacking have the well-informed consumer on edge, and steps need to be taken to secure and reassure. Although a few big corporations such as Apple and Google are introducing default encryption, it’s going to take a lot more than that to lower risks and improve data controls across the board.
Faster! Faster, I Say!
Finally, expect to see an even greater increase in speed. After all, Big Data is characterized as embracing the three big V’s: Volume, Variety, and Velocity. Data-hungry customers will want their information faster, especially if they increase their in-house ability to process it into actionable forms.
This new year will certainly have its share of eye-opening innovations. It will be interesting to see twelve months from now how far Big Data has come.
About Author: John Terra has been a freelance writer since 1985. He knows how to handle squealers and tattle-tales, even if they come in the form of a scale or fridge.
