According to recent articles I have read, the answer is a resounding “yes.” However, I tend to take the approach that Jon Morris mentions in an article he posted on inc. titled How to Gather Smart (Not Big) Data. Data is data no matter the size or complexity. It is what you do with it that can set you apart from your competition.
In order to deliver an analytic that has substance and value, you have to understand where the data is coming from and its purpose. For instance, in my world, we deal with control systems for buildings, data centers, access control, power monitoring, etc. These systems have the ability to generate and gather vast amounts of data in several various “flavors.” The hard part is not bringing all this data together; it’s blending the flavors of data from all the sources and making it actionable through predictive, forensic and commissioning analytics.
Once you have solid “smart data,” make sure the user interface fits the audience. C-level users’ “How are we doing?” interface is different from the one for building management. Even though these interfaces are different, there has to also be dashboards that focus on common ground to keep communication open between the two camps. This will help the c-level understand the building management role and building management understand financial aspects.
Although big data has become somewhat overused, it still plays a role in its space. But really, data is data and nothing more. The key is to take data and make it smart.
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