What Does Big Data Mean for Your Organization?

David Wentworth-10-7-13Don’t look now, but you’re casting a digital shadow, one that looms larger with each passing hour. Every e-mail, voice mail, text message, digital photo, search engine query, music download, and DVR recording increases the magnitude of your shadow. And don’t forget the digital surveillance cameras constantly monitoring many private, as well as, public spaces. Everyone, with few exceptions, leaves their digital footprints everywhere they go. Use a grocery rewards card? Did you just check in somewhere with your phone? Every digital experience we have leaves digital footprints behind us, adding to a pool of data casting a digital shadow so enormous it eclipsed the amount of available physical storage about six years ago.

This shadow has come to light recently (if you’ll pardon the mixed metaphor) thanks in large part to the NSA. But Big Data is not all sinister and cloak and dagger. Thanks to Big Data, Amazon can make some pretty spot-on recommendations based on your buying habits. The grocery store sends you coupons for stuff you actually use. Search engines can return results specific to your needs, location, etc. Big Data is already enhancing our lives in ways that aren’t readily visible.

What does this all mean for the enterprise? According to BHG’s Business Focus 2013 survey, 35% of companies believe Big Data will be very or extremely important over the next 12 months.  We also have research that indicates reporting is one of the main reasons companies want to ditch their current LMS. Big Data is definitely a driver of this situation.

Join me at 1 p.m. Oct. 15, along with John Ambrose, SVP of Corporate Development for Skillsoft, for a webinar where we dive into Big Data and help you try to figure out what it means for your organization.

Organizations need to start putting together a strategy around how they are going to manage their Big Data. There are dozens of systems at work in any given organization, all pumping out their own data. Those companies that figure out how to turn that data into business decisions are the ones that will be successful.

Proper harnessing of Big Data means more contextualized, customized learning – something organizations have been trying to achieve for years. It also means faster, more meaningful connections to performance outcomes. This allows companies to adjust their learning in an agile, adaptive way, and also makes for more meaningful, robust reporting.

Sitting on the dock looking out at an ocean of data is daunting, no doubt. But the data is out there. It’s time to start figuring out how to make it work for you.

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David Wentworth

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