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Beyond the big data horizon

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By Topics | Analytics Data Visualization

Last night's Horizon programme entitled The Age of Big Data (BBC2) highlighted the ongoing explosion of information and how it is transforming the way we interact with the modern world. From predictive policing to mapping the solar system, big data is shaping how organisations understand the environment to make smarter, more informed decisions.

Interestingly, many of the big data projects highlighted in the programme incorporated visual elements to bring data to life. This visualization helped uncover hidden opportunities and identify relationships between data sets. This is very much the future of analytics. The next chapter of analytics will enable answers for everyone.

However, one of the big issues facing businesses is that they don't have access to skilled individuals who can uncover the value in their data. This  is why we need tools like Visual Analytics to give anyone access to the insights derived from big data.

Recent research shows just 12 percent of organisations have a big data strategy in place and 21 percent say they don't know enough about big data. A separate study shows that 29 percent of organisations are 'analytically challenged' despite 67 percent of business leaders saying that analytics made their companies more competitive. These studies demonstrate that it's not only a lack of skills but a widespread lack of understanding about the value it can bring.

Visual analytics can address these challenges by giving anyone within an organisation access to insights driven by big data, even those without a deep technical knowledge of how to manipulate the algorithms. This is a truly revolutionary step for analytics.

The future will see analytics built into programmes so that the power of big data can be accessed by those who don't have the skills to understand the predictive models and algorithms supporting it. This is the direction that SAS is moving toward.

We are undoubtedly in the age of big data, but how we use it and to what effect will ultimately depend on making analytics accessible to everyone.

Tags big data data visualization visual analytics
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About Author

Richard Kellett

Director of Marketing, SAS UK & Ireland

Richard Kellett joined SAS in 2003. With a total of 20 years’ experience in the IT industry, and having quickly proven his expertise at SAS through a number of positions in sales and marketing, he secured the role of Director of Marketing in 2010. Richard is passionate about the evolving way companies are leveraging their operational systems, using fact-based decision making to drive sustainable business practices that optimise the triple bottom line – people, profit and planet. As part of his role, Kellett sits on the UK executive board, helping to set business strategy in order to deliver against corporate objectives, and is also part of SAS’ European marketing leadership team, which ensures best practice across the region to consistently drive forward strategic business aims.

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