TDWI Big Data Analytics Maturity Model
I am excited to join TDWI as the Research Director for Advanced Analytics. Of course, different people have different definitions for advanced analytics. Here’s how I define it. Advanced analytics provides algorithms for complex analysis of either structured or unstructured data. It includes sophisticated statistical models, machine learning, neural networks, text analytics and other advanced data mining techniques. Among its many use cases, it can be deployed to find patterns in data, prediction, optimization, forecasting, and stream mining. It typically does not include simple database query and reporting or OLAP cubes.
Clearly, big data and advanced analytics are becoming increasingly interconnected. The development of big data analytics has been driven by scientific research, the needs of Internet giants, and the requirements of large multi-national companies. However, more and more, organizations are realizing that big data -- both in-house, or that they can obtain from external sources -- might provide very valuable insight. Until recently, though, it was difficult to glean insight from this data because of cost, infrastructure, algorithmic, and other issues.
Many companies are interested in big data analytics but don’t know where to start. Others are early in their big data deployments and want to understand what they should be doing next. Therefore, one of the first projects I’m working on at TDWI is a Big Data Analytics Maturity Model. The maturity framework is divided into five categories, each with a series of subcategories and questions associated with those subcategories. For example, one category examines how organizational factors such as strategy, leadership, skills, funding, and culture play into your maturity in terms of big data analytics. Other categories examine factors related to infrastructure, data, analytics, and governance. All of this is related to best practices.
Since I just finished co-authoring Big Data for Dummies, this is a great project for me as I begin my career at TDWI. Please stay tuned!
Any thoughts, please let me know!
Posted by Fern Halper, Ph.D. on February 6, 2013