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Benefit through Big Data

The quantity of data doubles every two years. Until today over three Zettabytes were produced – i.e. 3.000.000.000.000.000.000.000 bytes. Until 2020 according to IDC http://ow.ly/Ao5v7 the volume of data will rise to 40 Zettabytes. It is understandable that the users frighteningly shy away from this flooding of information. The IT-industry that promotes this flood developed solutions for calming. They suggest that these very large, diverse and fast developing amounts of data can be controlled. These products are subsumed under the generic term Big Data. Relationships, meanings and samples can be evaluated with special programs. From now on the experts, who gain the value-add for the enterprise, only need to know, what has to be done, in order to produce the benefits through Big Data.

BigData

The new feature is the fact that not only internal amounts of data can be interpreted, but all attainable data, independently of its format. A prerequisite for the benefit is the capability of the business office to formulate the right questions right. It follows the technical realization by the IT department. IT returns thereby to its old function of evaluating data. The procedure consists of three steps.

  • Formulating questions
    The specialists have to specify their needs for information. First questions are formulated (In which regions, what products? Own ones and those of competitors?). Then sources are determined as well as the time and the period for the evaluation.
  • Processing the data
    The experts of the IT-department, the so-called Data Scientists, take over the questions and translate them into the technical IT-specs – attainable databases, safety-relevant aspects, data formats, compatibility, etc. The programs that produce the results are derived from them by using SQL, NoSQL, Analytics, visualizations, etc. The outcomes are eventually compiled and delivered to the business experts. This procedure resembles the early data processing and its batch programs. However, a close co-operation between business experts and IT-department takes place in each phase. Additionally, the possibilities of evaluation evolved over the years significantly.
  • Using the outcomes
    It is crucial to interpret the results correctly. For this purpose it is important to produce reports that provide correct, up-to-date, comparable, understandable and comprehensible results. Measures are then developed on this basis.

Over time, this procedure creates a lot of results that will frequently cover different time frames and pursue diverse intentions. Due to the fact that the data sources also change with great speed, you have to adapt willy-nilly to the fact that reports have only a short half-life. For the users this means that

  • they must always be open for new insights,
  • outcomes have a short durability, and
  • measures have to be made in shorter intervals as well as
  • results have to be forgotten quicker,

in order to create the place for new findings. Numbers, data and facts receive a new weight, since the qualified interpretation will regularly change more with difficulty as well as the topicality and interaction.

Bottom line: Big Data permits the processing of available internal and external data. This requires an appropriate IT-infrastructure and, above all, the ability to formulate and translate questions clearly into IT-activities. Thus the importance of the IT-department and the efficient IT-infrastructure rises. The benefit that results from Big Data requires new way of dealing with the ephemerally insights that come from numbers, data and facts. The basis for decision makings have to be renewed regularly.

Who am I?

The consistent self-image is the sum of the opportunities that are altogether at one’s disposal. This is particularly valid for individuals. Nevertheless, there is also a self-image of groups of any size. Accordingly cultural areas, nations, enterprises and specialists have additionally an understanding of their group. Employees have to co-operate nowadays more and more in temporary work forms, in teams, Joint ventures and the like. It requires that one has to integrate again and to find out the commonalities. Everything starts with the question: Who am I?

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The model of the Logical levels by Robert Dilts for describing the self-image is a practical approach. The following questions are derived from it and should be answered by individuals, but also by groups.

  • What roles do I live?
    The self-image is certainly determined by the roles that one covers in everyday life – professionally and privately. The superior is a boss, colleague, father, association chairman etc. The aspects of the self-image are molded differently depending upon the roles – sometimes even contrarily. We cannot avoid in everyday life to harmonize different roles. A consistent big picture of all roles reduces tensions.
  • Where am I?
    The context, in which one acts, is crucial. It is specified by the stakeholders, the geographical scope and the timeframe. Even if the technical networks are widening this range, the context, where one personally is, remains the most important one.
  • What do I do?
    The actions become visible in the factual activities, in the recognizable patterns of behavior and in the planned measures. They show, what one does (contrary to what one thinks to do). Tensions result, if one misses to dissolve these differences.
  • What do I know?
    The technical, methodical, social and systemic abilities set the limits for the personal opportunities. Based on an overview of the existing and the required capabilities, the learning needs can be derived.
  • What do I believe?
    The convictions have a strong effect on the perception, the thinking, the communication and the actions. They consist of values, intentions and evaluations. Since these are contents that are difficult to grasp, it is favorable to clarify the corner stones of the personal convictions explicitly and to convey them continuously.
  • Where do I belong to?
    Not only the cultural area defines a person, but also the individual specialist areas. Based on them personal, collective and public order and orientation framework arise. They affect all roles (see above). Serious contradictions between the different areas produce conflicts that can be solved by a constant adjustment. For example, religious rules forbid to practice certain roles. Also a pronounced environmental awareness contradicts occupations that are known for extreme environmental damages.

The more harmonious the aspects of the self-image are, the more a role can be performed and the more authentically one is perceived by others.

Same series:

What do I do?

Where do I want to go?