Organizations must recognize that Big Data is a tool to provide
new or better insight. It is an enabler. Initially, most organizations
hire “data scientists” to gather data and explore questions. Typically,
these specialists possess skills in math and statistics; programming
and databases; domain knowledge and soft skills; and communications
and visualization skills.
The challenge is that once hired, these individuals need to learn
the intricacies of the organization’s business and culture. To be effective,
they need to be teamed with other individuals with deep business
and process knowledge, and together they will develop the hypotheses
to be tested. Generally, organizations test hypotheses and over time,
those that provide good value will be brought into production.
DECISION-MAKING AND WHO
WILL USE THE BIG DATA?
People make decisions differently. On one extreme are those who
rely on their intuition or “gut feel.” Their decision-making is based
cover feature
on a combination of their experience and their own opinion. The
opposite are those who rely on evidence-based analysis. They do
not question data, evidence or the rules they have previously used
to make their decisions.
Between these two groups are those who apply intuition to
facts and data. They are the “collaborators” – individuals who
gather both opinions and data from different sources and make
their decisions. If the decision goes contrary to established process,
they will question and possibly push for change. Although
in most organizations, this group is not yet the majority, they are
increasing their numbers and more and more organizations are
including this dynamic when hiring and training their people.
More HR professionals are recognizing that it is these people
who will drive better, faster and less costly decisions and solutions.
It is this group who will be Big Data users. (For more on
collaborators, see sidebar: Measuring organizational collaborative
performance)
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HRPATODAY.CA ❚ MARCH/APRIL 2015 ❚ 15