Data from the Quantified Self Will Impact the Future [VIDEO]
The data generated by all sensors will change the way we live. Here's a video discussion with three leaders in the field of human technologies, artificial intelligence and data, about the possibilities of the quantified self. It was filmed during the Festival of Media in 2013.[read more]
Business Intelligence: Is Your Firm Missing Out?
BI / shutterstock
Some leaders may be missing out on the overall benefits of BI. Simply deciding to buy a software solution isn't enough – IT executives need to develop a confident and assured plan that will guide them through the adoption process and help them become leaders in their respective fields.[read more]
Big Data Is Not Enough
Big Data growth / shutterstock
Predictive analysts usually think of doing predictive modeling on structured data pulled from a database, probably flattened into a single modeling table by a query so that the data is loadable into a software tool. We then clean the data, create features, and away we go with predictive modeling.[read more]
Power Matrix: Raising Awareness About New Energy Through Gaming
With the company's dedication to sustainable energy in mind, it comes as no surprise that Siemens is raising awareness and teaching people about new forms of energy through a new, fun game called Power Matrix. It's free, it's beautiful, and it requires a bit more brainpower than FarmVille. [read more]
Big Data Benefits versus Big Risks [VIDEO]
The recent revelations about the NSA’s secret program makes people aware of the world of big data and the thin line between the benefits and privacy concerns related to big data. The challenge is to get all the great benefits from big data, while finding a balance with the loss in privacy.[read more]
What Does Your Information Governance Program Look Like?
information governance / shutterstock
Information Governance, otherwise known as the collection of policies, structures and practices used to ensure the confidentiality, security and ethical use of information, is an on-going initiative for most organizations. Here's a list of the most important elements of an Information Governance (IG) program.[read more]
SAS Aligns Marketing and Customer Intelligence
SAS is focusing more on business solutions built with data visualization and discovery, big data, data management, cloud computing, marketing analytics (which appears to be the new branding for customer intelligence) and enterprise decision management.[read more]
Will Google Glass Turn Big Data into Huge Data?
Google Glass (Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com)
Will Google Glass be successful? Only time will tell. When the time comes for products like this to become mainstream, it won’t only revolutionize the consumer electronics industry, but the back-end data processing and handling industry as well.[read more]
Why, What and How to Encrypt: Security Expert Insights
Not sure if your organization’s sensitive data is properly encrypted? It’s time to be sure. Chris Heuman, Practice Leader for RISC Management and Consulting, broke down the reasons why (and how) in the latest webinar hosted by Online Tech. Here's a brief summary of his presentation.[read more]
In a Big Data World, Assumptions Can Be Risky
When working with familiar data and problems, your confidence in, and the validity of, the assumptions made are probably fairly sound. But if you're doing a new type of analysis or using a data source for the first time, your assumptions may be introducing risk into your decision-making.[read more]
First Look: Via Science
Big Math, to Via Science, is “the use of leading edge mathematics on very large supercomputing platforms to make better predictions, recommendations, and explanatory models of how the world works directly from data” and this is where they see themselves.[read more]
How Big Data and Statistical Modeling Are Changing Video Games [WEBINAR REPLAY]
Bill Grosso presented a fascinating webinar about the video gaming industry yesterday: "Knowing How People Are Playing Your Game Gives You the Winning Hand." Here's the replay — don't miss the Q&A section at the end where Bill revealed some of his favorite R packages and books.[read more]
How Big Data Is Shrinking Our World [VIDEO]
Dr. Kirk Borne, a Multidisciplinary Data Scientist and Astrophysicist, gave a TEDx talk at George Mason University recently, about how big data will help us discover Novelties, Classes and Associations. The common ‘rule’ of the six degrees of separation is shrinking due to big data.[read more]
How Big Data Analytics Reveal Your Most Intimate Secrets
Big Data Analytics allow us to automatically analyze digital records such as our updates, photos and ‘Likes’ on Facebook. But did you know that your 'Likes' on Facebook could expose intimate details about you as well as personality traits you might not want to share with anyone?[read more]
Analytical Maturity Is Not Universal
BI: bigger is not always better / shutterstock
A myth that has haunted BI software for years is that bigger is always better. If firms find a solution they are comfortable with, it can become an integral part of their processes for a significant amount of time. Buying tons of software or going on an analyst hiring spree just depletes the corporate coffers.[read more]
Big Data Ethics: Vendors Should Take A Stand
We’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to “big data analytics.” We can now gather, correlate, and analyze information in ways that were unthinkable in the past. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Analytics is a very powerful weapon, and weapons can be abused.[read more]
Planview Improves Long-Range Planning Potential
long-range planning / shutterstock
Competence in long-range planning is vital to the success of any business. Especially for corporations that now use spreadsheets to manage their long-range planning, I recommend they look at Planview Enterprise as an alternative to support a more effective long-range planning process.[read more]
Big Data Will Help Create Great PR Campaigns
Big Data's PR role / shutterstock
According to Wikipedia, Public Relations is the practice of managing the spread of information between an individual or an organization and the public. As all of that information is data, it can be analyzed and used to improve the PR activities performed by organizations.[read more]
How to Build a Roadmap: Gap Analysis
Building a roadmap (image credit)
This post will discuss how to develop a robust gap analysis to identify any significant shortcomings between the current and desired end states. We use these findings to begin develop strategy alternatives (and related initiatives) to address what has been uncovered.[read more]
CIOs Predict IT Development
CIOs predict new world of IT / shutterstock
Wondering about the form IT will take over the next few years is only natural. According to Forrester Research analyst John McCarthy, his firm's North America CIO Forum gave several hints about the direction IT is taking. These indications could point to the future of BI development.[read more]
SAS Visual Analytics: What's Happening to SAS BI?
With all the hype about the SAS Visual Analytics product, what is the plan for the SAS BI/EBI? During the SAS Global Forum 2013 opening session, Jim Davis pointed out that SAS had been selected as the leader in strategy and current product offering with the Big Data Predictive Analytics Solutions.[read more]
Very Big Data Will Transform Science [VIDEO]
Berkeley Lab operates the fastest science network in the world, connecting all science labs in the United States. In March 2013, the Energy Sciences Network transferred a staggering 15.5 Petabytes across the network. Here is a video featuring Greg Bell, a computational scientist at Berkeley Lab.[read more]
CAPEX for IT: Why So Painful?
Cash flows and outlays / shutterstock
IT leaders often express dismay at the process involved in not only forecasting for CAPEX needs, but then stepping through arduous internal CAPEX budget approvals. What’s all the fuss with CAPEX, and why is it so difficult to obtain?[read more]
The moderated business community for business intelligence, predictive analytics, and data professionals.
The Predictive Analytics in the Cloud Study is complete!
Register here to access the full results of this exclsuive study on Predictive Analytics and Cloud Technology including a whitepaper, 2 webinars, multiple podcasts and more!
SmartData Collective

About Social Media Today

















“Very interesting article. I wodered if some of the things that I "like" might seem random but you point out that it actually helps add detail to a more complex profile. Will this give me pause in "liking" things?The reason why I "like" things is to show approval of the perosn who posted the content. This article isn't likely to alter that behavior but it's good to know.One reason why I do resist ...”
“Hi Tricia - The post you have written on BI and data visualization is quite interesting - I've shared it with a few colleagues. Visualizations help people see things that were not obvious to them before. SAS has been solving big data visualization problems for over 35 years. We recently launched an informational page about “data visualization” that might be relevant for your ...”