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What is Big Data?

The term “big data” is often used to describe enormous quantities of information. But that’s only half the story.

“Big data is not just large amounts of data. It’s masses of data that is not structured. And because it’s not neatly structured, many organizations simply don’t know what to do with it,” explains Nenad Jukic, PhD, Professor of Information Systems at Loyola University Chicago.

For decades, organizations have relied on spreadsheets and similar vehicles to organize and present information.

Although these tools remain essential, they no longer are enough. Much of today’s data doesn’t fit neatly into rows and columns. It comes from people (emails, social media, internet searches, etc.), from sensors (machines), and from organizations. The challenge is to integrate this data and convert it to knowledge.

“There’s not a single industry that’s not collecting data in hopes of using it for decision-making,” says Boris Jukic, PhD, Professor of Operations and Information Systems at Clarkson University and Co-Director of the University’s Data Analytics Program. He and his brother, Dr. Nenad Jukic, frequently collaborate on research related to information management.

Both agree that data collection efforts will only intensify. That, in turn, will fuel the need for data analysts, caretakers, and other information management-related professionals.

Clarkson University | 02