Big-data is the single most hyped technology term in the market today. If you have held that suspicion for a while, now you've got Gartner backing it up with the "Hype Cycle for Big Data, 2012" report, which the firm released last week (registration required).
Gartner's Hype Cycle is extremely crowded, with nearly 50 technologies represented on it. Many of them are clustered at what the firm calls the peak of inflated expectations, which it says indicates the high level of interest and experimentation in this area. As experimentation increases, many technologies will slide into the "trough of disillusionment," as MapReduce, text analytics, and in-memory data grids have already done, the report says. This reflects the fact that, even though these technologies have been around for a while, their use as big-data technologies is a newer development.
Interestingly, Gartner says it doesn't believe big-data will be a hyped term for too long. "Unlike other Hype Cycles, which are published year after year, we believe it is possible that within two to three years, the ability to address new sources and types, and increasing volumes of information will be 'table stakes' -- part of the cost of entry of playing in the global economy," the report says. "When the hype goes, so will the Hype Cycle."
If you have been struggling with big-data, delving into Gartner's in-depth report on big-data hype might be well worth your time. In the slideshow below, I've provided a quick sampling of some of its data points.
Click on the image below to get started, and be sure to share your own take on big-data on the message board below once you're done.
Yes. The more organizations invest into the cloud, generally there is more interest in this. The infrastructure companies will advance in these areas of analyzing the data that is stored in the cloud. Strong objectives and big data will be prominent.
I do really like what Gartner has to say regarding what IT must do to become successful moving forward. Developing data scentist skills really leaped off the screen at me - I really don't see many ( ok any ) in my local environment thinking in those terms which is probably a good thing for me ! While I don't disparage those who like traditional IT, but for those who want more, this is it.
The survey correctly notes," Now is the Time" - Get going. ( and yes I am taking my own advice ! : )
And ultimately learn the business better so that you understand what type of information is needed and deemed valuable.
I also wonder about those who think Big Data is all hype. They are probably the ones who are least able understand how best to find value in Big Data. These doubters don't even understand that it takes a new approach, as Gil mentioned, Executives need to understand they have all sorts of analysis to show them what they "think" they already know, big data is about new discoveries.
And yes there are and will be those who seek to take advantage of the newness of the topic, but the topic itself is IMO genuine.
I get the feeling execs, want quick and easy, well that is not what Big Data is about either.
I imagine that true big-data analytics is beyond many, perhaps most, companies. At least for now. That means, of course, there is an opportunity for consultants and specialiasts in the cloud that can help enterprises to understand and apply these technologies in a productive way.
Beth, thanks for linking to the Gartner CEO study. I also find interesting the answers they got to the question "'If there was one additional piece of information you could use, what would it be?'--Nearly all the CEOs had a specific answer close at hand." The problem may be that CEOs are focused on getting yet another piece of information, yet another data source, and not on the analysis, analysis that may lead to unexpected results. They are focused on what they know, not on what they don't know.
Hi Seth. Considering Gartner's definition of "plateau of productivity," it is easy to see Web analytics' entering the realm:
"The real-world benefits of the technology are demonstrated and accepted. Tools and methodologies are increasingly stable as they enter their second and third generations. Growing numbers of organizations feel comfortable with the reduced level of risk; the rapid growth phase of adoption begins. Approximately 20% of the technology's target audience has adopted or is adopting the technology as it enters this phase."
And, its explanation particular to Web analytics and hype cycle placement: "The maturity of this market moved forward by 5% this year, reflecting more complete adoption and better use of the products. Over the next few years, there will be new opportunities at the high end of the market, but that market innovation is just emerging. More than 90% of the addressable market is using some form of Web analytics tools. Google reports over 10 million registrations and at least 200,000 active users of its free Google Analytics product, and there are over 20,000 customers of the leading fee-based products. While most organizations use one or more Web analytics service, less than 50% of the addressable market is using advanced functions, such as customer-based segmentation, data warehousing and exporting user activity events into search engine marketing, targeted email, banner advertising and content management engines."
@ Gil, thank you for that link to that chart, especially the part "Trough of Disillusionment.
I agree with the other link that by (or at least around) 2015 the low cost cloud companies will cannabilze many outsourcer's revenue and that the investment bubble will burst for many social networks and social software companies. Right now there are so many players and they all can't last.
@ Beth, I also agree with your slide show about the first part of dealing with Big Data is actually knowing what it is and isn't. I found it interesting it is predicted that web-analytics will reach a plateau of productive in less than two years because it a new field. However, I agree that it makes sense because once you know it, you know it.
Get moving now to get ahead of, or at least not fall behind, the competition
That's point 5 of "5 Steps Toward Success" on the last slide of the summary. The only jaw-dropping insight here is that consultants can still get paid for banalities.
Much better is the 2011 Gartner statement that Gil sites below - "Through 2015, more than 85 percent of Fortune 500 organizations will fail to effectively exploit big data for competitive advantage."
This I believe. The reasons that most companies will not be successful are the cultural limitations that were well described in the post about Getting Smashed on the Rocks.
Hi Gil, at issue might be companies' struggle to understand what it is that big-data could potentially do for them. As Gartner says in this report, most enterprises lack the ability to "imagine the possibilities." In cites its 2012 CEO survey, in which "fully 40% of business leaders had no response when asked what types of information would transform their industries over the next 10 years."
Beth, since purchase is reuired to view Gartner's Hype Cycle for Big Data, I had to satisfy myself with Gartner's Hype Cycle for Cloud Computing 2012 chart which was published in Forbes and positioned Big Data just below "the peak of inflated expectations." Gartner predicts that "Big Data will deliver transformational benefits to enterprises within 2 to 5 years, and by 2015 will enable enterprises adopting this technology to outperform competitors by 20% in every available financial metric." It is interesting to note that the "transformational benefits," however, will be delivered to very few enterprises according to another Gartner prediction, from December 2011: "Through 2015, more than 85 percent of Fortune 500 organizations will fail to effectively exploit big data for competitive advantage."
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