Although Big Data is relatively young term (and #hashtag), it is hardly possible it did not exist somehow in the past, long before its name has been coined. The unusually high amount of data means something different today than in 80s or 90s, for sure. But unusual amount requires unusual tools to analyze and technology to store or utilize. So, every decade has had and still has its own criterion of size (and quality) of data for to call it big. Anyway, when we talk about specific data handling technologies (which are called Big Data today) it is easy to notice they were present for some nice time already.
There Are a Lot of Impactful Big Data Applications
Despite frequent perception of some industries (e.g. banking) there is a lot of successful cases of Big Data utilization. And I dont think about Santa Claus I mentioned before. There is nothing about pure science when we talk about Big Data in retail sales or telco business. Whats more there are at least a few examples in common space, so obvious and well-known, that we even dont think they are Big Data driven. Of course being Big Data driven is not very precise category as it depends on definition of Big Data. And Big Data definition is still in progress and being working out. In that context Big Data is not an exception, but typical exemplar of current, digital innovative trends. So look at my candidates and decide if they are allegedly Big Data driven or perfect examples of successful Big Data application.
Category: Reporting, Industry: World Wide Web
The case is about real user and other Internet stats. When one says google is the most frequently visited page on the Internet its about visits or users. We use the term real users to stress that the number is approximation of human beings visited the web site. As the famous strip of New Yorker says On Internet nobody knows, youre a dog. So the number of real users are not the number of people really using the web. But we made an approximation. How? Using a lot of data taken from the web behavior of millions and millions of users. By analyzing cookies, plug-ins, IPs and proxy data. By matching internet surveys and polls with technical data of devices, operating systems and browsers. Shortly by using Big Data. So anytime you check your website on alexa.com pages, as I did, be awere you are using real time Big Data advanced analytics. Am I right?
Category: Data Prioritizing, Industry: Search and Social Media
This is awesome example of something so obvious, that usually forgotten. The search engine of Google in present form is one of the best cases of big date application. Googles search black box continuously collects, categorizes, filters, validates and whatever big numbers of bytes available on the web. Then when anybody enters the phrase this already collected data are matched with all the data Google collected about the user. Not only localization, language, device etc. but also a context of previous web behavior. Thats way your search results differs before and just after you clean-up your browser out of cookies and log-out of all Googles services (dont forget youtube!). This is contextual search experience, Big Data driven, personalized and incredible efficient. Or maybe you see it differently?
Dont stop with search. Lets go into the world Google is not the best player social platform. What about your LinkedIn or Facebook feeds. On your Facebooks wall you find set of most popular or most recent shares. Sets differ according to Facebooks user profile, which is built on your behavior on the site, localization, your likes user you are friend with and whoever knows what else. The LinkedIns Pulse also seems very personalized. Social platforms copete on relevance of content they deliver to their users. To make it as perfect as possible they use data. A lot of various date. Collected intensively, in real time from multiple specific sources. Shortly social media content (not only advertisements, but first of all organic content) is Big Data driven. Do you agree with that?
Category: Prediction, Industry: Show Business
This example is my favourite. This is weather forecast, as seen on your TV. Because of multiple observation included in the analysis, numerous historic data, specific algorithms etc. weather reports are Big Data themselves. Former reports are used to predict upcoming weather. This is pure predictive analysis of data, and the data analyzed is big one. This is great example because it is very old. Weather prediction is much older than smartphones, mobile, internet and even computers. In fact it was an example of intuitive Big Data analysis, which takes place every morning outdoors (e.g. while camping or trekking). One wakes up, looks at the sky, feels the morning breeze on the face and says Its gonna be a perfect, sunny day today. Did you see this that way before?
Current forecast for Bryce Canyon, UT (by weather.com)
Category: Decision Making, Industry: Clinical Medicine
Oh well. I am not trying to convince anybody that lab tests results are Big Data. They are standard procedures which deliver very low amount of data compering with previous examples. But beware doctors who make treatment decision based on lab test only. I could discuss image diagnostic if it is Big Data like methodology (as MRI, CT or SPECT imaging contains a lot of data). Still diagnostic imaging brings photos of GB size. And GB is not the criterion of Big Data today. But when I think about physical examination and GP interviewing his patients this is pure Big Data stuff. Unstructured, unstandardized, invalidated data concerning very complex system of human organism that is result of talk, auscultation, palpation, tapping and observation. When next time you watch House MD series please notice the lab test and imaging come after analysis made by the exceptionally skilled doctor (Hugh Laurie) on the base of physical examination. It is probably one of the oldest example of Big Data driven service humanity knows. Dont you agree?
