Big Data In Action: Epilogue
Jinfo Blog

By Victor Camlek

Abstract

The FreePint Topic Series: Big Data in Action wrapped up with a global webinar. Victor Camlek reviews the highlights of the webinar, recent interviews with key big data experts Attunity, Connotate, Linguamatics and Opera Solutions, and offers a final view of the Series.

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The FreePint Topic Series: Big Data in Action wound up with a well-attended webinar with a global audience.

Big Data Tips from the Experts

Using an oxymoron, “starting with the finale”, the webinar offered an opportunity for a virtual sit-down with three expert leaders, Itamar Ankorion, VP of business development and sales for Attunity; Keith Cooper, CEO at Connotate; and Dr Phil Hastings, SVP of sales and marketing for UK-based Linguamatics.

Although separate businesses, the speakers illustrated three components of big data that are vital to understanding what a big data project and solution requires. Attunity's Itamar Ankorion emphasised the importance of rapid and pristine transfer of data as required by an enterprise. Connotate's Keith Cooper illustrated how his firm makes sense out of volumes of structured and unstructured data elements and somehow creates analysable graphics and tools. Meanwhile, Phil Hastings for Linguamatics focused on semantic-driven text mining. Although universal in potential application, Linguamatics currently focuses on the life sciences and healthcare sectors.

Wealth of Information in the FreePint Topic Series: Big Data In Action

Prior to the webinar, the FreePint Topic Series: Big Data In Action offered numerous articles and features tailored to the domain expertise of FreePint’s clients. In addition to dedicated articles specifically focused on big data there were several published summaries that pulled in additional related content that was also published by FreePint or garnered from significant media reports. This technique permitted us to extend the content net beyond only those items dedicated to the series. (Search for "Big Data in Action Series" in the FreePint search box or FreePint Subscribers can log in to view the "FreePint Report: Big Data in Action".)

No More Information, Thanks

A recent FreePint interview with Scott Weber, who heads up the Government Services Subsidiary of Opera Solutions, a big data expert company that focuses on analysing sentiment analysis using semantic technology highlighted a number of interesting observations.

He noted: "If you look at the history of information technology and the explosion of IT in the 1980s, it was all about getting information…For a long time, the chant was: ‘We need more information, we need more information, we need more information.’"

However, around three decades later, Scott indicated, "Now the pendulum has swung in the other direction… We’re at a point where it is nearly impossible to keep up with the information because data is growing exponentially."

In a full-length interview with FreePint, Weber also focused on Opera Solutions’ role, as it strives to turn big data into “small data”. This means transforming huge datasets into an outcome that presents “action critical” findings or, as Weber described, “anticipatory intelligence for frontline workers”.

Tap into FreePint Intelligence on Big Data

To learn more about big data and the potential for career development and pragmatic ways to harness this new world of knowledge, readers would benefit from plunging deeper into the recently published content here at FreePint. In addition, we would welcome your comments and suggestions. Please reach out to: robin.neidorf@freepint.com with your ideas.

Editor's Note: Big Data in Action

This article is part of the FreePint Topic Series: Big Data in Action, which includes articles, reports, webinars and resources published between April and June 2013. Learn more about the series here.

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