Beware of the Data !!

It used to be that data was this nice little contained resource that was on the leash of our own applications and processes. Once in while we would let it off the lease and let it roam for a little extra intelligence that organizations could use to gain a slight operational advantage. No Longer Data is now off the hook and can be plain ferocious at times. We can't ignore it's new properties and forms in this dangerous digital world. Let's explore the issues.

The First Issue is that there are new forms of data with opportunities and dangers. Besides the normal structured and docile data, the new forms need to be mastered while they are still evolving. There are new varieties that need attention.

Unstructured Data that really has no model or in some cases even a form are growing in importance. We see that text, voice, image, or video sources are growing in size and importance. There are hidden recognition issues for finding the usable data, facts, sound patterns and image objects to leverage in context. 

Big Data is accumulating faster than organizations can deal with it and quite often sits in static pools and is elusive in it's value to an organization. Often there is loads of dark data that lurks beneath the surface that could be valuable or dangerous if mined, known and leveraged.  

Fast Data is moving rapidly and usually contains, signals events and patterns that lose their importance or value quickly. This data works best when it is analyzed in real time or saved temporarily to be associated with other data. It can be mined in retrospect, but the value has usually waned. 

Knowledge Rich Data is data that is captured or available in context and it generally has value in context and links. Knowledge rich data is often stored in ontologies or graph data formats to link to multiple contexts or taxonomies. 

The Second Issue is that decisions and actions tend to use more than one kind of of data when they are most effective. This means that organizations have to become more multidisciplinary in dealing with data. 

The Third Issue is that the data that can hurt you might not be evident or visible to you until it is too late. This means that your data radar has to be searching for data sources of threat and opportunity. 

Net: Net: 

Data can be ferocious, particularly when you turn you back on it. Make sure you are doing everything to handle your data safely. This may mean being more proactive than in the past. Be safe out there !!!