In which we present the conjecture that current approaches to 'Big Data' are rubbish: referenced in a number of dimensions as to why. Then, in the context of digital marketing, we discuss some emerging goodness that will lead to being able to make use of 'piles of seemingly useless rubbish'. Originally presented at Like Minds, London (28NOV2013) with a light dose of sarcasm and a degree of exploding mythology...

1. Big Data is Rubbish
Like Minds, London: 28 November 2013
David Prior
david@xuvasi.com | +44 (0) 7811 359 792 | @davidprior

2. Cognitive Dissonance
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3. Big Data is Rubbish
• Meaning
• Focus
• Vendors
• End-Users
• Use by Marketers
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4. Meaning
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5. Meaning
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6. Meaning
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7. Meaning
“[at Microsoft] The median job input data
set size was less than 14GB.”
“[at Yahoo] we can estimate that the
median job size is less than 12.5GB”
“[at Facebook] At least 90% of the jobs
have input sizes under 100GB.”
- Microsoft Research, Cambridge UK MSR-TR-2013-2 JAN2013
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8. Meaning
data !== information
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9. Meaning
information !== signal
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10. Meaning
size does not matter
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11. Focus
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12. Focus
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13. Focus
VERACITY ?
VALUE ?
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14. Focus
big data === data
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15. Focus
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16. Focus
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17. Vendors
From inconvenient truths about data science
to a dirty little secret of the IT industry:
everything goes in circles and gets rehashed!
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18. Vendors
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19. Vendors
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20. Vendors
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21. Vendors
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22. Vendors
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23. Vendors
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24. Vendors
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25. Vendors
“We guarantee in writing that if you
buy our product we will make more
money than you...”
- A Cynic
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26. End-Users
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27. End-Users
80%
of Data Warehouse
Projects Failing
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28. End-Users
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29. End-Users
70-80% of Business
Intelligence Projects
Failing
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30. End-Users
“Every large...company claims to
have a big data strategy.The big
joke is that these strategies are
often very small.”
- Julio Gomez-Attivio, Wall Street & Technology 29JUL13
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31. Use by Marketers
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32. Use by Marketers
“There’s no bigger sucker than a
gullible marketer convinced he’s
missing a trend.”
- The Ad Contrarian (Bob Hoffman)
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33. Use by Marketers
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34. Use by Marketers
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35. Use by Marketers
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36. Use by Marketers
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37. Use by Marketers
While some might suggest that the role of
marketing is to help consumers choose which
particular lying bastards to do business with...
“The aim of marketing is to know and understand
the customer so well, the product or service fits
him and sells itself.”
- Peter Drucker
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38. Use by Marketers
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39. Use by Marketers
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40. A New Hope...
• Use by Marketers
• Real Data Science
• Windows of Observation
• ‘Big Data’ is Rubbish
• ‘Just’ Ask
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41. Use by Marketers
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42. Use by Marketers
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43. Real Data Science
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44. Real Data Science
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45. Real Data Science
32
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46. Real Data Science
32
Degrees Fahrenheit
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47. Real Data Science
32
Degrees Fahrenheit
In London
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48. Real Data Science
32
Degrees Fahrenheit
In London
Tomorrow
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49. Real Data Science
32
Degrees Fahrenheit
In London
Tomorrow
Where you are going
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50. Real Data Science
32
Degrees Fahrenheit
In London
Tomorrow
Where you are going
Increasing Efficiency, Reducing Utility
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51. Real Data Science
32
Degrees Fahrenheit
In London
Tomorrow
Where you are going
Increasing Efficiency, Reducing Utility
For more, follow Dave McCrory: @mccrory
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52. Real Data Science
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53. Real Data Science
Data Valency
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54. Real Data Science
Data Valency
The potential for any
data element to be
combined with any
other in order to
provide greater insight
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55. Windows of Observation
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56. Windows of Observation
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57. Windows of Observation
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58. ‘Big Data’ is Rubbish
Picture Credits: Adam Minter
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59. ‘Big Data’ is Rubbish
Picture Credits: Adam Minter
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60. ‘Just’ Ask
With thanks: Randall Munroe, xkcd.org
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61. ‘Just’ Ask
With thanks: Randall Munroe, xkcd.org
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62. David Prior
Co-founder and CTO
david@xuvasi.com
+44 (0) 7811 359 792
@davidprior