WHITE PAPER

FROM BIG DATA

TO BIG BUSINE$$
PAPER 1 : Fad or
Performance Enhancer ?
LIVRE 1 - LIVRE BLANC DU BIG DATA AU BIG BUSINESS

Chapitre 1 - p.01
PAPER 1 : Fad or performance
lever ?
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1

Table of Contents - p.04

01 03
CHAPTER CHAPTER

Big data, background p.06 The new uses created by p.20

and principles Big Data

Why this paper ? p.06 A closer look at existing, untapped p.20

information repositories
A shift in management p.07
thinking Proliferation of raw, internal data p.21
available
Big Data definition p.07
Proliferation of public, external p.23
Disruption or evolution ? p.08 and purchasable data
Big Data history p.08 Open Data p.24
Form follows function p.08 Monetizing data p.24
Processing weak p.09 Full-scale data cross-referencing p.25
signals
Big Data Projects p.10

02
CHAPTER

04
CHAPTER

Data p.11

Architectures and p.26

Big Datas 3Vs p.13 algorithms

Beyond the 3Vs: the 5Vs p.14

Beyond the 5Vs: the 3Ps p.16 Big Data hardware architecture p.26
specifications
Data, information, p.17
knowledge and wisdom Big Data software architecture p.27
What is the difference, what is specifications
their value ? Big Data database specifications p.29
The accumulation of data No ready-made database p.30
seemed meaningless but use has p.18
changed all that. Many tools, each specialized in p.30
one field
Big Data architecture, specific to p.30
Big Data?
 PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS

p.05 - Table of Contents

05 07
CHAPTER CHAPTER

The Big Data jobs p.31 How to convert Big Data p.39
into Big Busine$$

The return of EIM (Enterprise p.32

Information Management) What to remember about Big p.39
Data?
How to get started? p.32
The 10 key points
Valuing data by dedicating it to p.32 p.40
business
The new Big Data jobs p.33
From punishment p.34
to career prospect
The relationship between MDM
and Big Data p.35

06
CHAPTER

Big Data or Big Brother? p.36

Heads: the hope for a dynamic p.36

sector that will boost the whole
economy
Tails: the privacy debate p.36
 CHAPTER 01
Big Data, background
and principles

Why this paper ? learn, how to make the most of it.

Big Data literature abounds; this is a
sure sign that Big Datas importance
is strongly felt by the market as a
whole and across the world. Howe-
ver, even in cases where documen-
tation is of high quality, it is usually
mostly descriptive in nature and fo-
cused on exaggerated, near-apoca-
lyptic concerns associated with the
exponential growth in data and data
sources. These approaches do not
help understand the real challenges
posed by Big Data or how companies
can exploit them.
The aim of this white paper is to pro-
vide companies with key insights that
will help them approach Big Data,
not as a mythology, but as a power-
ful performance optimization tool
that can be adapted to their specific
contexts.
We hope that this will help readers
lay, or maybe even validate, the foun-
dations for a smooth, controlled in-
tegration of Big Data into their com-
panys ecosystem.

Even though, at this point, it is hard

to predict what the future holds, we
are convinced that Big Data1 will im-
pact heavily on companies and civil
society in a number of increasingly
changing ways. By rapidly cutting
their teeth on Big Data, currently still
in infancy, businesses will not only
master the phenomenon, but also

1
Especially since Big Data involves new forms of
reasoning such as, forms of inductive reasoning (see
page 8). We can quite safely refer to Big Data as a new
philosophy and as whole a revolutionary approach to
marketing.
A shift in management
thinking
The Big Data evolution is extremely
important to companies. More than
a simple trend, it is a revolution in
thinking, a crucial contribution to the
management arsenal that will funda-
mentally change the world of business.
Its obvious impact on marketing should
not obscure consequences of a per-
fect command of the subject on other
fields such as analysis, management,
production, supply chain management
and R&D to name but a few.
This major revolution in thinking is
however ill-served by an abundant lite-
rature that tends to either censor the
new fields too-technical vocabulary in
order to conceal its complexity, some-
times to the very detriment of compre-
hension; or, on the contrary, to go too
deeply into this complexity and its even
more technical 4 components (bu-
siness function, technology, databases
and statistics) and lose the reader. The
risk then is for readers to erroneously
think that the Big Data subject is either
too generic to constitute a real innova-
tion or too innovative for useful appli-
cation to day-to-day business.
As a result, Big Data2 is perceived as a
problem by companies when in fact, it
is a solution. The aim of this paper, the
first of a series of 6, is to describe the
impact and uses of Big Data in a simple
and clear manner. Instead of impoveri-
shing the narrative, we will explain the
jargon in order to make the advantages
of these new tools accessible to all.
This first paper is dedicated to the Big
Data phenomenon in general, with
each chapter detailing aspects of the
subject a little further. Subjects that will
be dealt with in subsequent chapters
are:
2
For more information go to "Tendances" Trends.be
Paper 2 on data, Big Datas essential
fuel
Paper 3 on Big Data uses
Paper 4 on Big Data architectures &
algorithms
Paper 5 on Big Data professions
Paper 6 on data confidentiality, user
protection and ethics
We will provide both a global (in this
paper) and detailed (in subsequent
papers) view of Big Data in order to
make it accessible to all professionals
who want their business to benefit
from this new approach and its tools.
Big Data3 definition
The term Big Data refers to a new disci-
pline that is at the crossroads of seve-
ral others: statistics, technology,
databases and business functions
(marketing, finance, HR, etc.).
A new discipline that owes its existence
to technological power has rende-
red possible things that until now re-
mained in the realm of the theoretical.
The things that we talk about here are
mainly associated with two challenges:
data volume and data complexity.
3
Although both the singular and the plural are often used
to qualify data, Big Data is mostly referred to as a mass
noun, i.e. a singular phenomenon of mass information.
Consequently, Big Data will always be referred to as a
mass noun in the singular in this document.
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1

Big Data, background and principles - p.08

The objective of Big Data is to tap into
exponentially increasing volumes of
data that have become near impos-
sible to process, using traditional da-
tabase management and information
management tools4, and to handle
complex data in a timely manner.
According to the works and words of
the 451 group and Gartner; the aim of
Big Data is to achieve competitive ad-
vantage through data collection, ana-
lysis and use methods that, until now,
could not be used due to the econo-
mic, functional or technical constraints
associated with the volumes, proces-
sing velocity and variety of data invol-
ved.
coined the term Big Data6 persist,
we can however trace the earliest do-
cumentation on the famous 3Vs (Vo-
lume, Velocity and Variety) predicting
exploding amounts of data and the
creation of a new data processing
back to the beginning of 2001, accor-
ding to analysis firm Gartner.
It should also be mentioned that
Big Data is the culmination of the
Data Mining approach, popular du-
ring years 1995-2000, which itself
was born out of the association of
two relatively old schools of thought
(trends), i.e. statistics and artificial in-
telligence.

Form follows function

Disruption or evolution ?

Big Data is sometimes presented as a

disruptive phenomenon that challen-
ges the very foundation of everything
done in the past in terms of decision
support or, on the contrary, simply
as the next evolutionary step in bu-
siness intelligence organizations and
systems. Though this may seem like a
mere semantics debate, it is not. In-
deed, depending on their opinion on
the matter, the scenarios put in place
by companies will be very different.

Big Data history

Big Datas meaningful history clearly

highlights the fields specific nature;
if the term Big Data was first used by
analyst firm Gartner in 2008, Big Datas
origins can however be traced much
further back. In a way, concurrent with
the rise of information technology, the
concept-like all other innovations-sim-
ply took time to become widespread
and to refine itself.
Gil Press sets this new disciplines
first appearance in an even more dis-
tant past5 (1944). But without going
that far, and even if somewhat tech-
nical discussions on who actually
Regarding the disciplines origins de-
bate, the excellent OReilly Big Data
glossary could help reach a consen-
sus as it focuses on the e-merchants
and other collaborative web players
who actually were part of the pheno-
menon rather than the analysts who
simply described it.
In other words, it would seem that,
much like for OReillys famous Web
2.0 in 2004, the phenomenons des-

4 6
Please view also complete definition in Wikipedias open See article on the New York Times blog:
encyclopedia which inspired ours: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/01/the-origins-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_data
5
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2013/05/09/a-very-
 PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS

p.9 - Big Data, background and principles

criptive term appeared after the phe-

nomenon itself, as is often the case in
the digital sphere.
Cloud Computing, for example, stem-
med from major websites (Amazon,
Google, e-Bay, Microsoft, etc.) excess
hosting capacity, a result of the origi-
nal architectures they had set up to
support visitor traffic as well as meet
hosting elasticity needs. Similarly,
Big Data materialized from the over-
dose of data generated by Internet
users activities on sites like Amazon,
Yahoo! and much later Google. The
main players have not changed which
led to unforeseen innovative marke-
ting applications7.
Logic has been overthrown: data co-
mes before use, business initiative
before research, function, in a sense,
precedes formand the uses created
by these technological advances are
numerous, as described in the chap-
ter on uses (see Chapter 3: page 5).
Before thinking about whether Big
Data is a disruption or an evolution,
let us present the new developments
triggered by the phenomenon in the
following 4 categories: data, uses,
work methods and tools.

A mechanism has been made avai-

lable to influential companies. They
can now invest in technologies in
order to find ways to satisfy user
needs in an extremely short period
of time. The Internet bubble made
experimenting in real-time and with
unlimited resources possiblethe ul-
timate researchers dream!

Processing weak signals the future would be so freely available. It

(P. Cahen)
The fact that Big Data helps take advantage
of weak signals does not mean that weak
signal detection is a new subject. Philippe
Cahen, author of Uncertainty Marketing,
explains how weak signals impact
marketing and why they are so important.
What is a weak signal? Philippe Cahen
gives the following definition in his book
Everything there is to know about
uncertainty marketing:
A weak signal is a lateral thought-
provoking piece of information []. A
weak signal is not a small fact that gives
information about the future. It would be
too easy, somewhat nave, to think that
information about
is how you mentally approach it that helps
you decipher the future. Intuition plays a
major role in detecting and interpreting
weak signals.
The future is a leap into the unknown, an
unknown that can be either reassuringly
friendly or so unbearable that all we want
to do is run away. Actually living life the way
it was planned is rare. Usually, it is quite
the opposite.
Big Data fuels the thinking process and
actions associated with weak signals; it
helps derive hypotheses that can then
be tested by cross-referencing data and
behaviors.
Source: Marketing Uncertain by Philippe
Cahen, Kawa publishing , 2012

7
Lise Gasnier on Solucom Insight
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
Big Data, background and principle- p.10
Big Data projects
Big Data projects typically have four
components.
First, it involves Big Data technologies,
hardware and software. Second,
it requires a specific methodology
approach that will be briefly mentioned
in this document and further detailed
in following publications.
The third component is a legal one
since a perfect command of the legal
framework associated with handled
data and intended uses is important.
Last but not least, every Big Data
project includes a social component
that must be taken into considera-
tion. What is the ability of our so-
cieties and each group of people or
individuals to accept the circulation
and use of their personal data? To
avoid exposing ones project and the
whole area of application to risks, it
will be up to companies to self-re-
gulate and to legislators to adapt
to these new technology-driven
contexts and possibilities.

CHAPTER 02
Data
As its name suggests, data is well and
truly the foundation and raw material
of the Big Data phenomenon; it is
therefore the only natural starting
point.
In a matter of years, structured data,
managed by traditional IT applications
(ERP, CRM, SCM, etc.), was joined by
a huge volume of other data, often
referred to as unstructured or semi-
structured data8: Examples of this
type of unstructured data include:
Electronic mail (e-mails and
an increasing amount of instant
messages), the digitization of all
contractual documents, data entry
and digital footprints on websites,
conversations with call centers
Mobility data: IDs (IMEI identifiers,
SIM cards, ULDs, etc.), browser
histories, geolocations and even user
preferences
8
Examples of semi-structured data: Messages, mails, logs,
etc.); and unstructured data: photos, videos, sounds.
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.11 - Data
The ever-exponentially increasing
data generated by connected objects:
smart machines, cars and
meters, set top box (operators Inter-
net gateways, cable operators decod-
ers, etc.), sensors, data generated by
home automation systems and per-
sonal biometric systems
And finally, data created and ex-
changed outside of traditional busi-
ness communication channels,
through the social Web
Data is considered unstructured
when it requires a complex transfor-
mation before delivering meaning.
Whether you are working with an im-
age or a sound, a sentiment or a text
in a given language, a geolocation or
sensor information, it is easy to un-
derstand that real time processing,
will require powerful algorithms.
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
Data - p.12
These new types of data can be used
to enrich other data but they can also,
in some cases, constitute the very
heart of the information to process.
This will depend on the particular
sector and the impacted process, as
will be discussed later in the chapter
on Big Data uses.
Since it is clear that the new data will
have to be linked to existing reposito-
ries and data at some point, compa-
nies should therefore, before jumping
on the Big Data bandwagon, ensure
that the bulk of their traditional data
is well structured and processed, ac-
cording to application subject: trans-
actional data, receipts, campaign
data, browsing data, sensor, probe,
measuring tool and statistical analy-
sis tool data or visit, meter and notifi-
cation data, etc.
We should point out that Big Data is
not meant to systematically process
all the data available in an area. Trying
to do so would be counterproductive
and would lead to risky, extremely
complex, and to be honest, pointless
projects.
In the past, we have often failed to
keep in mind the age-old adage that
trees do not grow to the sky. In spite
of the current enthusiasm, going for
a constraint-free or limitless type hy-
pothesis would be unreasonable.
So, if we take as basic principle that
we will not systematically process all
of a given areas data, but rather fo-
cus on and process data we need in
a logical manner, the next question is:
where to begin?
Is there a priority when processing
data; should one or more sources
of data be given higher priority?
The most accurate answer to this
question will depend partly on the
objective one wishes to achieve and
partly on the data available.
Let us look at an example of Big
Data applied to marketing: how
to choose between a marketing
message customization and targeting
initiative, and a brand e-reputation
or awareness measurement or
improvement effort? The answer to
this question in this case will differ
according to the order in which items
are processed.
In the first case, customers purchase
history will play a major role in
analysis. Indeed, past purchases
will provide valuable information on
buying behavior (to whoever knows
how to analyze them) and also on
brand preferences, uses, needs, etc.
Next, you will try to factor in brand
interaction data, Web navigation data,
marketing campaign data and so on.
In the second case, if your aim is the
analysis of brand reputation, you will
primarily seek to interpret information
obtained from social networks,
forums, and more generally, anything
that is being said on the Web about
the brand.
Illustrating why setting an initial
goal for every Big Data project is
important, as it determines the order
of priority during data processing.
Field observation has led us to
the following conclusion: the less
structured the data, the more complex
the processing required to transform
it into actionable knowledge; namely
through an intelligent reformatting
process. The first step is to examine
available structured data to ensure
that it is being properly used. Then,
it can be gradually enriched with

unstructured data and associated
intelligent algorithms.
It should be noted that it is not really
the volume of data available that will
indicate how complex processing
will need to be. Richness, degree
of reliability, and structure (or lack
thereof) will be the more determining
factors.
Big Datas 3Vs
These new data sources are
characterized by what is commonly
known as the 3Vs9:
V for Volume: with a growth rate
of 50% a year, the volume of data
available is growing exponentially.
Since data cross-referencing is the
key to determining the relevance of
generated information, this means
that the amount of data to handle is
exploding.
V for Variety: The various format
types (text, photo, video, sound, tech-
nical log, etc.) must now be added to
a wide variety of internal and external
providers; objects or people Variety
also encompasses all the possible uses
associated with raw data. A sound file
generated by a call center can be used
to create a text file [speech-to-text
application] or for voice sampling and
later, vocal recognition.
9
For more information on the originator of the
3V-concept and the numerous people who have laid
claim to its invention, please see Doug Laneys article:
Deja VVVu: Others Claiming Gartners Construct for
Big Data: http://blogs.gartner.com/doug-laney/deja-
vvvue-others-claiming-gartners-volume-velocity-variety-
construct-for-big-data
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.13 - Data
V for Velocity: given the rapid
obsolescence of some real-time and
social media data (behavioral or user
opinion data10), their integration with
other data to generate timely insight
must be done as quickly as possible.
We would like to make the following
clear: there are two major types of
Big Data projects. One that processes
data in real time, and another that
operates without this constraint. These
two types of project involve different
approaches, technical architectures,
tools and data.
It seems evident that a real-time
product recommendation project for
an e-commerce website cannot have
the same objectives, and resource
requirements, as an in-store buying
behavior analysis project.
To fully grasp the nature of these issues,
we will adopt a two-step approach:
testing and standardization.
Testing or build corresponds to
the use case validation phase during
which data is specified, formatted
and analyzed for the first time by
a Data Scientist11. Based on this
initial analysis, several predictive
models will be developed with a
view to implementation and model
automation.
When in this phase, we recommend
that instead of investing in an
architecture, you opt for a platform
as a service which will adapt to
requirements as testing progresses,
i.e. as needs evolve.
10
Known as sentiment analysis.
11
See chapter on the new Big Data jobs on page 21 for
more information on this new profession
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
Data - p.14
The predictive model challenge is a
complex one and we will tackle the
subject in further detail in following
chapters. At this stage, we should
simply note that there are two types
of models: self-learning models using
artificial intelligence algorithms and
traditional predictive models based
on statistical algorithms.
Although self-learning models require
less preparation time and initial data
analysis, they do not remove the need
for a Data Scientist or Data Miner. model adaptation to real time.
As far as we are concerned, the testing
phase is a key element of Big Data
implementation methodology. This is
namely due to the maturity level of its
4 previously mentioned components:
business function, technology,
algorithm, and data.
Once the approach is stable, we
can launch the next phase, i.e.
standardization or run, during
which Big Data models are used in an
automated format that is linked to the
IS (company repositories and data) in a
seamless and scalable manner.
When the build phase, which
represents 80% of the work effort, is
set in a real-time environment, we
work with samples and still need to
collaborate with one or more Data
Scientists to coldly process the data
using one or several Data Mining
software technologies (regardless of
type).
When the real time dimension
is absent, testing can be done in
environments that are almost identical
to real life.
The standardization or run phase
also requires some fine-tuning
between real-time and delayed data
exploitation. A decision will have to
be made regarding what to process
interactively with user data in real-
time mode; and what to put through a
delayed calculation process in batch12
12
In contrast to real-time mode, batch processing is the
processing of data that has been previously transferred
to a storage space.
mode.
Processing cannot be done entirely
in real time since usually, responses
must be immediate and there is no
time to search a whole database for a
more comprehensive analysis.
However, hot data can be processed
in real time if the operation is
sufficiently backed up by aggregates
and results obtained in earlier batch
calculations. This is known as predictive
Cases that truly require full real-time
processing are actually extremely rare.
Beyond the 3Vs: the 5Vs
The classic characterization has now
been enriched with 2 more Vs which
we think are of importance:
V for Veracity: data obtained from
the ISs central applications is limited
in volume but controlled in terms of
coherence and quality. Public data
associated with opinion, expression
or behavior, on the other hand, even
though abundant, could have been
filtered or distorted. So, its use hinges
on the ability to neutralize these
weaknesses without modifying the
original information. Managing data
veracity criteria is an integral part of
Big Data projects. Data reliability has
become an essential criteria as the
gigo13 principle applies more than
ever to Big Data. So much so in fact
that now the term Right Data has
popped up in opposition to Big Data,
which is too Big and not enough
Right.
V for Value: even though assessing
the value of a data item on the spot is
difficult, it would however make sense
to strive to integrate data sources
that are likely to generate information
whose added value is proven. Beware
of falling into a restrictive pattern: a
data source that is internally useless
13
Gigo: Garbage in Garbage Out. For more information
visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbage_in,_garbage_
out

can have a monetizable value for a
partner. Another data source can
seem to have no value but when
associated with others can generate a
discriminating signal.
Beyond the 5Vs, the 3Ps
Above and beyond this 3V-approach
now extended to 5, which is useful
Uses
Prediction
Prevention
Personalization
Knowledge
Veracity
Value
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.15 - Data
but extremely descriptive, we can
shed an additional light on the subject
of Big Data and its destination. We
have named the 3Ps: Prediction,
Personalization and Prevention, that
highlight in a unique way, the role
played by Big Data in some particularly
relevant use cases.
Data
Velocity
Volume
Variety
Figure 1. Big Data is about more than just the
very descriptive 3Vs. 2 more Vs can be added
to that to qualify data and more importantly,
there are the 3Ps that describe where Big Data
is heading.
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
Data - p.16
P for Prediction
With a view to anticipation, a big part
of Big Data uses is dedicated to pre-
diction. How to use data to better
anticipate? How to acquire sufficient
knowledge to forecast demand, pre-
dict problems, behaviors, tastes, etc.
Going too far would of course raise
ethical issues as will be discussed later.
However, being excessively cautious
could cause the company to lose mar-
ket share to competitors.
For example, Big Data helps better
understand customers and their ex-
pectations by cross-referencing data
from Business Intelligence or analytical
CRM (which describes the customers
behavior on traditional channels) with
browsing data (which describes the
customers behavior on Web and mo-
bile digital channels) and data captured
on social networks. So, through Big
Data, I can collect, group and reconcile
all captured data to apply analysis and
predictive models to them and obtain,
for each customer, a conversion and
churn rate of unrivalled precision as
well as relevant and personalized rec-
ommendations.
P for Personalization
The second category of uses focuses on
the ability to personalize, at the most
detailed level, the interface provided
by the solution. Beyond the predictive
component, it is more about in-depth
environment knowledge that can be
used to configure the whole system so
that it suits a specific group of people
or even a single individual. Let us take
another example. Big Data makes com-
plete website personalization according
to customer or connection context a
possibility. As a result, the very moment
a person logs on, the system under-
stands who is there, with a varying
degree of certainty and quick response,
why the person is there, with also an
allowed element of uncertainty. Based
on this information, the page automat-
ically builds itself, content is adapted,
processes differentiate themselves. The
system analyzes interactions with the
customer in real time and cross-refer-
ences them with organized information
from the base (see above). The solution
then uses these analyses and interac-
tions to output real-time personaliza-
tion or a customized offering.
P for Prevention
The third field of application is Preven-
tion. The point is to use Big Data to
identify risks and dangers and prevent
them. Above and beyond the predictive
notion, the goal is to define what is con-
sidered a risk or a potential danger. Let
us consider a few examples. Big Data
helps identify fraudulent behaviors
and applies, in real time, an adapted
processing strategy. In such a case, the
Big Data solution will apply analysis and
predictive models to collected data to
define detailed potentially fraudulent
behavior patterns. Another solutions
would be to set up a rules engine that
will detect, in real time, behaviors that
match the defined pattern and trigger
an adapted processing workflow. Secu-
rity is not the only area that can benefit
from this mode of operation; it can be
extended to applications associated
with the health sector and risk preven-
tion for example.
Data, information, knowledge
and wisdom...What is the
difference, what is their value?
Info Data
Figure 2. Data is different from information, it
must be refined before it can be considered, if
possible, as true information
 PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS

p.17 - Data

The difference between data, 4. U

 nderstanding: i.e. appreciation
information, knowledge and wisdom of why
was well established by Russell Ackoff14,
a systems theorist and professor of 5. W
 isdom: the ultimate step, which
organizational change; he classified is evaluated understanding
content as interpreted by the human
mind in five different categories:

1. Data: which are equivalent to

symbols

2. Information: data that are

processed to be useful; provides
answers to who, what, where,
and when questions

3. K
 nowledge: associated with
information and the processing
of data by the human mind.
Knowledge answers the how
question

Improve results ..... ............. OPTIMIZATION

AVANTAGE CONCURENTIEL

DATA Impact of phenomenon ............... PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS

MINING Trend Simulation .. ... FORECAST

Explanation of the phenomenon DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS

NOTIFICATIONS ....................................................Action

DETAILED QUERY ........... .Problem Identification ?

BI
ON-DEMAND REPORT . Dashboard (where/when/how ?)

PREDEFINED REPORT ......................................................................................What ?

PROCESSED DATA
DATA INFORMATION KNOWLEDGE INTELLIGENCE
RAW DATA

Figure 3. Big Data is perfectly adapted to Ackoffs

theory on data and information.

14
Freely inspired by the Bellinger, Castro and Mills article
at: http://www.systems-thinking.org/dikw/dikw.htm
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1

Data - p.18

Ackoff indicates that the first four cat-

egories relate to the present and the
past; they deal with what is already
known. The fifth category deals with
the future because it incorporates
vision and design. With wisdom, peo-
ple can create the future rather than
just grasp the present and past. But
achieving wisdom isnt easy; people
must move successively through the
other categories.

This sequential and gradual linear ap-

proach to knowledge is challenged by
Big Data, even if it can be argued that
Edgar Morin15, through his introduc-
tion to complex thinking, has already
debunked this deterministic vision of
knowledge. With Big Data, the Meth-
od thought up by Edgar Morin is al-
most within reach.

The accumulation of data

seemed meaningless but use
has changed all that.

The accumulation of data, namely on

the Internet and social networks, has
no basic intrinsic value as in tradition-
al operating mode. Unstructured data
is not considered information. Such
raw, unrefined, non cross-referenced
data cannot be leveraged without a
considerable amount of prior work.
Figure 4. The traditional deductive approach,
on top, (refinement, cross-referencing, deduction)
and the inference method, at the bottom; typical
of Big Data processing where the starting point is
a hypothesis that leads to the cross-referencing
and association of data to form other hypotheses
...that end up generating information.

The Big Data phenomenon changes
the traditional way of looking at da-
ta-without actually making Master
Data Management (MDM16) obsolete
-by introducing an imperfection and
uncertainty notion (see text box on
uncertainty marketing).
Big Data relies heavily on statistics
and artificial intelligence; one of
statistics biggest assets being that it
naturally adapts to the notion of data
uncertainty. However this uncertainty
does not mean that it is possible to
work with data that is of too poor
quality.

But a certain measure of uncertainty

regarding data and results is tolerated.
It would then be fitting to characterize
Big Data results using a robustness
index.

15 16
See a summary of Edgar Morins Method at: http:// http://www.piloter.org/business-intelligence/mdm.htm
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Mthode_(Edgar_Morin)#La_
connaissance_de_la_connaissance

Field observation shows that a 95%
robustness (i.e. a 95% chance that
the result is correct) is extremely sat-
isfactory, and that such data can be
deemed reliable. It is essential to take
this uncertainty element of data and
results into consideration when setting
up a Big Data project.
Uncertainty can be measured using
statistical tools such as the widely pop-
ular p-value.
Big Data:
driving uncertainty
marketing.
Big Data is characterized, amongst
other things, by the fact that the
data it provides is not always certain.
However, the huge volume of
information and wide variety of data
sources involved can be leveraged
downstream to improve on this level
of certainty. In other words, weak
signals can gradually grow in strength
and once they are strong enough, the
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.19 - Data
While raw data in itself is of little impor-
tance, by cross-referencing and vali-
dating it statistically we can gradually
increase its value, not through deduc-
tion, but through induction and statis-
tical inference. Without going so far as
to speak of artificial intelligence (where
the machine decides which data is
valid), with Big Data, it is statistical
cross-referencing of data that creates
value and meaning. So it would appear
that data can lead to information that
is counterintuitive.
data can finally be fed to a real-
time system or machine-or used
for studies, error identification,
customer case studies or opportunity
evaluation-and help determine the
most appropriate corporate levers or
processes to activate
Read the rest of Patrick Bensabats inter-
view on Uncertainty Marketing and Big
data on Business & Decisions Big Data
blog at: www.blog.businessdecision.com
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1

The new uses created by Big Data - p.20

CHAPTER 03
The new uses created by
Big Data

Big Datas aim is to search all data in-

ternally available in a company or its
ecosystem for a means to generate
innovative uses and performance
levers.
A closer look at existing, untapped
information repositories
Traditionally, companies always give
priority to structured data from
relational databases and associat-
ed with management applications:
ERP, CRM, etc. The other types of
data such as office automation data,
e-mails, audio recordings etc. are
neither shared nor cross-referenced
with structured data to enrich deci-
sion support information.
Data use is often limited to one
application: today, corporate data
is mostly restricted to single-use
in the silos in which they were
created and is rarely used for
a purpose other than the one
for which it was generated. For
instance:
Meter data for meter-reading
Log data for IT operators
Geolocation data to push
marketing offerings
And yet, cross-referencing these
data items with other IS data could
produce valuable information for a
big number of users.
Consider this example: websites
generate technical data (logs, tags,
etc.) meant to be used for technical
administration or website optimiza-
tion. This data includes information
on visitor clicks on these sites; by
combining this technical data with
customer knowledge data stored in
the base, we can quickly derive the
following winning equation:

CUSTOMER KNOWLEDGE DATA (PROFILE)
= WHO IS MY CUSTOMER ?
+
GENERAL BROWSING DATA - THROUGH CLICKS
(CONTEXT -SPECIFIC)
= WHAT DOES MY CUSTOMER WANT ?
= speed and as a result, each new
OFFERING ADAPTED TO CUSTOMER
Figure 5. How to leverage corporate data.
By smartly reconciling these two
data sources (at customer level,
not later than D+1), we are gifted
with enriched information that can
be used to recommend an adapted
offering to the customer at the very
time at which he expresses the need
for it.
Can such a project be implemented
without considering Big Data?
Admittedly it can, but only at the
cost of increased complexity and
development expenses, and with the
need to adapt features to each new
hypothesis that makes rethinking
the customer path unavoidable.
It is clear that the de-isolation of
data started with the construction of
cross-functional data warehouses.
In that sense, Business Intelligence
helped prepare for the advent of Big
Data. It made companies grasp the
importance of grouping data around
key repositories like the customer or
the product.
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.21 - The new uses created by Big Data
The approach itself was of course
totally different due to the nature
and volume of data involved,
and to the underlying solution
implementation philosophy.
Indeed, for reasons associated with
technical and financial constraints,
Business Intelligence best practices
advocated the organization of
data according to intended use.
The ultimate purpose had to be
understood before structuring the
database for optimum operation.
But data is evolving at breathtaking
data warehouse upgrade required is
calling the information organization
strategy further into question.
Big Data has created a paradigm
shift.
Proliferation of raw, internal data
available
We mentioned earlier that the
emergence of the Internet led to
the generation of a huge amount
of additional data: visitors physical
addresses (IP), cookie (or its
substitute finger-printing) data,
technical data on how the site is
running (logs), Web statistics data
(Web analytics/tags) to keep track of
visited pages, clicks and all events,
including response tests where
customers reaction to a browsing
scenario is evaluated (A/B testing).
More recently, the development of
Smartphones and mobile Internet
further added to the data deluge:
call numbers, geographic locations,
activity timestamps, etc.
Example 1(page 22): How ACCOR
used Big Data to boost its sales.
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
The new uses created by Big Data - p.22
Accor is an international hospital-
ity Group present in 92 countries.
It manages 3,500 hotels, oper-
ating under 15 different brand
names, and some 230 million
people visit its websites every
year; the companys business
club for regular customers boasts
10 million members.
The Challenge: Self-
directed customers
with extremely person-
al and complex paths
50% of Accors activity is carried
out directly, through its central
distribution channels. This activi-
ty is based on a wide range of of-
ferings whose growth is driven by
online travel agencies.
The tourism market is now a ful-
ly digitized one: people shop
around, compare and choose
whatever suits them best, fol-
lowing a completely self-directed
digital path. Each customer lives
a unique experience which in-
volves several channels: and this
experience is what determines
whether a customer will return to
a given hotel or not.
Corporate sales performance
thus depends on how well the
company knows its customers
and their behavior and its conse-
quent ability to recommend the
offerings most adapted to their
wishes, interests and past expe-
rience. The aim of this approach
is to significantly increase the
efficiency of marketing systems
as regards offering content and
timeliness.
How to build loyality to
increase hotels
occupancy rate
To do so, the hotel group had to
acquire a deep, cross-channel
customer knowledge.
This information helped the com-
pany recommend offerings in real
time, based on customer expe-
rience and preferences, and for
all of Accor Groups brands. Any
customer insight gained is also
shared with all customer rela-
tionship players in order to better
meet expectations.
This was made possible by imple-
menting, in just 9 months, a 1 to 1
CRM tool that builds a knowledge
base for each customer, and
linking this tool to a real-time
marketing solution to optimize
digital channel and call center
sales, both locally in hotels and
centrally for all of Accor Groups
brands and chains.
Customer information is enriched
with data generated by the real-
time offering recommendation
tool. Accor is gradually deploying
this solution to all of the Groups
units.
From Big Data to Big Business
Performance indicators have
helped validate the results and
ROI of this 1 to 1 marketing solu-
tion.
Thanks to this personalized
marketing system, Accor makes
1,200,000 personalized product
recommendations per day

The number of contacts in the
customer database has increased
from 20 to 35 million
The click rate on invitations ad-
vertised on the websites pages
has doubled thanks to message
personalization
Click rates, conversion rates,
customer lifecycle data and many
other indicators are measured
and recorded in dashboards
This marketing-oriented Big Data
project has helped launch a true 1
to 1 marketing offering on a mass
market by combining software in-
telligence with human action.
This is one of the most ambitious
projects undertaken in Europe in
the field of tourism, a textbook
case when it comes to digital
transformation. And it was car-
ried out by Business & Decision.
Since the use of SIM cards, bluetooth
connections or any other protocol is
not restricted to individuals, the In-
ternet of Things will also generate a
considerable amount of data in many
sectors: automotive, health, energy
supply
According to Michel Lvy-Provenal,
the estimated number of connected
objects in the world - mainly com-
puters, telephones and tablets is 5
billion; a number that is expected to
rise to 15 billion in 2015 and 50 billion
in 202017. We should also mention
the contactless payment surge and
the arrival of iBeacon that will further
boost the trend.
17
See article on SFRs website and Michel Lvy-Provenals
interview
18
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/
Application+Program+Interface
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.23 - The new uses created by Big Data
Proliferation of public, exter-
nal and purchasable data
Social networks (Twitter, Facebook,
LinkedIn, etc.) also generate a con-
siderable amount of data. Openly
accessible through APIs (Application
Program Interfaces18) - interface pro-
grams that help siphon off an applica-
tions data to reinject it into another
this social data can constitute a
source of information for companies
whose reputation is made public on
these platforms. Sectors such as con-
sumer goods, food-processing, luxury
goods, retail and insurance thus have
access to an abundant wealth of ex-
ternal data.
Considered as unstructured, this
data is mostly text data, with some
video and photo content. It is abun-
dant but, by nature (comments, opin-
ions, etc.), has limited intrinsic value.
The weak signals that it generates
can only gain in relevance through
cross-referencing with other data19.
The problem that companies face is
that harnessing these new types will
broaden their field of application. Let
us take for example facial recognition,
which is a top priority for many Inter-
net giants. The value creation poten-
tial of applications associated with this
data justifies the huge investments
currently being made in the field. As
soon as this data is mastered, con-
cerned companies will have to update
all their repositories and many of their
marketing applications if they do not
want to lose ground to new entrants
or competitors who have been quick-
er to invest in the area.
19
It should however be noted that there is still much
room for improvement in the field of multimedia data
use.
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1

The new uses created by Big Data - p.24

Example 2: Data collection on a Open Data

fleet of vehicles for a major Eu-
ropean provider of personal ser- Open pen data is a set of free, public
vice. data made available by public orga-
nizations such as the State or local
A major European provider of authorities; it can be a strategic
personal services uses Big Data choice for companies like the RATP
to better manage its fleet of ve- (Public Transportation company)
hicles. which uses it to gradually communi-
cate part of its ridership data22 .
It all starts with data collected
on the fleet and its rounds: end-
of-month odometer readings,
driver fuel card statements, data
from garage servicing, and more
recently, from sensors built into
electrical vehicles. Data until now
untapped, due to approximate re-
porting and poor reliability.

The customer called upon Busi-

ness & Decision to design and im-
plement a Hadoop20 -based proto-
type. The data mentioned above
is processed on the Hadoop plat-
form to enhance reliability, and
then fed to the Business Intelli- Figure 6. data.ratp.fr, the RATPs Open Data
Platform.
gence tool Qlikview21 to generate
eco-driving indicators that will
help improve fleet management.
Monetizing data
Pleased with the results of this
first attempt, the operators IT Whenever we talk about internal
Dept. is thinking about recom- and external data, it is important to
mending this technology to other keep in mind that this new data can
Group entities. be monetized: for instance, is geolo-
cation data captured by a telephone
operator valuable to sectors that
have a close interest in customer
mobility (insurance, tour operators,
etc.)?

Data generated by an Internet con-

nection home router, for example,
can provide nominative information
on who is watching what advertise-
ment at a given moment; data that
is extremely precious to advertisers.

20 22
For more information on Hadoop and Map Reduce, On the gradual conversion of the RATP to Open Data, you
see page20. can visit Le Mondes blog for more examples of what can be
21
See website : www.qlik.com/fr achieved using this data.
 PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS

p.25 - The new uses created by Big Data

The question is how will this emerg-
ing data monetization market
self-regulate? Over time, every entity
can become a supplier and consum-
er of data. Like in the energy sector,
sophisticated systems will have to
be created to circulate and sell data
amongst all these potential players
wearing several hats.
Full-scale data cross-referencing
From the above, we can conclude two
things.
On one hand, that data variety and
volume are a reality that will impose
itself during the coming years.
And on the other, that one same data
item can serve different information
uses and needs, internally within the
company or within the context of col-
laboration with other companies.
At this stage, awareness of two com-
plementary facts is important.
There will be a surge in data cross-ref-
erencing. Cross-referencing relevant
data for controlled use can create op-
portunities; this has been shown us-
ing 2 types of data: CRM and Internet
browsing. But extending cross-refer-
encing to other data sources is equal-
ly relevant as it can potentially create
valuable information.
almost as soon as they are created.
This is the context in which the most
serious information privacy issues will
arise. Information is more valuable
when it comprises of data from differ-
ent environments. For instance, when
I buy a plane ticket, the data generat-
ed is precious for hotels, insurers, car
rental agencies, etc. And as time pass-
es, the information loses its value. The
ultimate goal is thus to understand
how to use data within best practices
guidelines, legal constraints and the
context of an optimal customer path
in order to make the most of it. But
how can the customer monitor or au-
thorize these data exchanges?
Is it possible to harness all this data
without a specific Big Data approach?
(Bearing in mind that the Big Data
approach is not just technological but
has four components: technological,
methodological, legal and social.) Yes,
maybe so, but it would be at the cost
of substantial hardware, software and
human capital investment.

In fact, it can be argued that the mo-

ment weak signal-carrying unstruc-
tured data is integrated into your
system, multiple cross-referencing be-
comes a must: checking the relevance
of data of this type against other data
of similar type multiple times will in-
crease the quality of the information
produced.

The data cross-referencing timescale

is however getting considerably short-
er and for some uses, quite close to
real time. Indeed, some captured data
are so volatile that they must be used
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1

Architectures and algorithms - p.26

CHAPTER 04
Architectures
and algorithms

Big Data hardware Whenever technology evolved, a mi-

architecture specifications
Massively parallel
computing
Massively parallel technology has
been on the agenda for 20 to 25
years. Over time, computer engi-
neers have come up with various
ways to deal with technological prob-
lems: vector machines, mainframes,
servers, addition of an increasing
number of processors, and today,
the use of processors that have an
increasing number of cores or of ma-
chines grouped in clusters.
gration process to validate the way in
which programs were run and their
performance had to be executed and
this had a cost: scalability was thus
only relative.
 loud Computing infrastructures
C
(IaaS 23) made Big Data possible
Everything changed with the advent
of Cloud Computing. Now, the cus-
tomer can easily scale (Clouds elas-
ticity principle) since machines have
become universal and extremely
simple.

Nowadays, parallelization is the stan- This infrastructure standardization

dard solution. In the past, massively has helped perform multiprocessor,
parallel computing required sizeable parallel calculations using easily ac-
investment (with 8 to 16 proces- cessible standard operation systems
sors, you were spending roughly the and machines. Computing power has
equivalent of $100,000 for hardware not changed, but the scaling practice
that would only last 3 years before has.
becoming obsolete). If you wanted to
add new processors later, customers
were at the mercy of their suppliers
once initial investments had been
made.

23
IaaS: Infrastructure as a Service, i.e.
the ability to purchase remote infrastructure
and to use it on demand, as is done for
software (Software as
a Service).

In the old days, if scaling was required
but you did not the have the neces-
sary budget, you had to revise targets
downwards.
Now, Cloud computing has made Big
data possible. With this easy access
to scalability, virtual machines can be
installed on systems developed and
designed for parallel processing.
Big Data technology
immersed in the Cloud
Facebooks Cassandra, for instance, is a
standard database especially designed
to be integrated into clusters managed
in the Cloud - proving once again that
the Cloud is indeed the catalyst for Big
Data in terms of technology. If required
to, Cassandra can populate additional
machines and data population can be
performed by sending a simple SMS
to a system machine that will trigger a
server administration action.
What holds true for Cassandra also
applies to Hadoop which is a software
framework 24 designed for massive
parallel processing; quite logically, the
platform on which it runs is a massive
parallel one.
Is Hadoop the
solution to Big Data?
The scaling capacity of the Ha-
doop model is undeniable. But
does this mean that it can meet
all of Big Datas challenges? We
can safely contend otherwise.
Some statistical operations, like
for instance, determining the typ-
ical profile of customers stored
in a database require that the
whole base be accessed within
24
A software framework is a set of methodologies and
tools associated with a programming language.
See: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Framework
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.27 - Architectures and algorithms
the same algorithm and are not
really compatible with the Map/
Reduce25 method. Map/Reduce
can certainly be used to create
a scoring model, but updating
behavioral categorization, for in-
stance, would require that data
be re-centralized all throughout
calculation.
This somewhat restricts Hadoops
capabilities as regards process-
ing, namely marketing-oriented
processing, but does not pre-
clude it. Indeed, all heavy pro-
cessing can be executed in batch
mode in SQL bases that can be
used to back up Hadoops more
real-time oriented bases.
It should be understood that var-
ious base structures will have to
coexist since, as we speak, there
is currently no storage model that
can single-handedly provide the
solution to Big Data.
Big Data software architecture
specifications
Big Data software specifications are
a function of the above. There was
a time when parallel computing was
only accessible to a small community
of highly skilled scientists, develop-
ers and experts, in the field of video
games.
Parallel computing is now
widespread
Today, things have totally changed:
Cloud Computing, and tools like Map
Reduce, Hadoop and Cassandra, all
massively parallel, have brought the
whole IT sphere face to face with the
fact that it needs to understand par-
allel, or indeed distributed, computing
developments. We have thus stepped
into a transition phase where comput-
25
For an explanation on Map/Reduce, see page 19 of this
document.
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
Architectures and algorithms - p.28
er engineers have no choice but to ac-
quire these new skills.
Any developer intending to work with
the Web, real-time reporting, twitter
or sentiment analysis must under-
stand the nature of a distributed algo-
rithm, have applied mathematics and
digital analysis skills and know what
the algorithm is. A few years back,
algorithm classes were optional in
school, but now they are unavoidable
and mandatory.
Map Reduce: a two step model
Map Reduce is a programming mod-
el, an algorithm that is mainly used to
process large volumes of data distrib-
uted amongst clusters or parallel ma-
chines. The process consists of two
steps:
Step 1: Map to divide the problem into
pieces
The problem is first broken down
into big chunks. Each machine is as-
signed to a particular sub-problem.
This machine will repeatedly split
the sub-problem again into sub-sub-
problems and so on, until we reach
the point where each machine is pro-
cessing a really small part of the prob-
lem.
Step 2: Reduce to group pieces
Each node uses the second step (Re-
duce), during which calculation is per-
formed independently (Shuffle) and
uploaded to the machine which or-
dered the operation, until everything
returns to the initial node.
MAP SHUFFLE REDUCE
Figure 7. How Map Reduce works (Freely
inspired by a diagram on the sqlauthority.com
blog)
This method is used to break down
problems, either into parts small
enough to be processed by an algo-
rithm, or according to machine com-
puting capacity.
All results are finally uploaded back
and give the final calculation. This is
a common data processing algorithm
principle.
The methods limitations
However, some problems cannot be
solved using this method. In which
case, they have to be reformulated
or another algorithm of similar type
must be found to process them.
 PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS

p.29 - Architectures and algorithms

Big Data database Column-oriented databases

specifications
We usually store all our data in the
same way, without thinking about its
relevance, in relational databases of
row type.
Row-oriented databases
As the name implies, in this type of
database, data is saved in rows (this
is the case for instance for all Oracle,
dB2, SQL, SQL Server-type databases).
Generally, this is due to lack of option
or poor performance or maintainabili-
ty issues. In other words, reasons that
have nothing to do with the problem
to solve. The row format is also called
table format and looks somewhat
like Excel spreadsheets.
Product Description Price per kg
in euros
There are also what are known as co-
lumnar databases which do not store
data in rows, but will allow you to se-
lect a particular column according to
the algorithm that you plan to use. In
Business Intelligence, a snowflake or
star schema is chosen for data ware-
houses to expedite search operations
in the database.
This is highly compatible with colum-
nar databases (with products like
SAP and Sybase IQ) or in the Big Data
sphere, with Hbase26, which is a co-
lumnar database.
Document-oriented databases
Finally, there are document-orient-
Service duration ed databases (example MongodB) in
which only key/value pairs are loose-
in years

1 cabbage green vegetable 1 2

ly stored. They are highly unstruc-
2 carrot orange vegetable 10 5
tured databases in which everything
tasteless
3 turnip
vegetable
15 10 is stored unsystematically and data
pipeline research algorithms use the
Figure 8. In a row design, even specific, a value databases specific features to im-
for each column; example here of a product
database prove performance.

Twitter keyspace
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
1 : Statuses CF
cabbage green vegetable
key Columns
"1" "text": "Nom nom nom" "user_id": "5"
key
"2" "text": "@evan Zzzzzz" "in_reply": "8" "user_id": "5"
DESCRIPTION
PRODUCT
2 orange
carrot : Status Audits CF
vegetable
: Status Relationships CF

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION : Users CF

3
turnip tasteless vegetable key Columns
"5" "screen_name": "buttons cat"

: User Relationships super CF

ke Supercolumns
Figure 9. In contrast, in a columnar database, "5" "user_timeline": "2": "" "1": "" "home_timeline": "8": ""

as in example above, the number of columns can

vary for each record.
Figure 10. Evan Weaver describes how
Cassandra processes data storage in its key/value
base.27

26
For more information visit: http://www.journaldunet.com
27
http://blog.evanweaver.com/2009/07/06/up-and-running-
with-cassandra
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
Architectures and algorithms - p.30
No ready-made databases
Databases must be selected accord-
ing to needs. In a relational database,
a search operation or selection of
data corresponding to a given field -
for example in a customer database,
looking for all customers named Mi-
chael - has a very low cost.
However, if I want to perform a lot of
insert with join28 operations be-
tween a customer database and a
past purchases product database to
generate statistics, then the perfor-
mance is quite poor. The same task
with a columnar database would give
almost instantaneous results as it is
designed for such operations.
Many tools, each specialized in
one field
While row-oriented or coloumn-ori-
ented databases would struggle to
deal with full-text searches, MongodB
would yield extremely fast results.
Database selection is thus dependent
on intended use. However, there are
databases that exist today that try to
combine all of these capabilities.
Some 50 to 110 hybrid versions are
in fact regularly used and selected
based on the problem to solve, not to
mention new formats like the graph
format developed by SAP InfiniteIn-
sight29 that is specifically adapted to
28
Insert (SQL): http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insert_
(SQL) join: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jointure_
(informatique)
social network interaction analysis.
This is one of the complex features
and unique characteristics of the Big
Data world: there are many tools but
the community has decided to favor
those tools that are highly specialized
and simple, not to say simplistic, and
the best in their category.
Big Data architecture, specific
to Big Data?
The market answered that one. Com-
panies have already started to adapt
some of these architectures com-
ponents to improve their ISs perfor-
mance. The aim seems to be isofunc-
tional i.e. to do the same thing in a
better way and for less. Better mean-
ing faster, closer to real time, and for
less meaning by taking advantage of
the large number of innovative com-
panies that challenge (before being
bought?) the well-established leaders
of the new technologies sector. The
main targets are the most expensive
and complex systems: ERP, CRM, BI,
etc. The initiative however is purely
technical.
29
Formerly KXEN: See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
KXEN_Inc.
 PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS

p.31 - The Big Data jobs

CHAPTER 05
The Big Data jobs

MATHS
MACHINE
HACKING LEARNING & STATISTICS
SKILLS KNOWLEDGE
DATA
SCIENCE

DANGER TRADITIONAL
ZONE ! RESEARCH

SUBSTANTIVE
EXPERTISE

Figure 11. Data science (according to Drew Conway) 30 is at the intersection of substantive expertise, hacking skills
and math and statistics knowledge. It is only by combining those expertise areas that the pitfalls described by
Conway will be avoided. It is definitely time to start training our experts

30
Drew Conways Venn diagram on Data science: http://
drewconway.com/zia/2013/3/26/the-data-science-venn-
diagram
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
The Big Data jobs - p.32
The return of EIM (Enterprise
Information Management)
EIM is back on the agenda. Diving
deep into the subject of Big Data for
the purposes of this white paper led
us to take another look at this Gart-
ner-created notion, and made us take
a step back from Big Data. EIM, no
matter how old-fashioned the term,
is back on the table.
Data-centric initiatives in companies
are often a byproduct of ERP imple-
mentation (SAP, JD Edwards, etc.);
their aim being to deal with any aris-
ing Master Data Management (MDM)
issues.
Customers are now more mature
with regards to the subject. They ful-
ly understand the need to manage
master data (maturity remains how-
ever highly relative since master data
management software packages are
more than ten years old). But even
though they have started focusing on
the area, they have no idea how to get
started.
How to get started?
Implementing a data-centric initiative,
whether MDM or Big Data, requires
a rigorous approach to data. Which
implies the following:
First, that you know your data and
have identified all the information
repositories in a given scope.
Then, that data is both quantitative
and qualitative (MDM creating
through master data a single source
of truth in the information system).
MDM applies to product data,
customer data, HR data
Last but not least, that governance
is set up: which will translate into a
statement of duties and responsibili-
ties for the various players (inside and
outside of the organization) involved
at each data lifecycle stage.
As a result, the companys data (data
is a corporate asset in the sense that
it has intrinsic value) will increase in
value.
The challenge in implementing such
projects lies in the fact that the or-
ganization needs to change to reflect
the new data-centric approach; most
companies will find out about the
quality of their data during the pro-
cess and based on the observation,
set up governance. Though spon-
sored by top management, the initia-
tive will be driven by operational staff.
Valuing data by dedicating it to
business
Marketing aside, the value of this data
will have to be proven. And this is
where the vision (What?), the strategy
(How?) and the metrics (How much?)
will come in.
The aim of the above-mentioned
governance is to restore business
functions control over data. The
problem most often encountered
with customers, is that they consider
the data initiative to be primarily
an IT concern. As companies grow
in maturity, data responsibility will
have to be returned to departmental
functions. The true role of IT is to
ensure that people who have control
over data spend time analyzing it
rather than preparing it.
Complementarity with Big Data
The above introduction will be helpful
in understanding the new professions
created by Big Data which, unlike
those associated with the previous-
ly mentioned MDM, are not IT but
business related. In its classification
of new Big Data jobs, Gartner clearly
demonstrates that they are business
professions and not IT ones.
 PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS

p.33 - The Big Data jobs

The new Big Data jobs
For the sake of simplicity, we will list
4 categories of jobs which, though
sometimes not directly linked to Big
Data, have become visible and ap-
pealing thanks to the data awareness
created by Big Data :
- The CDO (Chief Data Officer)
- The data Steward: administers data
- The data Scientist: analyzes data
using complex statistical and data
mining tools
- The data Analyst: analyzes data in
light of specific business needs
1. T
 he CDO
This occupation is still quite rare, but
the concept is gaining ground and is
bound to spread. He is a company
high-ranking executive (C-Level) and
takes part in the executive committee.
He has multiple roles:
Where no CDOs are appointed, the
IT Department takes care of these
activities.
A communication job is
essential
The CDO is also tasked with setting up
an operational organization and gov-
ernance for the Governance Board;
as this term can be somewhat daunt-
ing, it is usually replaced by Gover-
nance council.
Communication actually plays a key
role in these new jobs. Indeed, all
the people holding those positions
(whether it be the CDO or the others)
will need to communicate a lot to jus-
tify any action taken based on data
considerations.
There will be an inevitable evolution of
the landscape in the next five years.

First, contributing to corporate The one thing unclear is whether the

strategy by providing data, managing
data and maintaining its quality level.
Then, sharing data insight internally
(in big companies, every entity has
repositories but no one has a view
across the whole organization) and
optimizing key business processes
through data consumption.
CDO is a ladder position. In fact, this
will depend on the IT Department
(CIO) and the way the role is fulfilled,
namely on the persons capacity (or in-
capacity) to move beyond infrastruc-
ture-related tasks. Nonetheless this
remains a grey area.

And finally, building a multi-skilled

team to achieve his objectives.

The CDO has enough power to

override resistance to change and
implement change strategies in the
company. And that is not all: the
CDO has an external dimension too,
namely in cases where the company
shares data with external parties. He
also intervenes in highly standardized
and/or regulated sectors (such as GSI
standards in retail for example).

CDOs can play an active role regarding

these standards - on behalf of a group
of stakeholders in a given activity
sector for instance - by implementing
the standard, sharing data, etc.
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
The Big Data jobs - p.34
2. The Data Steward
He has a certain knowledge of data
and works with it on a daily basis,
not necessarily in full-time capacity.
It is the lowest job in the new jobs
hierarchy, he is a doer. He must be
accountable to the CDO as he is part
of a community and does not work
alone. Big companies will typically have
one data Steward per area. In a matrix
organization, a business dimension
will be added. Data Stewards are in
charge of implementing the strategy
in the field, applying data governance
as set up by the CDO and enforcing
it; and likewise for best practices and
lifecycles.
3. The Data Scientist
The data Scientist is the one who adds
value to data. He has the tools to pro-
cess weak data (provided by the Data
Steward. Big Data may be recent, but
the challenges associated with it are
not. However, it is only now that tech-
nological advances have made pro-
cessing huge volumes of data, in real
time possible. The data Scientist is a
multi-skilled expert. He masters sta-
tistical and datamining tools and can
manipulate data in whichever way he
pleases; he knows the sector in which
he operates sufficiently well to orient
research according to its challen-
ges; and finally, he has an intimate
knowledge of processes that helps
him ask the right questions and figure
out possible answers.
As an example, customer turnover
or retention in telecom companies
is a critical issue since competition
is severe and product differentia-
tion often too low. To understand its
mechanisms, the data Scientist needs
to master the sectors specific charac-
teristics, the challenges associated
with churn and the statistics and da-
tamining tools typically used by these
businesses.
As a specialist in their field, the data
Scientist is someone who has ad-
vanced training and proven professio-
nal experience.
4. The Data Analyst
The data Analyst also adds value to
data. He receives part of the Scientists
data findings and cross-references
them with other reports and data to
which he has access within the context
of his job. He uses dashboarding, infor-
mation viewing and information explo-
ration tools that are somewhat similar
to those he uses for Business Intel-
ligence, but applies them differently
based on the data made available to
him and business challenges that need
to be met.
The data Analyst is not a technician, he
is a business professional with a keen
understanding of data. Let us take
the example of this Swiss customer
(Givaudan) specialized in fragrances,
who must reassure customers with
regards to product reliability and as-
sociated risks - which in this context
is a regulatory obligation. The use of
data will help stabilize and sustain the
activity. Data Analysts will use existing
traditional Business Intelligence tools
but complement them with Big Data
type solutions to do so. They are the
ones who will consolidate the various
sources of data and work on method
evolution to simplify and improve pro-
cesses.
From punishment to
career prospect
Working on data will help optimize
business processes and improve
business key performance indicators
(KPIs).
These new jobs now offer career pros-
pects and are no longer considered a
punishment. Traditionally, assigning
someone to any of these positions
was synonymous to sidelining them.
This is no longer the case.
Top universities (HEC, EN- SAE, Essec)
are now providing training courses on
data-related subjects. The fact that

HEC has incorporated a data dimen-
sion into its MBA program is in itself a
strong signal since this course is one
that is attended by people who are
well on the way to occupying key posi-
tions in their work organization.
The relationship between
MDM and Big Data
At the 2013 Enterprise Information
Management Summit in London, or-
ganized by Gartner, the analyst firm
insisted on the need to extend the
mature and structuring approach of
MDM to semi- or unstructured data;
this is what will link MDM to Big Data.
MDM and Big Data are perfectly com-
plementary. If Big Data is synonymous
to proliferation and chaos (often crea-
tive), then MDM is what will bring or-
der to it by structuring something that
is not, categorizing and organizing the
phenomenon.
Illustrating Example
How to develop and deliver a 360
customer view, the ultimate marke-
ters goal? To do so, we need several
types of master data managed by the
MDM: namely the customer (social se-
curity number, Siren if it is B2B, e-mail
address, other contact details, etc.).
Then, the customers history, segmen-
tation: this is Business Intelligence (BI).
Meaning that we will establish rela-
tionships between master data and
relational data, rather than the factual
data being customer purchases.
Big Data will thus enrich the initial as-
set with information on the customers
behavior, contacts with various brands
and networks in general, namely
through social networks and media.
All these different types of data are
thus required for a comprehensive bu-
siness view.
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.35 - The Big Data jobs
Big Data cannot be considered out-
side this reality event if some sources
(Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc.) have
a separate existence. There is intelli-
gence in the links between these data
and this is what will transform, and not
increase the datas value.
Retail illustrating example
The current marketing trend has
moved away from multi-channel
to omni-channel. But a successful
omni-channel strategy requires in-
depth customer knowledge, to enable
personalization, MDM, to better know
the customer, BI and finally social
networks.
If the retailer has a sound knowledge
of their products, provides relevant
information, irrespective of channel
used, and has up-to-date stock
information (through BI and links
namely with ERPs), he can personalize
customer offering by linking these
various levels of data.
MDM TRANSACTIONAL
DATA REFERENCE DATA FACT
BIG DATA
BEHAVIORAL DATA
Figure 12. 3 types of data and the
combination of the 3 areas
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
Big Data or Big Brother? - p.36
CHAPTER 06
Big Data or Big Brother?
Passions usually run high when it co-
mes to Big Data; it seems you either
hail the phenomenon as the future
of computing and a new economic
order or denounce it as the orwellian
drift of a scientific society that has
spun out of control.
A dispute not limited to the court of
public opinion since the European
Union ruling against the giant Google
in June 2014, which was highly symbo-
lic of the brewing unease in a society
where an extremely active minority
of users have launched a democratic
debate - one we absolutely do not in-
tend to avoid, or even challenge here.
After all, without going as far as swee-
ping everything in its path, the advent
of Big Data did change the economic
landscape and emphasize the moral
and ethical duties of companies, for
which social responsibility has moved
from choice to clear imperative.
In a way, the Big Data debate is remi-
niscent of the Web debate which took
place at the beginning of the 90s, at
the onset of the phenomenon.
Heads: the hope for a dynamic
sector that will boost the whole
economy
During a recent work session on eco-
nomic issues organized by French
newspaper Journal du dimanche and
cosponsored by Business & Decision,
Philippe Oddo, from Oddo bank, de-
clared by way of introduction: Big data
is about collecting and processing in-
formation to better anticipate future
trends in all sectors, namely in the
field of financial analysis. A preamble
that leaves little doubt to the fact that
Big Data is not only the future of high
tech, but also that of numerous more
traditional sectors. Such a statement
from a business professional is a very
strong signal indeed.
Tails: the privacy debate
The subject is not only at the heart
of the economy (for the Press which
has access to a huge volume of data,
according to Denis Olivennes), but
also at the heart of the debate on
privacy. Within the context of the
Open Internet Project 31, a terrifying
31
JDD article published on 8 February 2014: http://www.
lejdd.fr/Economie/Entreprises/Laurent-Alexandre-La-
strategie-secrete-de-Google-apparait-652106

presentation was made by Laurent
Alexandre (the surgeon who foun-
ded Doctissimo) on the totalitarian
goal of ITs dominant players, with a
strong focus on Google.
Dj-vu all over again
Innovation stirring up extreme
reactions is not a novelty - in High
Tech or other fields. In fact, the first
known example of this dates back
to 19th-century UK, with the Lud-
dites reaction to the introduction of
weaving looms.
All technological leaps, no matter
how small, give rise to a wave of
techo-scientism and a fierce and of-
ten irrational opposing movement.
Ignoring ethical issues is however
not an option. On the contrary, it is
up to companies to take the lead and
remove any ambiguity on the matter
for users, and its more severe critics.
The solution to privacy issues is
The Open Internet Project (Openly anti-Google site and association)32
32
These subjects are already extensively addressed in the
public sphere and are, above all, a debate of opinion.
We are thus not going to deal with them here. It should
also be noted that the European Union has already
taken action against giants of the Web and namely
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.37 - Big Data or Big Brother?
Probably Big Data itself
Big Data did not create the priva-
cy problem; but it certainly made it
worse.
And though technology is often
singled out as the prime culprit for
making Big Data dangerous, it is pro-
bably also the solution to the pro-
blem.
The network, for example, provides
a browser that scrambles data; today
this can be considered as hacking but
tomorrow, there will be a market for
this.
Technology and business can sur-
pass regulation. In a not-too-distant
future, maybe we will pay to protect
our data.
Indeed, it is highly possible that sal-
vation will not come from the State,
clearly unable to regulate tools with
a legal paraphernalia that is to slow
and rigid to adapt to the ever-chan-
ging IT sphere.
Google by way of its Right to be forgotten decision.
Another subject about which passions run high. These
are mentioned here but will not be delved into in detail.
FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
Big Data or Big Brother? - p.38
Espionage and Big Data have
nothing in common
Last but not least, is the conflation
between Big Data, Big Brother and
major social networks (not to the
mention the NSA32) often evident
in the general publics mind and the
sometimes hasty criticisms leveled at
Big Data.
The use that these players make of
Big Data must not be confused with
the goals of companies who only
wish to use Big Data to optimize sales
and performance without however
disrespecting the customer. This last
category includes the vast majority of
Big Data users and is the one which
interests us here and in our daily
work.
Moreover, we are faced today with a
double paradox. One the one hand,
users want relevant and personalized
information but do not want to be
watched. Evidenced by the fact that,
for some time now, consumers have
been treating any message not to
their liking as spam.
And on the other, users want to
protect their privacy but display their
whole life on social networks. This
even led Mark Zuckerberg to, albeit
a bit hastily, conclude that there was
no longer such a thing as privacy 33.
33
See. http://bit.ly/privateZuck for his speech on the
subject at the end of 2009. This sentence sparked a lot
of reaction on social media and elsewhere, compelling
Facebook to prove time and again that they were
respecting peoples private lives; they never really
managed to convince anyone of this.
In the midst of this debate, adverti-
sers cannot play the neutrality card.
Companies must choose a visibly
strong stance when it comes to
ethics and, if possible, do so proac-
tively. Above all else, a clear divide
must be imposed between anony-
mous and statistical data use (even
for personalized recommendations)
and spying on peoples private lives.
At the end of the day, the difference
between the two is not so much tech-
nical as it is human and ethical; and
likewise, any solution to the problem
will have to be human and ethical34 .
There is no middle ground when it
comes to Big Data: either the adver-
tiser adopts an ethical approach to it
or he intrudes, spams and oversteps
his boundaries; with the obvious im-
plications on his reputation if this is
publicly revealed and comes under
public criticism.
But all things considered - and once
the ethical issue is resolved beyond
ambiguity by advertisers - we cannot
dispute the fact that customer ex-
perience improvement depends on
in-depth customer knowledge; so,
ultimately, all businesses will turn to
Big Data.
34
See Orange Groups code of ethics, clearly in line with
this: http://oran.ge/SMYku4

CHAPTER 07
How to convert Big Data
into Big Busine$$
What to remember about
Big Data?
To conclude, what should we re-
member about Big Data? First and
foremost, that it is important to un-
derstand what it is; hastily and em-
phatically deciding that nothing has
changed, or on the contrary, that
everything that has is wrong. In rea-
lity, this is far from the case.
The first step is to once and for all
abandon some myths: analyzing the
whole of Big Data is a utopian dream.
Similarly, the idea that you must
store everything to someday use it
is highly unrealistic.
To begin with, storing useless data is
costly, even more for Big Data pro-
jects than for traditional Business In-
telligence projects. But more impor-
tantly, storage type must be specified
right from the start, with intended
processing in mind. As previously ar-
gued, there are statistical operations
that are impossible to perform if data
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.39 - How to convert Big Data into Big Busine$$
is stored in some decentralized for-
mats. The use of these formats would
preclude certain uses.
Without going into extremes, Big
Data processing sometimes takes
time, a timescale that increases ex-
ponentially with the volume of data
to process.
For satisfactory response times, a
compromise must often be found
between the amount of data to take
into consideration and the proces-
sing deadline. Keeping some inter-
mediate calculations up-to-date in
business oriented warehouses can
also help resolve the problem and
bring computing time down to ac-
ceptable levels.
If you are able to integrate all these
facts, then you will be able to convert
Big Data into Big Business.
 FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS - PAPER 1
How to convert Big Data into Big Busine$$ - p.40
The 10 key points
What are then the 10 points to re-
member to guarantee a successful
Big Data project?
1. T
 he initial objective
is important
If your objective is not clearly de-
fined, you run the risk of selecting the
wrong tools and penalizing your pro-
ject in terms of time and resources
consumed. Focus on use case ma-
turity and data identification rather
than investing in technical infrastruc-
ture. In the meantime, use Platform
as a Service.
2. The uncertainty notion
One of the most significant develop-
ments associated with Big Data, as
compared to more traditional work
on data, is the management of un-
certainty. This does not mean that
there is no planning involved or that
Big Data projects do not require
preparation; it is quite the contrary.
What it does mean and this is parti-
cularly true for marketing is that Big
Data projects must account for this
uncertainty right from the start and
be based on iterative models with, if
necessary, self-learning capabilities.
3. B
 ig Data requires multi-skilling
Big Data is not for robots. It is at the
intersection of automation, technolo-
gy and human intelligence. To make
the most of it and obtain results that
will meet your expectations, new
profiles must be cross-disciplina-
ry: IT, database, statistics, artificial
intelligence and last but not least,
business knowledge (marketing, fi-
nance, supply chain, etc.).
4. T
 his is a major phenomenon, as
important as CRM in its time
Almost everyone who criticizes Big
Data will tell you that it is not so-
mething new but a purely incidental
phenomenon, a fad that will die out
as quickly as it started. This is mi-
sunderstanding history and techno-
logy marketing as Big Data is rooted
in years of effort and trial and error
(marketing, finance, management)
that are finally bearing fruit thanks
to advances in technology and the
development of its uses (infrastruc-
tures, software, widespread use,
social Web predominance and om-
nipresent networks). All this means
that fundamental business challen-
ges are finally being met after 15 to
20 years of work and hit and miss.
A sure sign that the field is reaching
maturity - this convergence of means
will no doubt pave the way for spec-
tacular breakthroughs.
5. B
 ig Data has a significant
impact on organizations
Not only because new jobs have
been created for which there is still
no truly adequate training process.
But also because organizations
functions will be fundamentally re-
designed: knowledge, approaches,
decisions and methods are changing
drastically. Marketing, for example,
will no longer be done the way we
are doing it now, even if evolution will
take some years. If you are part of a
business organization, start taking an
interest in data now because your
job is about to change.

6. T
 he technology needed to
access Big Data is now available
Big Data is not something of the fu-
ture, it is already accessible here, to-
day even if its landscape is evolving
extremely rapidly. Many technologies
used for Big Data have in fact been
invented by the giants of the Web
(Google and Yahoo are two pioneers)
and are now available to anyone who
can implement them.
7. D
 ata is probably the less known
and less understood raw
material
The difference between an informa-
tion system (all the processes and or-
ganizations between data, its creation,
life, processing and archiving) and a
computer system (the hardware and
in particular the software that are used
to run everything and process data) is
a classic. Data is still today a big mys-
tery to business leaders who think
that computer systems magically and
effortlessly transform business.
But data can be fickle and needs a
lot of work. Its growing importance in
a society where computerization has
pervaded all sectors is compelling
users to change their perception of
data. There is however still a lot to do
for real change to occur.
8. M
 anaging a Big Data project is
different
Big Data is neither a fashion trend,
nor a buzz word for datamining. It
has its own vocabulary, professions,
methods, algorithms and specific
project approaches.
As mentioned in this white paper, a
Big Data project has specific charac-
teristics. Above and beyond the tech-
nical approach, it demands distinc-
tive methodologies, an appropriate
legal framework and a reliable way to
measure social impacts.
PAPER 1 - FROM BIG DATA TO BIG BUSINESS
p.41 - How to convert Big Data into Big Busine$$
New knowledge and skills will have
to be acquired; and since Big Data is
constantly reconfiguring itself lear-
ning will be continuous.
9. Y
 ou cannot escape Big Data,
and all businesses will even-
tually embrace it, as is the case
for the internet
All true innovations always have a
more or less similar adoption curve,
very well described by Geoffrey
Moore in Crossing the Chasm, his
90s best-seller.
Big Data is at an inflection point
where adoption is starting to spread
beyond the elite circle of Web giants
and social media that invented it. Ap-
plying its techniques and approaches
to companies in more traditional sec-
tors is now possible. This journey is
just the beginning.
10. B
 ig Data is not just about
real time
Even if Hadoop is a major innovation,
Big Data is not just about Hadoop or
real time. Some of its uses are indeed
adapted to a large volume of data
and may require, depending on the
case, remote processing. It is a savvy
combination of various approaches
and techniques that will ensure Big
Data project quality and results.
It is only by integrating these various
points characterizing true Big Data
that future companies will be able to
convert Big Data into Big Business.
LIVRE 1 - LIVRE BLANC DU BIG DATA AU BIG BUSINESS

Chapitre 1 - p.01
 LIVRE 1 - LIVRE BLANC DU BIG DATA AU BIG BUSINESS

Chapitre 1 - p.01

Contributors to this white paper :

Patrick Bensabat, Didier Gaultier,
Michael Hoarau, Bruno Laug
et Yann Gourvenec

For more information, please visit our

specialist blog on Big Data.

blog.businessdecision.com
LIVRE 1 - LIVRE BLANC DU BIG DATA AU BIG BUSINESS

Chapitre 1 - p.01

New disciplines at the coming to-

gether of statistics, technology, da-
tabases and jobs, Big Data is not a
trend. It will profoundly change the
world of business, and breakout of
the closed circle of web and social
media giants who invented them.

Eventually, all companies will adopt

the use of Big Data, in the same way
they have adopted the use of the
internet. This white paper aims to
identify clearly, without jargon, im-
pacts and uses of Big Data.

Coordinated by Business & Deci-

sion, this white paper is written by
professionals in the treatment and
management of information recog-
nized for thier expertise in business
intelligence, marketing and e-busi-
ness.