The Project Manager's Guide to Big Data

Lessons Learned

The following are typical reasons for big data project failures.

Many of the big data failures can be directly linked to the planning stage (The Big Data Playbook).
Business problem not clearly defined.
Focus only on technology rather than business opportunities.
Lack of participation of business users.
Unclear idea of who your users are.
Creating a team consisting primarily of IT experts.

Success requires a blend of talent (Building Off Best Practices).

“According to Rich Katz, CTO of Elemica, creating a cross-functional team including operations, engineers, technology, sales, logistics, finance, etc. is instrumental in tying analytical efforts back to specific business objectives.

By creating a collaborative environment of intelligent, cross-enterprise decision-making, and a pervasive data-driven culture, executives are able to make more informed decisions that drive positive change in their businesses, he says (Building Off Best Practices)."
Lack of expertise to connect the dots.
Not making the required people investments.
Not training staff.
Vendors do not have required qualifications and expertise.

“There are hustlers and charlatans who promise the world but don’t produce results. These vendors realize there’s a lot of hype around big data and behave accordingly. Many legacy consultants and systems integrators have positioned themselves as experts despite their lack of qualifications (The Big Data Wild West: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly).”
Not understanding the technology, such as not using the right tools, not understanding the platforms, etc.
Success metrics not determined.
Lack of access to the data due to data silos for sales, marketing, HR etc., each restricted to meet compliance.
Not using the basic data they already have in a way that engages consumers.
Not knowing how to separate useful information from the myriad of data.
Lack of business context around data.

About Patti Gilchrist

Patti Gilchrist is a Sr. Technical Manager with 25 years experience implementing strategic enterprise initiatives.

Patti has a reputation for effectively translating business problems into innovative solutions and creating strategic roadmaps to achieve business goals.

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Lessons Learned

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