Big Data

Arron Surridge-Taylor

BSc (Hons) Secondary Design and Technology Education

Design and Technology in Education and Society 2

Today’s session

Aim

• Explore the concept of Big Data and

the issues surrounding it.

By the end of this session you will:

• be able to explain what we mean by

big data

• be able to explain arguments for and

against big data

• be able to find resources to help write

about big data.

Written Definition

Big Data is the next big thing in computing, it generates value from very large datasets that cannot be analyzed with traditional computing techniques.

Barnatt (2012)

What is big data and how does it work?

Click here for a simplified video.

We upload daily:• 55 million pictures• 240 million tweets• 1 billion documents

2.5 quintillion bytes of data

What can it be used for?

MedicineCuring and preventing diseases

Daily usageRecommendations

TransportAccident free travel

Let’s go a bit more in depth to what big data can do.

Click here for a more in depth video.

“This is the next big thing in computing, generates value from very large datasets that cannot be analyzed with traditional computing techniques.”

Christopher BarnattFuturistic and Keynote speakerFreelance futurist, keynote speaker and videographer. He has published eleven books and numerous articles.

Click here for Christopher’s Video.

• Retailer Databases• Logistics• Financial and health data• Social media• Vision Recognition • Online Blogs, (Facebook photos)

• Volume, Velocity, Variety.

Traditional Data Big Data

Documents Photographs (Police)

Finances Audio & Video

Stock Records 3D Models

Personnel Files Simulations

Location Data

“This is the next big thing in computing, generates value from very large datasets that cannot be analyzed with traditional computing techniques.”

Big Data Opportunities

Big data provides an opportunity to provide insight into new and emerging types of data:

• Gives enterprises deeper insight into customers, partners and business.

• Help farmers accurately forecast weather and crop failures.

• Governments predict and plan for civil unrest or pandemics.

• Save costs in efficiency and quality savings in healthcare.

• Save on government administration costs.

Christopher BarnattFuturistic and Keynote speakerFreelance futurist, keynote speaker and videographer. He has published eleven books and numerous articles.

Click here for Christopher’s Video.

Susan EtlingerData analystSusan Etlinger promotes the smart, well-considered and ethical use of data.

‘’It’s a choice between big brother watching you, and you watching big brother.’’

Discuss

“We are not passive consumers of data and technology.”

“We have to pay as much attention to how we think as we code.”

“We have to ask questions and hard questions to move past counting things to understand them.”

“Facts are stubborn things.”

“Data doesn’t create meaning, we do.”

Click here for Susan’s Ted Talk.

Susan EtlingerData analystSusan Etlinger promotes the smart, well-considered and ethical use of data.

“As my high school algebra teacher used to say, show your math, because if I

don't know what steps you took, I don't know what steps you didn't take, and

if I don't know what questions you asked, I don't know what questions you

didn't ask. And it means asking ourselves, really, the hardest question of

all: Did the data really show us this, or does the result make us feel more

successful and more comfortable?”

Click here for Susan’s Ted Talk.

Kenneth Cukier

Data Editor of The EconomistKenneth Cukier is the Data Editor of The Economist.

“Data doesn't allow us to see more, it allows us to see new, it allows us to see better, it allows us to see different. “

Click here for Kenneth’s Video.

Kenneth Cukier

Data Editor of The EconomistKenneth Cukier is the Data Editor of The Economist.

Click here for Kenneth’s Video.

Kenneth Cukier

Data Editor of The EconomistKenneth Cukier is the Data Editor of The Economist.

Click here for Kenneth’s Video.

The challenge will be safeguarding free will, moral choice, human volition, human agency.

Big data is going to steal our jobs. Big data and algorithms are going to challenge white collar,

professional knowledge work in the 21st century in the same way that factory automation and

the assembly line challenged blue collar labour in the 20th century.

Businesses collect lots of data, and they misuse it too, and we need to get better at this, and

this will take time. It's a little bit like the challenge that was faced by primitive man and

fire. This is a tool, but this is a tool that, unless we're careful, will burn us.

“Challenges of Big Data.”

Kenneth Cukier

Data Editor of The EconomistKenneth Cukier is the Data Editor of The Economist.

Click here for Kenneth’s Video.

Big Data in Context

T I

Arguments for Big Data

• Foresee deadly infections

• Predict building fires

• Anticipate the best moment to buy a plane ticket

Arguments against Big Data

• How will machines make the decisions?

• What will happen to privacy?

• How do you regulate an algorithm?

FORBES 12 DEFINITONS OF BIG DATA.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2014/09/03/12-big-data-definitions-whats-yours/#2715e4857a0b77a3a6b721a9

(#9) The shift (for individuals) from consuming data to creating data.

#(11) The belief that the more data you have the more insights and

answers will rise automatically from the pool of ones and zeros.

#(12) A new attitude by businesses, non-profits, government agencies,

and individuals that combining data from multiple sources could lead to

better decisions.

Today’s session

Aim

• Explore the concept of Big Data and

the issues surrounding it.

By the end of this session you will:

• be able to explain what we mean by

big data

• be able to explain arguments for and

against big data

• be able to find resources to help write

about big data.

References

• Cukier, K. (2014, June). Kenneth Cukier: Big data is better data. Available at:

https://www.ted.com/talks/kenneth_cukier_big_data_is_better_data?language=en [Date accessed 29th November

2015]

• Etlinger, S. (2014, September). Susan Etlinger: What do we do with all this big data? Available at:

https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_etlinger_what_do_we_do_with_all_this_big_data?language=en [Date accessed 29th

November 2015]

• Explaining Big Data, 2012. [user generated content description] ExplainingComputers. 16 June 2012. 16 June 2012.

Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D1CQ_LOizA [Date accessed 7th January 2016].

• Katharine Armstrong (2014) Big data: a revolution that will transform how we live, work, and think, Information,

Communication & Society. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2014.923482 [Date accessed 7th

January 2016].

• Mayer-Schonberger, V, Cukier, K, 2013. Big Data, a revolution that will transform how we live, work, and think. Great

Britain: John Murrary.

• What is Big Data, 2013. [user generated content description] Fuse Universal. 3 May 2013. Available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cRAdB9eriY [Date accessed 5th January 2016].

• What is Big Data and how does it work, 2013. [user generated content description] Funk-e Studios. 12 November

2013. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzxmjbL-i4Y [Date accessed 5th January 2016].