Despite the amount of hype in the technical industry, there isn’t always a visible path to operational benefit. Many organizations are investing blindly in data science and big data without understanding the benefits the technology can bring or the talent required to leverage their investments. Learn how to think about Big Data projects through examples in everyday life. This session will clear the fog around the continuously growing technology market and empower decision makers to steer their businesses into increasing margins and reducing cost through data.
Decision Making Under Uncertainty - Is It Better Off Joining a Partnership or...
Big Data of Everyday Things
1. THE BIG DATA OF
EVERYDAY THINGS
Gerard Dwan
@gerarddwan
O P E N
D A T A
S C I E N C E
C O N F E R E N C E_
BOSTON 2015
@opendatasci
Everyday Examples for Extraordinary Technology
2. PRESENTER
INTRODUCTION
Informationist @ Knowledgent
Work with clients to develop data and analytics solutions
Specialize in Big Data in the Financial Services Industry
Studied Computer Science at WPI
Wrote an introduction to MapReduce (with others)
Comic Book and Lego Nerd
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
4. WHAT IS BIG DATA?
NOT JUST TOOLS
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
Wikipedia: Big data is a broad term for
data sets so large or complex that
traditional data processing applications
are inadequate.
The Reality is Big Data has been Around for a Long
Time
The tools haven’t been
Technology allows us to move beyond using sample
set and into using whole data sets!
6. …AND DATA SCIENCE?
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
Combination of
Skilled Knowledge Workers
Data (in All Forms)
Tools and Technologies to Leverage
Data
Understanding of Business
NOT JUST TOOLS
Wikipedia: Data Science is the extraction of
knowledge from data, which is a continuation of
the field data mining and predictive analytics, also
known as knowledge discovery and data mining
(KDD).
7. INSPIRATION
The Big Data of Everyday Things is
inspired, in part, by The Design of
Everyday Things by Donald A.
Norman.
Even the smartest among us can feel inept
as we fail to figure out which light switch
or oven burner to turn on, or whether to
push, pull, or slide a door. The fault,
argues this ingenious—even liberating—
book, lies not in ourselves, but in product
design that ignores the needs of users
and the principles of cognitive
psychology.
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
10. DIRECTIONS
Global Positioning System (GPS) units and
Navigation Systems for Vehicles become widely
available
Broadcast model
Updating GPS units is an issue, additional fees
required for traffic
Smartphones begin providing the same
functionality as a GPS unit
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
11. DIRECTIONS – WAZE,
GOOGLE
Waze
A project was started to create a
community driven map of Israel. It
evolved to include community
driven traffic, points-of-interest,
and local events. They were
acquired by Google in 2013.
Bring together data from all
drivers on similar routes to
determine which is best
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
13. ROADWAYS/PAVEMENT
Highways, freeways, streets, driveways, parks, and
more need to be repaved often
In snowy areas, snow and ice cause traffic jams and
accidents
Adding salt to the roads to help melt ice causes corrosion
Lack of visibility and the inability to be proactive
cause major accidents and lead to serious injuries
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
16. SOLAR ROADWAYS (AND
PAVEMENT)
Connected network of solar panels
They work together to collect sunlight (and data) to
warn drivers, divert traffic, and power the entire
country!
Data collected can determine trends in
Weather
Driving Patterns (e.g. aggressive driving v. time of day, etc)
Understand Wild-life Activity
… Anything else?
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
18. FITNESS TRACKING
People (generally) have been tracking physical
activity for a while
Cardio – walking, biking, running
Weight Training
With traditional methods, it is
difficult to
Observe Long Term Trends
Compete
See How Others are performing
Maintain Consistency
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
21. THEME PARKS
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts numbers fall in mid-
2000s
Survey results for “intent to return” are largely “no”
Lost children at Disney World a large part of
anecdotal conversation
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
22. THEME PARKS –
MYMAGIC+
MagicBand
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
Hotel Room key, for guests staying at on-
site Disney resorts
Theme and water park ticket (with valid
park admission and biometric validation)
Food, Beverage, and Merchandise
Payment
FastPass+ distribution, redemption, and
exchanges
Connect Disney Memory Maker or
PhotoPass images to your account
Contain a 2.4GHz transmitter for longer
range wireless communication which will
be used to track the band's location
within Walt Disney World`
23. THEME PARKS – DATA USE
Measure
Ride Popularity
Success of new
attractions
Recommend
People who rode this
ride also visited this
restaurant
Better Vendor Cart
Placement
Anything else?
GERARD DWAN | @GERARDDWAN
