Chapter 1

Internet of Things

a world where interconnected Internet-enabled devices or "things" have the ability to collect and share data without human intervention.

Structured Data

has a defined length, type, and format and includes numbers, dates, or strings such as Customer Address. Structured data is typically stored in a traditional system such as a relational database or spreadsheet and accounts for about 20 percent of the data that surrounds us.

Knowledge

includes the skills, experience, and expertise, coupled with information and intelligence, that creates a person's intellectual resources

Big data

is a collection of large complex data sets, including structured and unstructured data, which cannot be analyzed using traditional database methods and tools

Variable

is a data characteristic that stands for a value that changes or varies over time.

Report

is a document containing data organized in a table, matrix, or graphical format allowing users to easily comprehend and understand information.

Snapshot

is a view of data at a particular moment in time. The data highlight characteristics such as order date, customer, sales representative, product, quantity, and profit.

Machine generated data

is created by a machine without human intervention. Machine-generated structured data includes sensor data, point-of-sale data, and web log data.

Static Report

is created once based on data that does not change. Static reports can include a sales report from last year or salary report from five years ago.

Information

is data converted into a meaningful and useful context. The simple difference between data and information is that computers or machines need data and humans need information

Human Generated Data

is data that humans, in interaction with computers, generate. Human-generated structured data includes input data, click-stream data, or gaming data.

Business Intelligence

is information collected from multiple sources such as suppliers, customers, competitors, partners, and industries that analyzes patterns, trends, and relationships for strategic decision making. BI manipulates multiple variables and in some cases even hundreds of variables including such items as interest rates, weather conditions, and even gas prices.

Unstructured Data

is not defined and does not follow a specified format and is typically free-form text such as emails, Twitter tweets, and text messages. Unstructured data accounts for about 80 percent of the data that surrounds us.

Facts

is the confirmation or validation of an event or object. In the past, people primarily learned facts from books.

Behavioral Analytics

uses data about people's behaviors to understand intent and predict future actions.

Information Age

when infinite quantities of facts are widely available to anyone who can use a computer.

Predictive Analytics

which extracts information from data and uses it to predict future trends and identify behavioral patterns.

Machine to Machine

which refers to devices that connect directly to other devices.

core drivers of the information age

Data Information Business intelligence Knowledge

sources of structured data

Machine generated data Human generated data

Sources of unstructured data

Machine-generated unstructured data includes satellite images, scientific atmosphere data, and radar data. Human-generated unstructured data includes text messages, social media data, and emails.

Knowledge Worker

are individuals valued for their ability to interpret and analyze information

Data

are raw facts that describe the characteristics of an event or object.

Dynamic Report

changes automatically during creation. Dynamic reports can include updating daily stock market prices or the calculation of available inventory.

Analytics

is the science of fact-based decision making.