If you own a FitBit, have shopped online or stored your work on a cloud, then you’ve probably heard the term big data.
With every swipe of a card, surf of the Web and tap of a smartphone, we give businesses millions of bits of data about our likes and dislikes. Every action we take online leaves a trail of digital breadcrumbs—and big data captures all of that to make the world around us better, faster and smarter.
(And you thought the Internet was game-changing).
Big data will continue to have a big impact on life as we know it, but it’ll be most transformative in how we think, act and learn. Jim Smith, a data and business intelligence instructor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, Center for Continuing Education shares why:
How We Think
“In the consumer market, big data is essential for businesses’ decision making process,” Smith says.
More companies are launching marketing campaigns and new products based on consumer spending and buying behavior, information all culled from their online habits. Big data now forces businesses to analyze before they act. It’s also creating a new breed of consumer, one who expects companies to know what she wants and provide it before she even asks.
How We Act
Imagine a wearable sensor that tells you how many miles you ran or hours you slept and a pill box that tracks if you’ve taken your medication. No, these gadgets aren’t dreams in some far off Jetsons future. Big data has made them a reality today. With the Internet of Things, there are more connected devices than ever. https://blog.coursehorse.com/blog/3-game-changing-ways-big-data-will-transform-the-world/And all of them are gathering tons of data about your everyday habits.
“Internet of Things devices produce so much data that this data is being sourced to make actionable decisions,” Smith says.
What happens when your wristwatch says you’re slacking on exercise or not getting enough sleep? More likely than not, you do something about it. When you know better, you do better—and big data is making this happen.
How We Learn
By 2018, there will be an estimated 4 million big data jobs. With these figures, schools will have to keep filling the pipeline. BMCC’s Center for Continuing Education is one of a few schools preparing students for this future.
“There’s a weirdness that these areas even exist,” Smith says. “But there has to be more awareness and more programs that show students IT careers aren’t just about being a programmer. They can learn about big data.”
Learn more about big data at Borough of Manhattan Community College Center for Continuing Education or sign up for one of its continuing education classes on CourseHorse.