Big Data: Cut through the noise

This article cautions against Big Data's ability to generate 'spurious correlations' and proposes seven steps to help generate insight.

Big Data: Cut through the noise

Nick BarthramIndicia

Humans are programmed to see patterns even where they don't exist, so the combination of Big Data and human inference can lead to spurious correlation rather than genuine insight. Nick Barthram of Indicia offers seven steps to help find that insight.

With so many combinations inherent in Big Data, it's inevitable that many patterns will begin to emerge showing strong correlations. However, in reality, the vast majority of these patterns will just be noise, worse than redundant when looking for insight as they actively lead you into making false conclusions; what...

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