Feel overwhelmed by the seeming mountains of data coming your way? If so, you are certainly not alone. According to the New York Times (1) we live in the Age of Big Data, with a barrage of data coming from a myriad of sources, and all needing to be classified, sorted, and managed if it is going to be profitable rather than overwhelming. Gone are the days when megabytes were a big deal, we are now dealing with such names as petabytes, zettabytes, and gigabytes, and our digital data storage is expected to reach 35 trillion gigabytes by the year 2020.

Current data could fill a stack of DVDs that would traverse the space between the earth and the moon and come back again (2). In order to stay afloat in the data ocean, companies are turning to new technologies to survive and thrive in the Age of Big Data.

Skilled Data Consultants

While the human being is certainly not new technology, data consultants are one of the top priorities for major companies today. It takes more than the ability to utilize the search function on the computer to effectively handle today’s mega lode of data, and intelligent, highly-skilled data consultants and analysts are in high demand to keep companies ahead or at least in pace with today’s data overload.

Specific Data Tools

Just because data is out there does not mean your company needs to latch onto it. A critical downfall in the Age of Big Data is the tendency to try to ingest too much data. Specific companies need specific data, and learning to limit yourself to the data necessary for your needs is vital. eGov Innovation (3) recommends assessing your company’s data output size and content to help determine management solutions.

Once your data needs have been determined, finding software to help manage that data is a logical next step. Sometimes, data can be completely handled in-house, while other solutions involve hosting data on the cloud: making it far more assessable in today’s mobile workforce.

• Data Management – Software such as the web-based Digital Data Manager provides a great way to work with many databases all at once. There are many such programs which offer the ability to customize data handling to individual needs and can be easily used by both non-technical and advanced users. Reporting, scheduling, and a wealth of data manipulation tools are a key part of such programs.
• Collaboration Tools – Sometimes data is a little less complex and involves multiple users collaborating on a single project. And while you may not need to know logarithms to accomplish this form of data management, having effective tools is still a great way to ensure success. Tools such as Project Bubble and Freedcamp allow multiple users to discuss projects, upload documents, share ideas, get client feedback, and so much more. These web-based interfaces are a fantastic way to keep everyone on the same page and productivity at high levels.

As your company strides forward in the Age of Big Data, data will either drag you down or boost you on to higher levels of productivity. Harnessing the data set your company needs will continue to be vital for thriving in today’s information driven culture.

1. nytimes.com/2012/02/12/sunday-review/big-datas-impact-in-the-world.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all
2. computerworld.com/s/article/357092/Why_Big_Data_Is_a_Big_Deal
3. enterpriseinnovation.net/content/how-deal-big-data-right-way

Meg Jones writes about web and digital subjects for fun and for Project Bubble, a project management software company that makes getting the job done a whole lot easier, faster, and more efficient.