Big data analytics
Big data analytics is the often complex process of examining big data to uncover information -- such as hidden patterns, correlations, market trends and customer preferences -- that can help organizations make informed business decisions.. See complete definition.
Top Stories
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Feature
06 Jan 2023
18 top big data tools and technologies to know about in 2023
Numerous tools are available to use in big data applications. Here's a look at 18 popular open source technologies, plus additional information on NoSQL databases. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jan 2023
18 data science tools to consider using in 2023
Numerous tools are available for data science applications. Read about 18, including their features, capabilities and uses, to see if they fit your analytics needs. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jan 2023
Top trends in big data for 2023 and beyond
Big data is driving changes in how organizations process, store and analyze data. The benefits are spurring even more innovation. Here are four big trends. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Nov 2022
What makes up an analytics pipeline?
Analytics pipelines were traditionally hidden away, but they're changing as more organizations focus on agility for their data. Learn what makes up a successful analytics pipeline. Continue Reading
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Quiz
28 Oct 2022
Data science quiz: Test your knowledge
Interested in becoming a data scientist? This short quiz will test what you know about the data science process, required skills and how data scientists do their jobs. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Oct 2022
Top 35 big data interview questions with answers for 2023
Big data is a hot field and organizations are looking for talent at all levels. Get ahead of the competition for that big data job with these top interview questions and answers. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Oct 2022
Make data usability a priority on data quality for big data
To help make big data analytics applications more effective, IT teams must augment conventional data quality processes with measures aimed at improving data usability for analysts. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Feb 2022
8 benefits of using big data for businesses
Big data is a great resource for driving smart business decisions and changes. Here are eight ways that the use of big data is improving how business gets done. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Feb 2022
Hadoop vs. Spark: An in-depth big data framework comparison
Hadoop and Spark are widely used big data frameworks. Here's a look at their features and capabilities and the key differences between the two technologies. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Feb 2022
Self-service data preparation: What it is and how it helps users
Using self-service tools to properly prepare data simplifies analytics and visualization tasks for business users and speeds complex modeling processes for data scientists. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Jan 2022
6 data preparation best practices for analytics applications
Amid issues of data sources, data silos and data quality, the process of collecting and prepping data for analytics applications requires a practical and effective approach. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Jan 2022
Data preparation in machine learning: 6 key steps
Trustworthy analytics outcomes depend on the right data, requiring data scientists to focus on these steps when they prepare data for use in machine learning applications. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jan 2022
Evaluate GPU vs. CPU for data analytics tasks
As data analytics becomes more commonplace, you might wonder what processor best suits such complex tasks. The CPU and GPU specialize in different tasks but excel together. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Jan 2022
10 big data challenges and how to address them
Bringing a big data initiative to fruition requires an array of data skills and best practices. Here are 10 big data challenges enterprises must be ready for. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Dec 2021
Benefits of predictive analytics for businesses
Predictive analytics' ability to forecast the future based on patterns in past data can give businesses a huge edge. Read about how to use this advanced form of business analytics. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Dec 2021
Predictive analytics in marketing: Achieving success
The use of predictive analytics in marketing is transforming how companies sell to customers, but the learning curve can be steep. Here's what you need to know to be successful. Continue Reading
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News
16 Dec 2021
Bigeye brings new visibility to data observability
The startup continues to build out its cloud platform that enables data engineers to identify and remediate data pipeline quality and availability problems. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Dec 2021
5-step predictive analytics process cycle
A viable predictive model that yields valuable outcomes requires a methodical team approach to goal-setting, data integrity and model development, deployment and validation. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Dec 2021
6 challenges of building predictive analytics models
The use of predictive analytics in marketing can bring benefits companywide. But building a good predictive analytics model is not trivial. Here are six challenges. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Nov 2021
7 top predictive analytics use cases: Enterprise examples
Across industries, companies are using predictive analytics to forecast future trends and actions. Learn about the most popular use cases for predictive analytics in 2022. Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2021
Alluxio accelerates data orchestration, raises $50M
Connecting disparate sources of data for analytics and machine learning gets faster in the vendor's latest platform update, released alongside a Series C funding round. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Nov 2021
Business shift to a data monetization strategy elevates CDOs
As their focus dramatically swings from compliance issues to data monetization, chief data officers are on track to take their rightful place among C-level executives, but slowly. Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2021
Women-led data labeling AI startup raises $70M in Series B
The women-led training data vendor’s fundraising success is notable of the lack of women in tech. Sama also is mission driven, aiming to lift people out of poverty in Africa. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Oct 2021
Data warehouses and holistic business intelligence
Data warehouses help companies gather analytics on individual systems and data for a holistic view of company performance, spot correlations and make informed decisions. Continue Reading
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Quiz
31 Aug 2021
Quiz: Test your understanding of the Hadoop ecosystem
This quiz will test your knowledge of Hadoops basics including framework, capabilities and related technologies. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Aug 2021
8 top data science applications and use cases for businesses
Data scientists engage in various applications to analyze data and create technologies. These are eight common ones, with examples from different organizations and industries. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Aug 2021
How to structure and manage a data science team
Data science teams typically include various analytics and data professionals and can be set up in different ways, as explained here along with tips on managing them. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Aug 2021
Data science vs. machine learning vs. AI: How they work together
Data science, machine learning and AI are central to analytics and other enterprise uses. Here's what each involves and how combining them benefits organizations. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Aug 2021
14 most in-demand data science skills you need to succeed
The demand for data scientists continues to grow, but the job requires a combination of technical and soft skills. Here are 14 key skills for effective data scientists. Continue Reading
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Quiz
09 Aug 2021
Quiz: Big data analytics technologies and techniques
Big data analytics technologies and techniques can help you gain valuable business insights. Take this quiz to test your knowledge of big data analytics tools and best practices. Continue Reading
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Opinion
30 Jul 2021
Successful digital transformation strategies start with data
Data has become a natural resource essential to business ops. Companies need to consider four digital transformation elements when developing strategies to harness data. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jul 2021
An introduction to big data in the cloud
As enterprises add big data projects in the cloud, IT admins need to adjust their skills accordingly. Dive into this comprehensive guide to see what makes a cloud shift so attractive. Continue Reading
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News
01 Jul 2021
Eckerson Group unveils service to benchmark analytics
Consulting firm Eckerson Group recently developed an assessment for the insurance industry to help companies compare their analytics programs with their peers. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jun 2021
Top 5 benefits of augmented analytics
Learn how augmented analytics helps make companies more agile by expanding employee access to data and speeding the decision-making process -- all while saving costs. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jun 2021
Does hiring a freelance data scientist make sense for you?
Enterprises need to make the right hiring choices when it comes to supporting their data projects. Here are some reasons your company may or may not consider hiring a freelancer. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Jun 2021
The top augmented analytics tools vendors are offering
From natural language querying to automated data preparation, augmented analytics are key capabilities for the top BI platforms. Read on to see what popular vendors are offering. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Jun 2021
The next generation data scientist
The data scientist role continues to evolve as AI takes hold and domain knowledge becomes paramount. Explore the skills and expectations required for the future data scientist. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2021
Domo streamlines embedded analytics platform
The vendor released a new version of Domo Everywhere, streamlining the embedded BI platform to make it easier to develop and distribute applications. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 May 2021
Utah agency tracks wildlife data with Google analytics tools
Tools from the Google Cloud Platform enabled the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to manage the growing amount of data that overwhelmed its on-premises system. Continue Reading
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News
18 May 2021
SAS analytics platform adds native support for AWS, GCP
SAS unveils cloud-native support for AWS and Google Cloud during SAS Global Forum, the vendor's virtual user conference. SAS introduced similar support for Microsoft Azure in 2020. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 May 2021
6 essential big data best practices for businesses
These best practices can help businesses put their big data strategy on the right track to meet analytics needs and produce the expected business benefits. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 May 2021
Data scientist job outlook in post-pandemic world
There was a lull in hiring for one of the hottest jobs in the U.S., but as lockdowns start to lift and offices start to reopen, the data scientist job outlook is changing. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Apr 2021
Building a big data architecture: Core components, best practices
To process the infinite volume and variety of data collected from multiple sources, most enterprises need to get with the program and build a multilayered big data architecture. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Apr 2021
8 big data use cases for businesses and industry examples
As the understanding of big data requirements increases, so do big data use cases. Here are eight ways businesses are using big data to improve operations. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Apr 2021
12 must-have features for big data analytics tools
Searching for a big data analytics tool for your organization? Here are 12 key features to look for during the software evaluation and selection process. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Apr 2021
Big data vs. machine learning: How they differ and relate
Big data and machine learning are a powerful analytics pairing. Here's an explanation of the difference between them and how they can be used together. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Apr 2021
Top 7 big data courses for 2021
Building new big data skills can be beneficial for professionals of all types -- from aspiring data scientists to current big data workers and business executives. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Apr 2021
Air Force's data overhaul makes analytics a priority
With its data locked in legacy systems that didn't communicate with one another, in 2017 the Air Force started to overhaul of its BI stack to enable data-driven decision-making. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Apr 2021
6 reasons you may need data science as a service
There are plenty of reasons to outsource all or part of a data science project to a service. Find out how enterprises are using DSaaS in their analytics pipeline. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Apr 2021
A history and timeline of big data
Milestones that led to today's big data revolution -- from 1600s' statistical analysis to the first programmable computer in the 40s to the internet, Hadoop, IoT, AI and more. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Mar 2021
A look at the DataOps engineer role and responsibilities
DataOps engineers and data engineers are often conflated, but they have separate, distinct responsibilities. Take a look at what differentiates the emerging role. Continue Reading
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News
24 Mar 2021
Incorta 5 advances direct data mapping technology
The big data analytics platform vendor will add more data connectors and advance data visualization capabilities as enterprises' need for more insights from data continues to grow. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
19 Mar 2021
What analytics leaders need to know about graph technology
Enterprise graph analytics adoption has been trending recently and is only expected to grow. Gartner analyst Mark Beyer explores what you need to know about graph technology. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Mar 2021
6 must-have big data skills to land a big data job
Learn which types of big data jobs are in demand and which six specialized skill sets are necessary to compete in this potentially lucrative data management field. Continue Reading
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Quiz
17 Mar 2021
What do you know about graph data analytics?
Graph database and analytics adoption has been trending in the last few years as their use cases continue to expand. Use this quiz to find out what you know about the technology. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Mar 2021
Top 25 big data glossary terms you should know
Big data knowledge and awareness can help businesses and individuals get ahead. Understanding the most important terms in big data is an excellent place to start that journey. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Feb 2021
Top 5 enterprise graph analytics use cases
Gartner expects enterprise graph analytics adoption to grow in the coming years. Read on to find out why the technology is on the rise across organizational markets. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Feb 2021
Python code formatting: Tools you need and why it matters
Computers don't care about the style of your code, so why should you? See what Al Sweigart has to say about code formatting, and get a sneak peek at his new book. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Feb 2021
Do you need a data warehouse for business intelligence?
Some organizations have moved away from using data warehouses in their business intelligence strategies. Read on to find out how approaches to data storage for BI are changing. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Feb 2021
Decision intelligence software boosted by analytics, AI
Enterprise adoption of decision intelligence is projected to grow in the next few years. Find out how analytics and AI support decision modeling and how organizations are using it. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Jan 2021
Why using graph analytics for big data is on the rise
Graph analytics is being used across industries for different reasons. Read on to see how they can improve organizational decision-making, network analysis, production and more. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Jan 2021
Key differences in uses of DataOps vs. DevOps
As with DevOps, DataOps hinges on cooperation between teams and breaking down silos within an organization with the focus of implementing and maintaining a data architecture. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jan 2021
6 top business benefits of real-time data analytics
The potential benefits of real-time analytics applications for organizations include faster decision-making, increased business agility, better customer service and more. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Jan 2021
DataOps engineer an emerging role in analytics
As organizations accumulate more data and realize the need to implement a DataOps strategy, they are now seeking DataOps specialists to help implement and oversee data management. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Dec 2020
Augmented analytics lead analytics trends for 2021
Augmented analytics adoption was one of the top trends for 2020. Adoption still seems strong for 2021 as well as personalization the role of AI in analytics overall. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Dec 2020
Analytics in real estate thrive in the commercial market
Data can drive everything from investment to redevelopment in the commercial real estate spaces, and analytics will continue to lead change in the industry. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Dec 2020
15 common data science techniques to know and use
Data scientists use a variety of statistical and analytical techniques to analyze data sets. Here are 15 popular classification, regression and clustering methods. Continue Reading
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News
08 Dec 2020
SingleStore raises $80M for distributed SQL database
Raj Verma, CEO of SingleStore, explains why the vendor rebranded from MemSQL and how its platform is more than just an in-memory database, but is a general-purpose database. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Dec 2020
The data science process: 6 key steps on analytics applications
The data science process includes a set of steps that data scientists take to gather, prepare and analyze data and present the analytics results to business users. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Dec 2020
The top 5 enterprise advanced analytics use cases
Advanced analytics adoption has been growing across industries. The technology has many growing use cases in enterprises, but these are the top five. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Dec 2020
Collibra grows enterprise data governance for the cloud
Collibra CEO discusses the importance of data governance for enterprises and how to tie data governance to business terminology to go beyond simply controlling data. Continue Reading
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News
03 Dec 2020
Microsoft's Azure Synapse Analytics now generally available
After more than a year in preview, Microsoft's new analytics platform that brings together data integration, data warehousing and big data analysis is now generally available. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Nov 2020
Event streaming technologies a remedy for big data's onslaught
Event streaming is emerging as a viable method to quickly analyze in real time the torrents of information pouring into collection systems from multiple data sources. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Nov 2020
Big data vs. artificial intelligence: How they compare
Artificial intelligence can help synthesize and analyze the large volumes of information provided by big data initiatives. The two are different, but they work well together. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Nov 2020
Brain teasers and other fun tips for learning Python
Learn about some interesting ways Python coders can grow their skills in the language and the importance of connecting and learning from others in the community. Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2020
Voting fraud technology could play role in momentous election
Vendors, academics and data scientists are developing technologies to detect irregularities in voting patterns. The turbulent U.S. election could provide fertile turf for the tools. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Oct 2020
8 types of bias in data analysis and how to avoid them
Analytics can exhibit biases that affect the bottom line or incite social outrage through discrimination. It's important to address those biases before problems arise. Continue Reading
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News
14 Oct 2020
Idera targets cloud data lake market with Qubole acquisition
Qubole joins the Idera Inc. group of software companies, bringing data pipeline capabilities into the group to target customers that need more cloud data storage. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Oct 2020
Enterprise analytics benefits of natural language processing
As more analytics vendors adopt natural language tools, enterprises may want to think about the benefit the technology provides to their analytics abilities. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Sep 2020
Certificates important to the data science learning path
While data science certificates have value in the professional world, candidates must make them a piece of a larger drive for technical mastery and continued education. Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2020
Ahana releases managed Cloud for Presto service
New Ahana cloud system brings a managed service to market that integrates data management and visualization capabilities to aid in business intelligence and data analytics. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Aug 2020
What makes up a strong data science team structure?
Enterprises rely on a strong data science team to get the most from their data. Read on to find out what talents you'll need to employ to support your organization's data. Continue Reading
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News
19 Aug 2020
New Qubole Pipelines Service targets streaming data
Data lake vendor Qubole unveiled a data pipeline service, a new tool designed to enable organizations to manage their increasing amounts of streaming data. Continue Reading
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Infographic
17 Aug 2020
Data scientist vs. data analyst: Comparing the 2 data roles
The differences can be subtle, but in general, a data scientist has more responsibilities and a more advanced background than analyst counterparts. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Aug 2020
Using data for public good in fight for racial equity
While some data-driven methods recently have been publicly scrutinized for biases in practice, there are plenty of ways data can aid the fight for racial equity. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Aug 2020
Why more employees need data literacy skills
Encouraging employees to learn data literacy skills can benefit any enterprise. Read on for some of the benefits and resources to take advantage of in building those skills. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jul 2020
10 types of biases that affect customer data analysis
Analytics can help businesses make data-driven decisions, but common cognitive biases can skew how organizations interpret the information and CX. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jul 2020
Python exploratory data analysis and why it's important
Exploratory data analysis is a key step to building the best models to gain insight from your data. Read on to see how Python can be a useful tool in this process. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Jul 2020
Ensuring predictive model accuracy in the age of COVID-19
Data scientists are used to concept drift, but the constantly changing data due to COVID-19 can be hard to address. Experts discuss how to maintain model accuracy in the pandemic. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2020
BigQuery Omni enables Google multi-cloud data analytics
Google BigQuery data analytics users can now query data across clouds from multiple providers, including AWS and Microsoft Azure, without the need to first move the data. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Jul 2020
Important resources in a data scientist education
There are plenty of resources for data science learning for people entering the field all the way up to managers. Read on for key resources and an excerpt from a new book on data science skills. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Jul 2020
Overcoming the top 3 analytics adoption challenges
Analytics is a growing part of many businesses. Experts talk about some of the most pressing challenges enterprises may face when implementing new analytics strategies. Continue Reading
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Quiz
29 Jun 2020
Find out how smart you are about machine learning and AI
Machine learning can help businesses gain powerful analytics value from their data -- but only if it's done right. How much do you know about machine learning and related forms of AI? Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Jun 2020
What does Salesforce mean for Tableau AI features?
Tableau and Salesforce both offer AI features for their analytics tools. Experts talk about how the AI offerings from each platform can complement each other. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Jun 2020
Data drives the decisions behind making movies
From the moment a script is submitted to the time a movie is released, analytics drive just about every decision made during the making of a feature film. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Jun 2020
Benefits of embedded BI and customizable analytics
Depending on your data needs, embedded analytics from a BI platform or a more custom-built analytics framework may work. Read on for the benefits of each option. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 May 2020
Data science interview preparation: How to answer top questions
A successful interview for a data scientist position relies on the ability to effectively communicate and demonstrate your combined experiences and skills. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 May 2020
4 features of great data visualization and storytelling
Data visualization and storytelling go hand in hand when it comes to explaining data. Here are four ways to make sure you build and tell a strong data story for your audience. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 May 2020
Data scientist vs. machine learning engineer careers
There are many careers under the data science umbrella, including data scientist and machine learning engineer. But what's the difference between the two? Read on to find out. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 May 2020
Why organizations need IoT data scientists on their team
IoT is ratcheting up the stakes and creating new ways to use data, making IoT data scientists a necessity for organizations to maintain a competitive edge. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Apr 2020
The most important soft skills for data scientist jobs
Soft skills are an important part of data scientist jobs. From business value to interpersonal communication, many nontechnical skills are important to data science projects. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Apr 2020
The COVID-19 impact on analytics professionals
The global pandemic has forced many businesses to make quick changes. The COVID-19 impact on analytics professionals makes them imperative to changing business goals. Continue Reading